Top 20 Most Researched Vehicles on KBB.COM and What They Are Selling For

Kelley Blue Book Reports New Car Blue Book Values for Shopper's Most Wanted

IRVINE, Calif., Feb. 9 -- Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com is the No. 1 online vehicle information resource among car-buyers. While most consumers visit kbb.com the for trade-in values, Kelley Blue also offers transaction prices and information on new vehicles. Here are kbb.com's most researched new vehicles and what they are actually selling for:

   No.      Make              Model            New Car Blue Book Value
   1        Honda             Accord           LX $19,697
   2        Honda             Civic            LX $16,024
   3        Toyota            Camry            SE $19,700
   4        Toyota            Sienna           LE $24,800
   5        Honda             Pilot            LX $27,500
   6        Nissan            Altima           SL $22,676
   7        Toyota            Highlander       V6 $24,059
   8        Toyota            4Runner          Sport V6 2WD $26,878
   9        Toyota            Corolla          S $14,949
   10       Honda             Odyssey          EX V6 $26,632

   No.      Make              Model            New Car Blue Book Value
   11       Ford              Explorer         XLT Spt V6 2WD $29,093
   12       Honda             CR-V             LX $19,295
   13       Ford              Mustang          GT Dlx Coupe $23,078
   14       Infiniti          G35              w/ Leather $32,140
   15       Acura             TL               w/o Nav. $32,863
   16       Ford              Escape           XLT 2WD $22,434
   17       Nissan            350Z             Perf. V6 $30,468
   18       Dodge             Durango          N/A
   19       Nissan            Maxima           SE $28,295
   20       Acura             MDX              V6 AWD $36,576

   *All values are typical transaction prices for 2004 model year vehicles
   for the week of February 9, 2004.  All models are mid-level trim packages
   with automatic transmission.

The Honda Accord was the most researched vehicle on kbb.com during 2003 and it is holding strong to No. 1 in January 2004. More than 600,000 shoppers looked at new Accord pricing during the month of January. The most common selling Accord in the Honda fleet is the Accord LX, which is their middle trim package between the DX and EX. According to Kelley Blue Book's New Car Blue Book Value, this week's typical sale price for a 2004 4-door LX automatic is $19,697, which is right in between the dealer invoice price and the MSRP. If you can still find a new 2003 on a Honda lot, this may be a good bet. The 2003 model year Accord LX is selling at about $18,740, which is much closer to dealer invoice.

   2003 Honda Accord                   2004 Honda Accord
    LX 4-Door Automatic                 LX 4-Door Automatic
   Dealer Invoice:  $18,462            Dealer Invoice:   $18,582
   MSRP:            $20,460            MSRP:             $20,590
   New Car Blue                        New Car Blue
    Book Value:     $18,459 - 19,021    Book Value:      $19,303 - 20,091

Toyota's Camry topped the Accord in overall sales in 2003 and this month it ranks No. 3 on the Top 20 Most Researched list. This week a 2004 Camry XLE V6 automatic is typically selling for $24,050 based on the Kelley Blue Book New Car Blue Book Value, almost $2,000 below MSRP. The editors of Kelley Blue Book see only a $500 savings in buying an '03, but the hit in depreciation it has already taken makes buying a 2004 model more practical.

   2003 Toyota Camry XLE V6              2004 Toyota Camry XLE V6
   Dealer Invoice:   $23,125             Dealer Invoice:   $23,125
   MSRP:             $25,920             MSRP:             $25,920
   New Car Blue                          New Car Blue
    Book Value:      $23,120 - 23,824     Book Value:      $23,569 - 24,531

For the first time, a minivan ranks in the top five and it's not a Honda Odyssey, it's a Toyota Sienna. The 2004 Sienna has been completely redesigned. It's larger, more powerful and offers a smoother ride than its predecessor. With a body style change you can expect to pay close to MSRP on the 2004 Sienna, that being said, expect dealers to offer some savings on the older body style. Kelley Blue Book editors recommend sticking with the new body style. Any time there is a body style change the older model takes an additional hit in depreciation.

   2003 Toyota Sienna LE                  2004 Toyota Sienna LE
   Dealer Invoice:   $23,461              Dealer Invoice:   $22,373
   MSRP:             $26,295              MSRP:             $24,800
   New Car Blue                           New Car Blue
    Book Value:      $23,456 - 24,170      Book Value:      $24,552 - 25,048

New car shoppers can obtain a tailored New Car Blue Book Value for exact vehicle packages, options and incentives through kbb.com's 'Build a Car' feature.

Easily found on new car pricing reports, New Car Blue Book Values enable new car shoppers to know how much a specific make and model is actually selling for. New Car Blue Book is offered as a single value, a range and information on current market conditions. It reflects the vehicle's actual selling price, based on tens of thousands of sales transactions from across the United States. The specific New Car Blue Book Value is the typical selling price. The New Car Blue Book Value is also offered as a range, since not every car sells for the exact same price. By showing both the low and high ends of the range, a car-buyer can better determine whether or not they are getting a good deal. Market conditions for each vehicle are included to help car buyers better understand each New Car Blue Book Value. New Car Blue Book Values are updated on kbb.com at least weekly to ensure timeliness and accuracy.