Luxury Vehicles Lead Most Researched New Car List - Wish'n And Dream'n ?
IRVINE, Calif., Oct. 4 -- Based on pricing reports generated, Mercedes bucked the pickup trend with several of their luxury models unexpectedly making the September list.With the phenomenon of zero percent financing, no interest ever, and some of the best deals in decades, many consumers are finding their way into luxury vehicles.
"The amount of money it once took to buy a Chrysler Sebring or 300m, can now buy a Mercedes C-class," said Charlie Vogelheim, executive editor of Kelley Blue Book. "The current economic conditions and dealer incentives allowed companies like Mercedes and BMW to sell into new markets and have a huge presence on our top 50 list for September."
Another mover and shaker on the 'Top 50 Most Researched' list was the 2003 Nissan 350Z. It's no surprise that this car moved up 16 notches to No. 11 on September's list. This racing-inspired sports car hit the market in September with a lot of hype and double the interest.
Predictably, September's top five are a carbon copy of the last several months, but in shuffled order. Chevy/GMC Silverado and Sierra trucks again top the 'Kelley Blue Book Top 50 Most Researched' list at No. 1. Honda still holds two coveted spots in the top five with the Accord and Civic and have been jockeying for position against the pickups all year -- and even succeeded a few times.
Rated one of America's best-selling vehicles, the Toyota Camry holds strong to number five this month. While the company has yet to clench the No. 1 position, Toyota regularly sees nine of its models on the Kelley Blue Book list each month.
SUVs remained strong in September with Ford leading the charge with its Explorer, Expedition and compact model, Escape.
About Kelley Blue Book
Kelley Blue Book, (www.kbb.com) the most trusted vehicle information resource, provides comprehensive automotive information and up-to-date pricing on thousands of used and new vehicles. Since 1926, the company has empowered car buyers and sellers by providing them with accurate information to make well-informed automotive decisions. Kelley Blue Book offers timely and reliable vehicle pricing via products and services for both the auto industry and the general consumer, including the famous Blue Book Official Guides, software and the Internet. Launched in 1995, kbb.com has become the No. 1 automotive information site according to Nielsen//NetRatings, and JD Power and Associates studies show that more consumers purchase vehicles after visiting kbb.com than any other Internet site.
Top 50 - Most Researched Cars at kbb.com During September 2002
1 Chevrolet / GMC Pickups (Silverado & Sierra)
2 Honda Accord
3 Ford Pickups (F Series)
4 Honda Civic
5 Toyota Camry
6 Ford Explorer
7 Nissan Altima
8 BMW 3 Series
9 Volkswagen Jetta
10 Nissan 350Z
11 Dodge Ram Pickups
12 Ford Mustang
13 Volkswagen Passat
14 Chevrolet / GMC Tahoe / Yukon
15 Toyota Highlander
16 Toyota Tacoma
17 Toyota Corolla
18 Honda Odyssey
19 Ford Escape
20 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
21 Honda Pilot
22 Ford Expedition
23 Toyota Sequoia
24 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
25 Jeep Liberty
26 Chrysler / Dodge Voyager / Caravan
27 Nissan Maxima
28 Jeep Grand Cherokee
29 Ford Focus
30 Audi A4
31 Mitsubishi Eclipse
32 Honda CR-V
33 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
34 BMW 5 Series
35 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
36 Toyota Tundra
37 Acura TL
38 Acura MDX
39 Dodge Dakota Pickups
40 Nissan Xterra
41 Chevrolet / GMC S10 / Sonoma
42 Toyota 4Runner
43 Ford Ranger
44 Hyundai Santa Fe
45 Toyota RAV4
46 Infiniti G35
47 Toyota Avalon
48 BMW X5
49 Nissan Sentra
50 Mini Cooper