Autoblog

And now for a different sort of Tesla Model S review...

Zach Bowman — Sun, 24 Feb 2013 18:58:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Technology, Videos, Tesla, Electric, Luxury

Our friends at Kelley Blue Book have taken an unflinching look at the Tesla Model S in a new video. The crew originally planned to pack up and whip the electric sedan all the way to Las Vegas from Los Angeles, but got sidelined by a flat tire. The ensuing detour to a Tesla service center resulted in a day of hopping from charge point to charge point and a number of close calls on the range front. Confronted with cold temperatures, a desire to make time and some serious topography, the Model S pulled up short on projected range but never left the guys stranded.

The team eventually makes it to Vegas and discovers the aggravation of trying to charge the car with anything other than the company's supercharger stations. The return trip goes quite a bit better, however, and KBB starts to figure out what makes the Model S so special. We won't ruin the end for you. You can check out the full clip below.

Continue reading And now for a different sort of Tesla Model S review...

And now for a different sort of Tesla Model S review... originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 24 Feb 2013 18:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mazda and Lexus crowned with KBB 5-Year Cost To Own awards

John Neff — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Lexus, Mazda

We report on a lot of awards, some of which are given out based on more solid criteria than others. This one, the Kelley Blue Book 5-Year Cost to Own awards, seems like one that new car shoppers should pay attention to.

The cost of a car goes far beyond what you pay for the actual metal, leather and rubber at the point of purchase. Fuel, insurance, maintenance and repair costs, and the cost of fees from the state and financing will all weigh on your wallet while you own the car. That's not even taking into account the biggest cost: depreciation, or the amount of money you lose based on what your car is worth years from now versus the day you bought it.

KBB tracks these sorts of things, and they've compiled a list of winners for 2013 models. On the brand level, Mazda and Lexus earn the 5-Year Cost to Own award for having the lowest overall projected five-year totals (though, curiously, we note that Mazda and Lexus each had only one segment winner). There are lots of winners for all the various segments, so we'll just pick out a few surprising ones to share and you can view the rest here.

Many vehicles that aren't generally considered competitive in their segments still do well from a cost-to-own perspective. The Jeep Patriot, for instance, won the Compact SUV/Crossover segment, while the Mitsubishi Outlander scores for the midsize SUV/Crossover group. For hybrids, the Honda Insight costs the least over five years, while the admittedly small segment of pure electric vehicles is lead by the Chevrolet Volt. What's the least expensive 2013 model year sports car to own? The Ford Mustang, while the Mustang GT also nabs honors in the High Performance Car segment. Like we said, you can check out the full list here, and even look any car that you're interested in owning to see how much you can expect to pay after the sale.

Continue reading Mazda and Lexus crowned with KBB 5-Year Cost To Own awards

Mazda and Lexus crowned with KBB 5-Year Cost To Own awards originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 12 Feb 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota tops Kelley Blue Book's Resale Value Awards

Jeffrey N. Ross — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 18:30:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Chevrolet, Ford, Honda, Infiniti, Jeep, Lexus, Porsche, Scion, Toyota

Kelley Blue Book announced its annual Best Resale Value Award winners, and we weren't too surprised to see the list dominated by Japanese automakers - mainly Toyota and Honda. KBB hands out the awards based on the projected residual value of mostly all 2013 model year vehicles, and Toyota skated home with a number of awards including 10 of the 22 overall categories and having five of its products in the top 10 for models with best resale value. KBB's Best Resale Value Awards were announced in the same week as the ALG Residual Value Awards, and there were many similarities between both lists, especially when it came to Toyota.

To come up with its winners, KBB measures depreciation over the first five years of ownership, and looks for the cars it expects to hold its value the best after this time; on average, the report says the 2013 model year vehicles will lose 61.8 percent of its value in five years. Of the 22 categories, 15 slots were filled by Toyota, Honda and Nissan products, while the Camaro and Porsche (Cayenne and Panamera) each took home a pair of awards. If Toyota has anything to be upset about in this list of cars, it's that categories for Hybrid/Alternative Energy Car and Electric Vehicle went to the Ford Fusion and Chevrolet Volt, respectively.

The overall top 10 models for the best resale value in 2013 are, in alphabetical order:

Scroll down to see KBB's press release that includes a breakdown of all individual category winners.

Continue reading Toyota tops Kelley Blue Book's Resale Value Awards

Toyota tops Kelley Blue Book's Resale Value Awards originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 27 Nov 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota hawks Avalon Hybrid on Home Shopping Network

George Kennedy — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 12:45:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Hybrid, Marketing/Advertising, Toyota, TV/Movies

"But wait, there's more!" You may be accustomed to hearing that line during an infomercial for a steak knife sharpener, but what about when the talking head is pitching a brand new car? Toyota is doing just that in a new partnership with HSN. The result of this partnership is a show called "Discover Toyota," which first aired on Sunday, October 7.

HSN has been around for more than three decades, and Toyota is the first automaker to appear on the network. The aim of the show is to highlight Toyota's hybrid lineup, including the Camry Hybrid, Highlander Hybrid, all-new Avalon Hybrid, and of course, the Prius family.

According to Toyota Motor Sales VP of Marketing Communications and Motorsports Ed Laukes, "HSN has a really loyal and engaged base of viewers, so it was a natural partner to help us expose out growing lineup of hybrids to people across the country." Appearing on the show were Micah Muzio of KBB.com and Tara Weingarten of Vroomgirls.com. The two appeared as the program's auto experts - one must carefully consider the objectivity of any subject matter expert brought on to a program this is so clearly backed by Toyota, however.

The show apparently also featured quizzes and Toyota-themed games, allowing fans to earn point towards sweepstakes to win a new Avalon Hybrid. Do you think this is a smart move for an automaker? Is Toyota targeting the Avalon's target demographic with the HSN program? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

Continue reading Toyota hawks Avalon Hybrid on Home Shopping Network

Toyota hawks Avalon Hybrid on Home Shopping Network originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 09 Oct 2012 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford honored most by 2012 KBB Brand Image Awards

Chris Tutor — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 07:58:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., BMW, Cadillac, Ford, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche

Kelley Blue Book has issued its 2012 Brand Image Awards and Ford took home four of the 12 honors.

The Blue Oval was recognized as the Most Family-Friendly Brand, Best interior Design Brand, Non-Luxury, Best Exterior Design Brand, Non-Luxury, and Most Rugged Truck Brand. Cadillac was the only other U.S. marque to win awards. It took the Best Interior Design Brand, Luxury and Best Comfort Brand.

The usually dominant Japanese brands were scarce, with Honda the only representative. Honda took the Most Trusted Brand and Best Value Brand.

The remaining four categories all went to Germany. BMW took Best Exterior Design Brand (somewhere Chris Bangle is smiling), Porsche took Coolest Brand and Best Performance Brand. Mercedes-Benz, for the fifth year in a row, was named the Most Prestigious Brand.

Ford honored most by 2012 KBB Brand Image Awards originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 05 Apr 2012 07:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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KBB hands out inaugural Total Cost of Ownership awards to Kia, Audi

Zach Bowman — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 11:35:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Audi, Kia

Kia has taken home the first ever Kelley Blue Book award for Total Cost of Ownership among consumer brands. As you might expect, the award goes to brands and vehicles with the lowest projected ownership costs. KBB examines depreciation, fuel costs, fees associated with finance and insurance, maintenance costs and state fees. Both the Optima sedan and Sportage CUV helped Kia cinch the win this award's inaugural year.

Kelley Blue Book also examined the cost of ownership among luxury brands, and Audi took the top nod in this category. KBB specifically pointed to the German automaker's low depreciation and good average fuel economy as reasons for the brand's win. The A3, A4 and Q5 all helped the automaker in the total cost of ownership evaluation.

The award is also broken up by individual vehicle categories, and there were some surprises among the winners. The Honda Insight took the Hybrid Car award while the Chevrolet Volt nabbed the Electric Car win. We would have expected to see the Toyota Prius and Nissan Leaf take those categories, respectively. Follow the jump for the full press release that reveals individual winners in each model category.

Continue reading KBB hands out inaugural Total Cost of Ownership awards to Kia, Audi

KBB hands out inaugural Total Cost of Ownership awards to Kia, Audi originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 09 Feb 2012 11:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Infographic: KBB looks at 2011 in the rearview mirror

John Neff — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 15:59:00 EST

Filed under: Etc.

Boy, that 2011 was a doozy, no? Earthquakes, tsunamis and floods; Arab Spring uprisings; Occupy protests, or as the highly respected yet entirely fictional Dr. Peter Venkman once said, "Human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together... mass hysteria!"

This year has indeed been one to remember for the world at large, and the auto industry was anything but immune to what was happening to the world's populace.

Kelley Blue Book has put together a nifty color-coded infographic to take us back through 2011. It quickly reminds us how much of an upswing the industry as a whole was in for before the devastating earthquakes and tsunamis hit Japan in February. After that, the entire playing field shifted, largely in favor of the already surging U.S. domestic automakers, the Korean brands and Nissan, which had the good fortune of not having nearly as much of its production interrupted as Toyota and Honda.

As 2011 closes, it would seem that the auto industry is once again approaching equilibrium, where all manufacturers are competing on just the merit of their wares, though as this past year has taught us, nature can change that in an instant.

Follow the jump to scan the entire infographic for yourself and let us know what automotive moments of the past year you'll remember most by leaving a comment.

Continue reading Infographic: KBB looks at 2011 in the rearview mirror

Infographic: KBB looks at 2011 in the rearview mirror originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 21 Dec 2011 15:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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KBB names its most-researched vehicles of 2011

John Neff — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 16:55:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying

Chances are you've visited KBB.com to do some research if you're in the market for a new vehicle, which is why the site's list of this year's most researched new vehicles and brands is probably a good representation of what the public at large is really interested in.

KBB calls it "share of market interest," which is defined as the percent of new car shopper activity for a particular brand or model. This year, Toyota captured the largest share of market interest among brands with 14.2 percent, followed by Ford (13.5 percent), Honda (12.8 percent), Chevrolet (11.5 percent) and Hyundai (7.5 percent).

As for individual models, the list of 20 vehicles with the highest share of market interest is dominated by the familiar players, including the Honda Civic, Accord and CR-V; Toyota Camry and Ford F-150, which make up the top five (though not in that order).

KBB points out two interesting things about this year's list. The first is the excellent showing by Hyundai both in brand ranking and individual models with the highest share of market interest. The Korean automaker was fifth in the brand rankings, pushing Nissan out of the top five, and the Sonata and Elantra ranked sixth and seventh among individual models, the latter jumping 29 spots from last year's list. The site credits Hyundai's roll out of new models, as well as hard times for both Toyota and Honda, for its capturing of consumers' interest this year.

The other thing to note is the absence of luxury vehicles, which suggests these tight economic times have consumers researching more practical purchases than a BMW, Mercedes-Benz or Audi, or at least that those who can afford such vehicles aren't researching them on KBB.com.

Follow the jump for KBB's official press release that includes the full list of 20 vehicles with the highest share of market interest for 2011.

Continue reading KBB names its most-researched vehicles of 2011

KBB names its most-researched vehicles of 2011 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 16 Dec 2011 16:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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KBB 2012 Best Resale Value awards dominated by Toyota

Zach Bowman — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 19:13:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Audi, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Ford, Honda, Jeep, Lexus, Toyota

Kelley Blue Book has announced the company's 2012 Best Resale Value Awards. The honors are handed out based on projections crafted by the KBB staff of automotive analysts for cars and trucks expected to retain the largest percentage of their original list price after five years.

For 2012, KBB has named Toyota as the best resale brand with Lexus taking the top honor in the luxury brand category. There aren't any surprises there, and the list of individual winners isn't likely to shake anyone's tree either. Toyota brands earned five category awards, while Honda alone took four categories, including sub-compact car, compact car, hybrid and van.

The Ford F-150, meanwhile, took home the full-size pickup nod and the only award for the Blue Ovals brands, while the Chevrolet Camaro V6 and SS snagged the sports car and high-performance car categories, respectively. There were a few surprises in the mix, however. The Jeep Wrangler brought home the only win in the compact SUV category and the only nod for Chrysler this year. The Audi A5 snagged the gold in the luxury car category and the Chevy Volt beat out the Nissan Leaf in the electric car category.

Kelly Blue Book says that residual value should be at the top of car buyers concerns when it comes time to bringing home a new model as depreciation represents the largest potential new-car expense. Hit the jump for the full press release.

Continue reading KBB 2012 Best Resale Value awards dominated by Toyota

KBB 2012 Best Resale Value awards dominated by Toyota originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 Nov 2011 19:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Top 10 Back-to-School Cars list by KBB has some curious picks

Jeff Glucker — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 09:58:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying

Having a car in high school can immediately vault you several rungs on the cool-kid class meter. However, choose the wrong car and you can actually lose points, sending your popularity down faster than the Dow Jones Industrial Average. Kelley Blue Book has put together a list of vehicles that it believes will appeal to the kids out there with driver's licenses, and we're not entirely sold on all of the choices.

Here is a quick breakdown of KBB's choices for both new and used vehicles:

New:
5. 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
4. 2011 Fiat 500
3. 2012 Ford Focus
2. 2011 Honda Fit
1. 2012 Hyundai Accent

Used:
5. 2007 Nissan Sentra
4. 2007 Ford F-150
3. 2007 Kia Sedona
2. 2008 Chevrolet HHR
1. 2007 Suzuki SX4

The new choices all make sense, since the vehicles are affordable, efficient and attractive enough not to make our inner teens cringe in shame. Something tells us the little Fiat might really score much higher on the desirability list.

The used car choices, however, have at least one eyebrow raiser in their midst. While we've grown to fully appreciate the utility of a minivan, there isn't a teenager in the entire country that wants to be seen driving one. Sure, they'd be able to pack all their friends inside, but teens aren't known for making sensible decisions.

We're also a bit curious about the F-150. Yes, it's best-selling vehicle in America and arguably the leader of its class, but it's hardly fuel efficient. Not quite an obvious choice in our minds.

Still, it's hard to say no to any car at that age, which explains why our first cars are far from our dream rides. We're curious: What was your first car? Feel free to sound off in the comments.

Top 10 Back-to-School Cars list by KBB has some curious picks originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 10 Aug 2011 09:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hyundai bumps Toyota, Honda from top of owner loyalty charts

Zach Bowman — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 13:29:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Hyundai

Hyundai is continuing its climb to the top. Kelley Blue Book has declared that the Korean manufacturer has beat out Honda, Toyota, Ford and Subaru in customer loyalty. According to data gathered from online sales at its KBB.com website, a total of 52.3 percent of Hyundai owners researched another Hyundai vehicle as they shopped during the first quarter of this year. Honda, meanwhile, saw 49.7 percent of its owners do the same, and 47.7 percent of Toyota buyers shopped for another of the company's vehicles during the same period. The KBB.com study indicated that 45.4 percent of Ford buyers researched another vehicle in that stable while 44.8 Subaru owners clicked through information on the Japanese automaker's other hardware.

Clearly, vehicle research doesn't exactly translate to owner loyalty, but the fact that so many current Hyundai owners are even willing to take a look at the rest of the company's arsenal is a good bellwether as to whether or not consumers will return to the brand in the future. Hit the jump for the full report.

Continue reading Hyundai bumps Toyota, Honda from top of owner loyalty charts

Hyundai bumps Toyota, Honda from top of owner loyalty charts originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 19 Jul 2011 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kelley Blue Book has a new look

Jeff Glucker — Thu, 26 May 2011 18:31:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying

Kelley Blue Book's new look - Click above for high-res image gallery

A Kleenex, a Band-Aid, a Thermos. Sometimes, one product in a segment becomes so ubiquitous that it becomes a brand-name ambassador for the entire genre. Say "pass me a Kleenex" and you will receive a tissue, regardless of what the side of the box it's plucked from reads. If you need a Band-Aid, someone will find you an adhesive dressing. Thermos? Same deal.

Kelley Blue Book is one such brand name.

In 1926, Les Kelley published his first Blue Book. Originally a packet of pages filled with his valuations for used cars, the Blue Book expanded to include new cars in 1966. As our world became increasingly digital, Kelley Blue Book extended its footprint to the Internet in 1993, and the Kelley Blue Book soon began to enter the lexicon of the car buying consumer in a new way.

Now, in 2011, KBB stands as the largest automotive valuation company. That's 85 years in business and 18 years on the web, and now, like the Orange County neighbors that surround KBB HQ, the brand is ready for a facelift.

Continue reading Kelley Blue Book has a new look

Kelley Blue Book has a new look originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 26 May 2011 18:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cadillac cleans up with three KBB Brand Image Awards

Jeff Glucker — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: BMW, Cadillac, Ford, GM, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota

2011 Cadillac CTS-V Coupe - Click above for high-res image gallery

Kelley Blue Book has announced the winners of its 2011 Brand Image awards, which are given out based on KBB data culled from a survey taken by over 12,000 in-market shoppers. Cadillac's image must be rather strong with said shoppers, because it took home KBB hardware in three out of the 10 award categories.

Constantly citing the CTS family of vehicles, KBB handed Cadillac the awards for Best Exterior Design, Best Comfort and Best Interior Design. Mercedes-Benz, Ford, Honda, Toyota and BMW snagged the rest of the 2011 Brand Image trophies. BMW and Ford received two nods apiece, but Caddy is still king of this particular hill for 2011. Click past the jump to read the full list of categories and winners.

Gallery: 2011 Cadillac CTS-V Coupe: Review

Photos copyright (C)2011 Drew Phillips / AOL

[Source: Kelley Blue Book]

Continue reading Cadillac cleans up with three KBB Brand Image Awards

Cadillac cleans up with three KBB Brand Image Awards originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 25 Apr 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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KBB looks back at a year in the life of Toyota

Jeff Glucker — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 10:29:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Recalls, Toyota

Toyota had a very interesting 2010. It was seemingly filled with an endless series of negative articles and shifting consumer perceptions. But has the automotive-buying public really been swayed? Kelley Blue Book decided to take a look back at Toyota's tough 2010 in a special report titled Toyota: One Year Later.

The answer to the question regarding consumer perception is a tricky one and can be answered with both a yes and a no. New car sales were flat compared to the rest of the automotive industry, which saw sales improve in the aftermath of the economic meltdown of 2008 and 2009. However, the values on used Toyota vehicles has held strong.

New car shoppers are reportedly very aware of Toyota's recent recall woes and feel the brand has been tarnished as a result. Yet 40 percent of those polled also believe the automaker has responded properly and fixed its various issues.

KBB has broken down Toyota's trying 2010 with valuable data garnered from its in-market shopping site and used car valuation analysis. Consumers have also been surveyed and all the information has been packaged into a report that's definitely worth a read, especially if you're considering buying a Toyota.

Click here (Warning: PDF link) to read it yourself.

[Source: KBB]

Continue reading KBB looks back at a year in the life of Toyota

KBB looks back at a year in the life of Toyota originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 20 Jan 2011 10:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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KBB reveals 20 most researched cars of 2010

Jeff Glucker — Sun, 26 Dec 2010 17:07:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Etc.

KBB.com names its 20 Most-Researched vehicles for 2010 - Click above for high-res image gallery

Kelly Blue Book has compiled a list of the most researched new vehicles for 2010, as well as brands that hold the greatest market share of interest. The Honda Accord, Civic and Toyota Camry claim the top three spots -- not a surprise if you've been reading this list the last few years. Since 2004, the same three vehicles have garnered the most attention at KBB.com.

While it's not a surprise to see those three, it's a nice change of pace for a few newcomers to the list. The Hyundai Sonata was 29th overall last year, but has risen 24 spots to claim the title of fifth most-researched vehicle for 2010. Not everyone rose this year, of course. Two notable vehicles, the Toyota Prius and Corolla, dropped a few spots compared to 2009.

It's not all bad news for Toyota, however, because KBB.com also takes a look at each brand's market share of interest among new car buyers. Toyota leads the way at 13.4 percent, with Honda, Ford, Chevrolet and Nissan rounding out the top five in that order.

Here's how the Top 20 Most-Researched Vehicles for 2010 breaks down:

1. Honda Accord
2. Honda Civic
3. Toyota Camry
4. Honda CR-V
5. Hyundai Sonata
6. Nissan Altima
7. Honda Pilot
8. Ford Mustang
9. Toyota Highlander
10. Toyota RAV4
11. Toyota Sienna
12. Honda Odyssey
13. Chevrolet Equinox
14. Toyota Corolla
15. Ford Fusion
16. Ford Escape
17. Toyota Prius
18. BMW 3 Series
19. Chevrolet Camaro
20. Volkswagen Jetta

Be sure to click past the jump to read the full release from Kelley Blue Book.

Gallery: Kelley Blue Book's Top 20 Most-Researched Vehicles for 2010

[Source: KBB.com]

Continue reading KBB reveals 20 most researched cars of 2010

KBB reveals 20 most researched cars of 2010 originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 26 Dec 2010 17:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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KBB Best Resale Value awards announced, Subaru and BMW named best brands

Zach Bowman — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 11:27:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Etc.

Well, color us embarrassed. Never you mind the earlier post we ran about last year's Kelly Blue Book resale value awards. As it turns out, KBB very wisely hands out those nods for the upcoming model year based on their projected resale values five years from now. For 2011, Subaru walked away with the title of Best Resale Value Brand while BMW took the nod for Best Resale Value Luxury Brand. The two dethroned Toyota and Lexus, respectively, despite the Japanese automaker's products holding four slots on the top 10 list.

Both the X5 and Outback are returning champs, as those models held spots on last year's best resale value list for their respective categories. Check out the full list of the top 10 winners below, and be sure to check out the press release after the jump.

[Source: Kelly Blue Book]

Continue reading KBB Best Resale Value awards announced, Subaru and BMW named best brands

KBB Best Resale Value awards announced, Subaru and BMW named best brands originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 17 Nov 2010 11:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AutoTrader buys Kelley Blue Book for undisclosed sum

Jonathon Ramsey — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 09:01:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Etc., Earnings/Financials

Consumer car search website AutoTrader.com is now the owner of a brand new (to them) Kelley Blue Book and KBB's CDM Data and CDM Dealer Services. The amount of the transaction hasn't been divulged, but at least on the face of it, it makes perfect sense: once integrated, Kelley's valuation tools will practically be stuck to the pixelated windows of all those used cars of suspect value. KBB will continue as a subsidiary of Auto Trader and remain based in Irvine, California.

Those interested in all the nitty-gritty details can click past the break for the complete press release.

[Source: AutoTrader.com via Ward's Auto]

Continue reading AutoTrader buys Kelley Blue Book for undisclosed sum

AutoTrader buys Kelley Blue Book for undisclosed sum originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 27 Oct 2010 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kelley Blue Book on the auction block?

Chris Shunk — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 08:01:00 EST

Filed under: Etc.

Kelley Blue Book has been arming car buyers and sellers with vehicle pricing information since 1926, but the Financial Times claims that the privately owned company is looking to sell, with wo sources familiar with the matter saying KBB has hired a bank to handle the sale.

Interested in buying? Plan to have somewhere in the neighborhood of $500 million to $1 billion on hand. You'll also likely have to bid against some of the industry's heaviest hitters. One of the news-leaking bankers tabs AutoTrader as the lead bidder, with both eBay and Google likely to be in the fold. Since nobody from KBB is commenting on the record, we don't know why the company is selling, but the KBB.com website has experienced a decline in traffic from nine million visits per month to about seven million over the past three years. KBB is family owned, though no members of the Kelley family currently work in executive management at the company.

[Source: Financial Times]

Kelley Blue Book on the auction block? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 08 Sep 2010 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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KBB: Ford most considered car brand, Hyundai makes big jump

Zach Bowman — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 10:58:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Marketing/Advertising, Hyundai, Nissan

Hyundai was one of just a few companies to come through the automotive meltdown of 2009 relatively unscathed. The Korean automaker managed to keep sales up while others faltered thanks to a quality, inexpensive product lineup backed with a stout warranty. Now it looks like those very factors are beginning impact the number of car shoppers who would consider hopping into a Hyundai. According to the Kelly Blue Book Market Intelligence Brand Watch study, the company has risen to the fifth most non-luxury brand considered by car shoppers. The move effectively kicked Nissan out of the top five for the first time in years.

Hyundai's rise was precipitated by the fact that the company is scoring well in the non-luxury coupe/sedan/hatchback segment. In that area, the carmaker is bested only by Ford, Honda and Toyota.

Interestingly enough, Ford is the most considered car brand at the moment, thanks in part to Toyota's newly tarnished image. The Japanese automaker fell eight percentage points in the study compared to this time last year thanks largely to its recall problems. Hit the jump for a look at the KBB press release.

Gallery: Review: 2009 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 3.8 Track

Continue reading KBB: Ford most considered car brand, Hyundai makes big jump

KBB: Ford most considered car brand, Hyundai makes big jump originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 11 Aug 2010 10:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: KBB, KTLA get amusing parking tickets on live broadcast

Chris Shunk — Thu, 27 May 2010 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Etc., Government/Legal, Videos, Humor

Click above to watch the video after the jump

Kelley Blue Book ace and Autoblog pal James Bell and his team brought a slew of vehicles to Santa Monica, California for some analysis on KTLA channel five's morning show. The aim was to showcase 10 great road trip vehicles, but instead, one of the nation's largest local TV audiences received a lesson in parking law from a particularly dedicated meter maid.

While Bell and KTLA reported Gayle Anderson were live on the air, the Santa Monica parking enforcement began rifling off $50 tickets for each vehicle on display. In the footage, Anderson asserts live on air that the parking spots have been paid for, adding that she has receipts, but that's apparently not enough to stop Santa Monica's finest from making with the carbon copies. Bell's comment? "If we can afford the Porsche (Panamera), you can afford the ticket." Unless, of course, that Porsche is a press car. Pretty funny stuff. Hit the jump to watch first-hand video of KBB and KTLA's amusing $500 parking faux pas.

[Source: KTLA via YouTube]

Continue reading Video: KBB, KTLA get amusing parking tickets on live broadcast

Video: KBB, KTLA get amusing parking tickets on live broadcast originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 27 May 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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