What does the term "certified" used car mean?

What does the term "certified" used car mean?

James Bell (Publisher, Auto Reviewer) gives expert video advice on: What does the term "certified" used car mean?; What are the advantages of buying a certified used car?; What is a "pre-owned vehicle"? and more...

A certified pre-owned vehicle is a car that has come back in as a used car to the dealership, has gone through an additional process or inspection from the manufacturer--designated process by that manufacturer--and then it's allowed to be sold as something almost better than used. It's been “certified” that the factory has looked at the vehicle, they've identified any faults and have corrected them. In many cases, they'll add additional warranty onto the vehicle as a certified vehicle. The flip side of that is that you may pay a little bit more for it because it has that additional backup. The essence of a certified pre-owned vehicle is that you're getting the used car price with a new car experience.