Kelley Blue Book Marketing Research's Q2 Brand Watch Study Results Announced

2008 Brand Watch 'Brand Image Awards' Scheduled for March in New York City

IRVINE, Calif., Sept. 6 -- Kelley Blue Book (http://www.kbb.com/) today announces the results of Kelley Blue Book Marketing Research's second quarter consumer automotive perceptions research study, Brand Watch. The highly comprehensive report takes a detailed look at in-market new vehicle shoppers' perceptions of brands and important factors driving their purchase decisions while in the midst of the research and shopping process.

"Consumer perceptions of a manufacturer have more impact on the marketplace than many would give them credit for," said Jack Nerad, executive editorial editor and executive market analyst, Kelley Blue Book and kbb.com. "Word-of-mouth among friends and the eventual voting for vehicles with consumers' wallets can influence what their friends and neighbors buy, as well as resale values down the road."

                 SECOND QUARTER BRAND WATCH STUDY RESULTS

  BEST EXTERIOR STYLING:

  Non-Luxury Sedan/Coupe/Hatchback Segment: HONDA
  Luxury Sedan/Coupe/Hatchback Segment: BMW
  Non-Luxury SUV Segment: FORD
  Luxury SUV Segment: MERCEDES-BENZ
  Truck Segment: CHEVROLET
  Minivan Segment: HONDA
  Sports Car/Convertible Segment: PORSCHE

  BEST INTERIOR LAYOUT/DRIVING COMFORT:

  Non-Luxury Sedan/Coupe/Hatchback Segment: TOYOTA
  Luxury Sedan/Coupe/Hatchback Segment: LEXUS
  Non-Luxury SUV Segment: TOYOTA
  Luxury SUV Segment: LEXUS
  Truck Segment: CHEVROLET
  Minivan Segment: TOYOTA
  Sports Car/Convertible Segment: LEXUS

  OVERALL FINDINGS

  Best Overall Exterior Styling: PORSCHE
  Best Overall Interior Layout/Driving Comfort: LEXUS
  Best Overall Prestige Brand /Luxury/Sophistication: MERCEDES-BENZ

Now available to vehicle manufacturers and auto industry professionals, the second quarter Brand Watch report taps into active new-vehicle shoppers to determine their perceptions of automotive brands within specific automotive segments. Brand Watch delves into how each manufacturer's brand equity differs across vehicle segments, compares the relative standing of each make vs. competitive makes, and reveals the decision factors of car-buyers within each make and segment. Detailed demographic and psychographic information also is collected, reported and detailed throughout Brand Watch's comprehensive study.

Kelley Blue Book Marketing Research's Second Quarter Brand Watch Study also examines:

   -- Important factors driving purchase decisions in each vehicle segment
   -- Perceptions of styling/design, driving performance,
      durability/reliability and comfort for each make and segment
   -- Key psychographic profiles of buyers within each vehicle segment
   -- Perceptions and consideration trended among domestics and imports
   -- Individual profiles for the top 27 makes
   -- The top makes considered by shoppers in each vehicle segment

"Consumer perceptions of what brands have to offer frequently will put certain vehicles on a shoppers' consideration list, or leave them off all together," said Rick Wainschel, vice president of marketing research and brand communications at Kelley Blue Book. "Having Brand Watch in the marketing arsenal allows a manufacturer to see how they are perceived in often-overlooked areas, and also how they rank against other brands in their segment."

The Brand Watch results from the second quarter of 2007, compiled by Kelley Blue Book Marketing Research, reflect the brand perceptions of more than 4,000 active, in-market vehicle shoppers. Each quarter, Kelley Blue Book will announce the results in 17 main categories, including exterior styling and interior layout and comfort, among the seven major vehicle segments. Three overall category winners will also be named; best exterior styling, best interior layout and comfort, and best prestige/luxury brand. Based on the Brand Watch report data, Kelley Blue Book will host the inaugural 2008 Brand Image Awards Dinner and Ceremony in New York City during the week of the New York International Auto Show in March.

For Brand Watch sales inquiries on any vehicle segment or brand, please contact Kelly Gim, director of marketing research services at 949-268-2756 or kgim@kbb.com, or Nicole Stark, marketing research account manager at 949-267-4781 or nstark@kbb.com.

About Kelley Blue Book (kbb.com)

Since 1926, Kelley Blue Book, The Trusted Resource(R), has provided vehicle buyers and sellers with the new and used vehicle information they need to accomplish their goals with confidence. The company's top-rated Web site, kbb.com, provides the most up-to-date pricing and values, including the New Car Blue Book(R) Value, which reveals what people actually are paying for new cars. The company also reports vehicle pricing and values via products and services, including software products and the famous Blue Book(R) Official Guide. Kbb.com is rated the No. 1 automotive information site by Nielsen//NetRatings and the most visited auto site by J.D. Power and Associates eight years in a row. No other medium reaches more in-market vehicle shoppers than kbb.com; nearly one in every three American car buyers performs their research on kbb.com.