Car Blog

Chevy Equinox and Camaro, Ford Fusion, Lexus RX 350 Jump into 2009’s Top 20 Most-Researched New Cars

Kelley Blue Book, the leading provider of new and used car information, today announces the most-researched new vehicles of 2009 on the company’s top-rated Web site, www.kbb.com. In addition, Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com reveals the top five brands with the greatest share of market interest for 2009.

This year marks the fourth consecutive year that Kelley Blue Book saw increased visitation to its Web site, with nearly 180 million visits to kbb.com in 2009. Because kbb.com is one of the most-trafficked automotive research sites, visitation to specific vehicles has become a leading indicator of sales patterns for manufacturers.

Kbb.com’s Top 20 Most-Researched New Vehicles of 2009
1. Honda Accord
2. Honda Civic
3. Toyota Camry
4. Honda CR-V
5. Toyota Corolla
6. Toyota RAV4
7. Toyota Highlander
8. Toyota Prius
9. Nissan Altima
10. Honda Pilot
11. Ford Escape
12. Chevrolet Camaro
13. Honda Odyssey
14. Ford Fusion
15. Mazda3
16. Ford Mustang
17. Volkswagen Jetta
18. Toyota Sienna
19. Lexus RX 350
20. Chevrolet Equinox

The Honda Civic, Honda Accord and Toyota Camry (in varying orders each year) have been the top three most-researched new-vehicles on kbb.com each year since 2004. However, many vehicles made noteworthy jumps into the top 20 most-researched new-vehicles for 2009 that were not on the list in 2008. Chevrolet’s all-new redesigned Equinox and Camaro models both grace this year’s list for the first time. Also new to this year’s top 20 are the recently revamped Lexus RX 350 and the popular, fast-selling Ford Fusion.

The stabilization in gas prices for 2009 has indicated a trend away from smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles over the past year, and thus some popular small cars that were among the most-researched in 2008 have fallen off the list for 2009. Subcompact cars like the Toyota Yaris and Honda Fit, along with the compact MINI Cooper, were among the most-researched new cars last year, but do not hold court among the most-researched models this year. In addition, Chevy’s Malibu, redesigned for the 2008 model-year and featured on last year’s ‘most-researched’ list, has seen some of its popularity fade over the past year, no longer listing among the top 20 most-researched new cars of 2009.

“The site traffic on Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com demonstrates what is on the minds of today’s new-car shoppers, especially when examining the most-researched new-vehicles of 2009,” said James Bell, executive market analyst for Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com. “Declined interest in smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles and increased popularity in attractive, recently redesigned models is an accurate reflection of the marketplace in 2009. We also see that consumers are reacting well to new models and redesigns from domestic manufacturers like Chevy and Ford, which bodes well for their future sales numbers.”

Top Five Brands with Greatest Share of Market Interest on Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com for 2009

1. Toyota
2. Honda
3. Ford
4. Chevrolet
5. Nissan

Toyota, Honda, Ford, Chevrolet and Nissan (respectively) are the top five brands with the highest share of market interest — defined as the percent of new-car shopper activity for a particular brand — on Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com for 2009. Of those brands, Ford saw the most growth throughout the course of the year, with its share rising steadily in the first half of the year and peaking during the summer months, benefitting as the only domestic manufacturer that did not require a bailout or undergo bankruptcy. Ford also benefitted from the “Cash-for-Clunkers” program during the summer of 2009, due to its aggressive promotion of the program.

Source: Kelley Blue Book

Reddy Ice Holdings, headquartered in Dallas, Texas, is the largest manufacturer and distributor of packaged ice in the United States. One of the company’s products is the Ice Factory, a stand-alone machine that dispenses packaged ice.

Looking for a “greener,” more affordable van to replace some of the vehicles currently in its fleet, including Dodge Sprinters and Chevrolet HHRs, Ready Ice opted for the Ford Transit Connect. The company’s technicians will now drive Transit Connects to service and maintain the thousands of Ice Factory machines throughout the country.

Reddy Ice Holdings, the largest manufacturer and distributor of packaged ice in the United States, employs more than 2,000 people year-round. The company sells its products primarily under the widely known Reddy Ice brand to a variety of customers in 32 states and the District of Columbia.

One of the company’s products is the Ice Factory ice-dispensing machine. There are several thousand machines at various locations throughout the country that need to be serviced and maintained on a regular basis.

The Ice Factory service fleet consists of 250 vehicles, most of them traditional cargo vans. According to Lee Hatch, Reddy Ice corporate fleet manager, Ice Factory service technicians rack up between 25,000 and 50,000 miles annually on each vehicle, and he needed to find a vehicle that could begin to replace some of the large, gas-guzzling vans in the fleet.

Hatch says he spent a great deal of time researching vehicles. His primary criteria were environmental impact, fuel efficiency, cargo-carrying space and vehicle cost.

He chose the Ford Transit Connect because it provides ample cargo-carrying capacity in a compact vehicle. It also offers much better fuel economy and is more environmentally friendly than traditional cargo vans.

Hatch says he also appreciates the Transit Connect’s compact size, which makes the vehicle easier for drivers to maneuver and park. And the price is affordable. Hatch says that in many instances, he can buy two Transit Connects for the same price as one traditional cargo van.

Hatch upfitted his 17 Transit Connects with storage bins for parts and tools. Some of the vehicles have accommodations for refrigeration tanks and equipment.

The response from Ice Factory service technicians driving the Transit Connect has been positive. And future plans are to continue to expand the number of Transit Connects in the Ice Factory fleet.

Ford’s Transit Connect enjoys a global reputation for durability and toughness dating back to its 2003 launch, when an expert jury of European commercial vehicle journalists dubbed it International Van of the Year.

Ford’s Transit Connect is powered by a 2.0-liter I-4 engine with a four-speed automatic overdrive transmission. The vehicle offers double the fuel economy of full-size vans with a rating of 22 mpg city and 25 highway.

The versatile Transit Connect is a global Ford product that can be adapted to multiple commercial business applications. It has more than double the cargo-carrying space of the Chevrolet HHR Panel, and it offers users a cargo payload of up to 1,600 pounds, which means that it can carry a larger payload than the full-size Dodge Ram 1500 standard-cab short-box pickup truck.

The Transit Connect is available now at Ford dealerships throughout the country.

Source: Ford Motor Company

2010 show to Launch Massive Showcase of Advanced Technology

America’s greenest “tier-one” auto show just got greener. The Washington Auto Show®, which houses more green cars than any major U.S. auto show, is redoubling its efforts in 2010 with a 65,000-square foot display known as the “Advanced Technology SuperHighway.”

“We are, literally, putting innovation front and center,” said Charles Stringfellow, CEO of Brown’s Automotive and chairman of the 2010 Washington Auto Show, which is known for its mass appeal as well as its emphasis on public policy. “The concept of the SuperHighway is to provide a central meeting place for policy makers, industry officials, consumers and the media to survey the tremendous advances in the industry.”

The Advanced Technology SuperHighway will be sectioned by advancements in electric, diesel, natural gas, advanced petroleum, biofuels, ethanol, hydrogen and safety technologies. The most ambitious effort to support and promote progressive innovations for the automotive industry, this special exhibit is produced in coordination with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Energy and Department of Transportation and is a testament to the theme of this year’s show; “Change Happens Here.”

Currently, the companies slated to display are:

Audi, AutoPort, BMW, BorgWarner, Bosch, Boulder Electric Vehicle, Bright Automotive, Chrysler, Columbia ParCar, Electric Drive Transportation Association, Enova Systems, Evolve-it, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Lexus, Magna International, Mercedes, Nissan, Novozymes, OnStar, Phoenix Motorcars, Quantum Technologies, Scuderi Engine, Smith Electric Vehicles, THINK, Toyota, UQM Technologies, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Department of Transportation, Volkswagen, Volvo and Wheego.

The Washington Auto Show, the address where the automotive industry meets public policy, joins key administrative and legislative officials with automotive industry leaders. It is both the largest public show in Washington as well as a niche event: the stage to exchange ideas and information with those shaping the future of the automobile. Building on this platform for collaboration, the 2010 Washington Auto Show is partnering with SAE International and the Electric Drive Transportation Association (EDTA), both of which will co-locate conferences with the Washington Auto Show.

The Washington Auto Show, “Change Happens Here,” is scheduled for January 27-31, at The Walter E. Washington Convention Center.

Source: www.washingtonautoshow.com