Consolidated Statements of Stockholders' Equity / Members' Deficit - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Restricted Stock Units (RSUs)	Car360	Follow On Public Offering	Carvana Group	Class A Convertible Preferred Stock	Class A Common Stock	Members' Deficit	Preferred Stock Class A Convertible Preferred Stock	Common Stock Class A Common Stock	Common Stock Class A Common Stock Restricted Stock Units (RSUs)	Common Stock Class A Common Stock Follow On Public Offering	Common Stock Class B Common Stock	Additional Paid-in Capital	Additional Paid-in Capital Car360	Additional Paid-in Capital Follow On Public Offering	Additional Paid-in Capital Carvana Group	Additional Paid-in Capital Class A Convertible Preferred Stock	Accumulated Deficit	Non-controlling Interests	Non-controlling Interests Car360	Non-controlling Interests Follow On Public Offering	Non-controlling Interests Class A Convertible Preferred Stock
Members' Deficit, beginning of the period at Dec. 31, 2016								$ (115,961)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net loss	$ (164,316)
Accretion of beneficial conversion feature on Class A convertible Preferred Stock	(1,237)
Net loss subsequent to Organizational Transactions	(164,316)
Adjustments to non-controlling interest / Exchange of LLC Units														$ 3,600						$ (3,600)
Stockholders' equity, end of the period (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2017									100,000	18,096,000			114,664,000
Stockholders' equity, end of the period at Dec. 31, 2017	279,544								$ 97,127	$ 18			$ 115	41,375					$ (12,899)	153,808
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net loss	(254,745)																		(55,476)	(199,269)
Conversion of convertible securities									(98,507)	$ 5				98,502
Stock issued during the period (in shares)		200,000									327,000	6,600,000
Stock issued during the period, value			$ 9,981	$ 172,287								$ 7				$ 172,280					$ 9,981
Accretion of beneficial conversion feature on Class A convertible Preferred Stock	(1,380)					$ (1,400)			$ 1,380									$ (1,380)
Preferred dividends	(4,206)													(4,206)
Net loss subsequent to Organizational Transactions	(254,745)																		(55,476)	(199,269)
Exchanges of LLC Units (in shares)										(11,331,000)			10,328,000
Adjustments to non-controlling interest / Exchange of LLC Units										$ 11			$ (11)	15,828	$ 1,297	(132,375)		$ (67,972)		(15,828)	$ (1,297)	$ 132,375	$ 67,972
Establishment of deferred tax assets related to increases in tax basis in Carvana Group					$ 95,179												$ 95,179
Establishment of valuation allowance related to deferred tax assets associated with increases in tax basis of Carvana Group					(95,179)												(95,179)
Restricted stock surrendered in lieu of withholding taxes (in shares)										(95,000)
Restricted stock surrendered in lieu of withholding taxes	(2,509)													(2,509)
Options exercised (in shares)										60,000
Options exercised	795													795
Equity-based compensation	25,745													25,745
Issuance of Class A common stock related to purchase of asset (in shares)										10,000
Issuance of Class A common stock related to purchase of assets	536													536
Conversion of Class A Convertible Preferred Stock (in shares)						100,000	5,100,000		(100,000)	5,077,000
Contributions of Class A common stock from related party (in shares)										198,000
Forfeitures of restricted stock and restricted stock surrendered in lieu of withholding taxes (in shares)										(95,000)
Forfeitures of restricted stock and restricted stock surrendered in lieu of withholding taxes	(2,509)													(2,509)
Stockholders' equity, end of the period (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2018									0	41,208,000			104,336,000
Stockholders' equity, end of the period at Dec. 31, 2018	227,428								$ 0	$ 41			$ 104	147,916					(68,375)	147,742
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net loss	(364,639)																		(114,659)	(249,980)
Stock issued during the period (in shares)		200,000									300,000	4,830,000
Stock issued during the period, value				$ 297,611								$ 5				297,606
Accretion of beneficial conversion feature on Class A convertible Preferred Stock	0
Net loss subsequent to Organizational Transactions	(364,639)																		(114,659)	(249,980)
Exchanges of LLC Units (in shares)										(4,321,000)			3,117,000
Adjustments to non-controlling interest / Exchange of LLC Units										$ 5			$ (3)	4,948		$ (201,015)				(4,950)		$ 201,015
Establishment of deferred tax assets related to increases in tax basis in Carvana Group					70,252												70,252
Establishment of valuation allowance related to deferred tax assets associated with increases in tax basis of Carvana Group					$ (70,252)												$ (70,252)
Restricted stock surrendered in lieu of withholding taxes (in shares)										(53,000)
Restricted stock surrendered in lieu of withholding taxes	(5,830)													(5,830)
Options exercised (in shares)										104,000
Options exercised	1,696													1,696
Equity-based compensation	35,673													35,673
Contributions of Class A common stock from related party (in shares)										203,000
Forfeitures of restricted stock and restricted stock surrendered in lieu of withholding taxes (in shares)										(53,000)
Forfeitures of restricted stock and restricted stock surrendered in lieu of withholding taxes	(5,830)													(5,830)
Stockholders' equity, end of the period (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2019									0	50,507,000			101,219,000
Stockholders' equity, end of the period at Dec. 31, 2019	$ 191,939								$ 0	$ 51			$ 101	$ 280,994					$ (183,034)	$ 93,827