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Polk Auto Trend Center Report: Consumers Prefer Domestic Vehicles POLK LOGO Polk logo. (PRNewsFoto)[JL] SOUTHFIELD, MI USA 01/04/2001

16 January 2001

Polk Auto Trend Center Report: Consumers Prefer Domestic Vehicles DETROIT, Jan. 15 Today Polk released the sixth in a series of trend center reports direct from the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS). This report details the survey responses Polk captured during the first three days the show was open to the public. Based on input from consumers, domestic vehicles are most preferred by consumers. In fact, eight out of ten segments on this year's survey show a domestic vehicle as a number one choice. These segments are: Mid-size Car, Large Car, Minivan/Full-Size Van, Compact SUV, Regular SUV, Full-Size SUV, Compact Pickup and Full-Size Pickup. Interestingly, however, during the first week of the NAIAS, the media and others in the automotive community did not show such a preference for vehicles manufactured in the United States. According to Lonnie Miller, a performance consultant at Polk, "When it comes to purchasing a truck, it seems that the number one choice for consumers is usually a domestic brand." Among the "top three" vehicles within each vehicle segment, eight of the ten vehicle segments had ties among respondents from the media and the automotive community, while only two segments were tied within the consumer responses. "Consumers agree more on their vehicle preference than those who work closely with the industry" said Miller. The Full-Size Pickup Truck segment is the only segment in which the consumers, as well as media and others in the automotive community agreed upon. Their number one choice is the Ford F-Series Pickup, which received 34.8% of the segment's votes among both respondent groups. January 13-15, 2001 - Top 3 leaders based on voting at the Polk Auto Trend Centers Full-Size SUV: Minivan/Full-Size Van: 1. Hummer 4-Door 14.0 1. Dodge Caravan 17.5 2. Cadillac Escalade 12.1 2. Chrysler Town & Country 15.8 3. Dodge Durango 8.7 3. Dodge Van 7.5 Honda Odyssey 7.5 Large Car: Full-Size Pickup Truck: 1. Pontiac Bonneville 28.0 1. Ford F-Series 34.8 2. Chevrolet Impala 22.6 2. Dodge Ram Pickup 26.5 3. Ford Crown Victoria 18.3 3. Chevrolet Silverado 20.0 Compact Pickup Truck: Prestige Luxury Car: 1. Dodge Dakota 31.6 1. Rolls Royce Silver Seraph 11.5 2. Ford Ranger 23.7 2. Bentley Continental 10.9 3. Chevrolet S-10 14.0 3. Jaguar XJ8 9.6 Luxury Car: Compact SUV: 1. Jaguar S-Type 10.0 1. Chrysler PT Cruiser 26.7 2. Mercedes Benz CLK 8.4 2. Jeep Wrangler 18.0 3. BMW M3 5.7 3. Ford Escape 12.0 Lexus GS400 5.7 Mid-Size Car: Regular SUV: 1. Dodge Stratus 10.2 1. Jeep Grand Cherokee 18.3 2. Volkswagen Jetta 8.7 2. Ford Explorer 13.9 3. Ford Taurus 8.2 3. BMW X5 12.2 About Polk Polk has served the automotive industry for nearly 80 years and is the longest standing curator of automobile records in the United States. Founded in Detroit in 1870, Polk launched its motor vehicle statistical operations in 1922 when the first car registration reports were published. It now provides automotive solutions to nearly every segment of the motor vehicle industry as an analytic consultant and statistician, as a provider of database-marketing services, as a supplier of vehicle histories, and as a data enabler for geographic information systems. Based in Southfield, Mich., Polk is a privately held global firm, currently operating in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Holland, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States.

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