IntelliChoice Announces May Best Deals
CAMPBELL, Calif., May 12, 2003 -- Consumer rebates offered by automakers each month don't just lower a car's purchase price and your monthly finance payment. By lowering depreciation and/or the cost of financing, consumer rebates also lower a car's total ownership costs -- the costs you incur month after month in owning and operating a car.
Now, IntelliChoice, the market leader in automotive ownership cost and value analysis, launches a new initiative to identify the best car and truck values offered by the carmakers each month. Each month, IntelliChoice looks at what it costs to buy, own, and operate each new model-year trim line. In doing so, we take into consideration the car's current purchase price (vehicle pricing often changes over the course of the year), including any national manufacturer consumer rebates. Based on this information, we identify the month's "Best Deals" -- those trim lines that are the best ownership cost value in their class.
"The market place is always changing and now automotive shoppers have the data needed to stay on top of those changes. The Best Deals designation is a great way for consumers to identify how rebates affect a vehicle's value over the time they own it and not just at the time of purchase," said David Wurster, Publisher of PRIMEDIA'S IntelliChoice. "It's not what you pay for your vehicle that's important, it's what it costs you to own it that really matters."
Ownership costs can vary significantly among different trim lines of the same model (e.g., total ownership costs for a Honda Civic DX Sedan can, and do differ from those of a Honda Civic EX Sedan, or a Honda Civic LX Sedan). Often, manufacturer consumer rebates also vary by trim line. And, while the more expensive trim lines generally have bigger manufacturer consumer rebates, they also tend to have steeper depreciation costs. Often, one just offsets the other, so a more expensive trim line with a bigger manufacturer consumer rebate isn't, necessarily, a better ownership value than a less expensive trim line with a smaller rebate.
In fact, if a trim line is a good enough ownership cost value from the beginning, a manufacturer rebate isn't even necessary to make it an IntelliChoice Best Deal of the month. Likewise, a manufacturer rebate, by itself, doesn't necessarily make a car an IntelliChoice Best Deal of the month, or turn a poor value into a great value. Cars that win IntelliChoice's Best Deal of the month designation are usually cars that are good to great ownership cost values before any manufacturer consumer rebate. A rebate, however, can often turn a good ownership cost value into a great value, and a great value into a Best Deal of the month.
According to John Cobb, Vice President, General Manager of the PRIMEDIA Automotive and Action Sports Internet Groups, "Best Deals are an excellent example of how IntelliChoice helps consumers find those vehicles that offer the greatest consumer value and we are happy to make it available on more than 50 web sites throughout the PRIMEDIA Automotive Network including, www.intellichoice.com, www.automobilemag.com and www.motortrend.com."
Here are the IntelliChoice Best Deals for May for each class. (More than one trim line per class is listed in case of ties.):
Class Brand Model Body Rebate
Subcompact Acura RSX Coupe 0
Honda Civic DX Coupe 0
Honda Civic EX Coupe 0
Honda Civic HX Coupe 0
Honda Civic LX Coupe 0
Volkswagen Beetle GL TDi Hatchback 0
Volkswagen Beetle GLS TDi Hatchback 0
Compact under $17,000 Honda Civic DX Sedan 0
Honda Civic LX Sedan 0
Saturn ION 1 Sedan $2000
Toyota Corolla CE Sedan 0
Toyota Corolla LE Sedan 0
Toyota Corolla S Sedan 0
Volkswagen Golf GL TDI Hatchback 0
Compact over $17,000 Honda Accord LX Coupe 0
Honda Civic EX Sedan 0
Honda Civic Hybrid Sedan 0
Toyota Prius Sedan 0
Volkswagen Jetta GL TDi Sedan 0
Midsize under $21,000 Honda Accord DX Sedan 0
Honda Accord LX Sedan 0
Saturn L200 Sedan $3000
Toyota Camry LE Sedan 0
Midsize over $21,000 Buick Century Custom Sedan $3000
Buick Regal LS Sedan $3000
Chevrolet Monte Carlo LS Coupe $3000
Honda Accord EX Sedan 0
Pontiac Grand Prix SE Sedan $3000
Volkswagen Passat GL Sedan 0
Volkswagen Passat GLS
1.8T Sedan 0
Large Buick LeSabre Custom Sedan $3000
Buick LeSabre
Limited Sedan $3000
Chevrolet Impala Sedan $3000
Pontiac Bonneville SE Sedan $3000
Toyota Avalon XL Sedan 0
Toyota Avalon XLS Sedan 0
Near Luxury Acura 3.2TL Type S Sedan 0
BMW 330 Ci Coupe 0
BMW 330 i Sedan 0
Buick Park Avenue Sedan $3000
Lexus ES 300 Sedan 0
Luxury Lexus LS 430 Sedan 0
Mercedes-Benz CLK320 Coupe 0
Mercedes-Benz CLK320
Cabriolet Convertible 0
Mercedes-Benz CLK430
Cabriolet Convertible 0
Mercedes-Benz E320 Wagon 0
Mercedes-Benz E320 Sedan 0
Mercedes-Benz E320 AWD Wagon 0
Base Sport Acura RSX Type S Coupe 0
BMW Z4 2.5i
Roadster Convertible 0
Mercedes-Benz SLK230
Kompressor Convertible 0
Toyota MR2 Spyder Convertible 0
Sport Chevrolet Corvette Convertible $2000
Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Hardtop $2000
Porsche 911 Carrera Coupe 0
Porsche 911 Carrera 4
Cabriolet AWD Convertible 0
Porsche 911 Carrera
4S AWD Coupe 0
Porsche 911 Carrera
Cabriolet Convertible 0
Porsche 911 Carrera
Targa Coupe 0
Small Wagon Pontiac Vibe Wagon $2000
Toyota Matrix Wagon 0
Toyota Matrix 4WD Wagon 0
Toyota Matrix XR Wagon 0
Midsize/Large Wagon Saturn LW200 Wagon $3000
Subaru Legacy L Wagon 0
Subaru Outback Wagon 0
Volkswagen Passat GL Wagon 0
Mini-Van under $26,000 Chevrolet Venture Pass Van $3000
Honda Odyssey LX Pass Ext Van 0
Pontiac Montana
Value Model Pass Ext Van $3000
Pontiac Montana
Value Model Pass Van $3000
Toyota Sienna CE Pass Van 0
Toyota Sienna LE Pass Van 0
Mini-Van over $26,000 Chrysler Town & Country
eXPass Ext Van 0
Chrysler Town & Country
LX Pass Ext Van 0
Honda Odyssey EX Pass Ext Van 0
Oldsmobile Silhouette GL Pass Ext Van $3000
Pontiac Montana Pass Ext Van $3000
Toyota Sienna XLE Pass Van 0
Full-Size Van Chevrolet Express 1500 Pass Van $3000
Chevrolet Express 1500
AWD Pass Van $3000
GMC Savana 1500 Pass Van $3000
Compact Utility under
$20,000 Honda CR-V LX 4WD Sport Utility 0
Jeep Wrangler SE Sport Utility 0
Jeep Wrangler X Sport Utility 0
Toyota RAV4 Sport Utility 0
Toyota RAV4 4WD Sport Utility 0
Compact Utility
over $20,000 Chevrolet Blazer Sport Utility $3000
Honda CR-V EX 4WD Sport Utility 0
Jeep Wrangler Sport Sport Utility 0
Subaru Forester
2.5 X Sport Utility 0
Subaru Forester
2.5 XS Sport Utility 0
Intermediate Utility
under $30,000 Chevrolet TrailBlazer LS Sport Utility $3000
Chevrolet TrailBlazer
LS 4WD Sport Utility $3000
Chevrolet TrailBlazer LT Sport Utility $3000
GMC Envoy SLE Sport Utility $3000
Toyota 4Runner SR5 Sport Utility 0
Toyota Highlander Sport Utility 0
Toyota Highlander 4WD Sport Utility 0
Intermediate Utility
over $30,000 Acura MDX Sport Utility 0
Chevrolet TrailBlazer
LT 4WD Sport Utility $3000
GMC Envoy SLE 4WD Sport Utility $3000
Lexus RX 300 Sport Utility 0
Lexus RX 300 4WD Sport Utility 0
Nissan Murano SE AWD Sport Utility 0
Toyota 4Runner Sport
4WD Sport Utility 0
Utility under $40,000
Chevrolet Suburban C1500
LS Sport Utility $3000
Chevrolet Suburban K1500
LS Sport Utility $3000
Chevrolet Tahoe Sport Utility $3000
Chevrolet Tahoe 4WD Sport Utility $3000
GMC Yukon Sport Utility $3000
GMC Yukon 4WD Sport Utility $3000
GMC Yukon XL C1500 Sport Utility $3000
Utility over $40,000 Chevrolet Suburban C1500
LT Sport Utility $3000
Chevrolet Suburban K1500
LT Sport Utility $3000
Chevrolet Suburban K2500
LS Sport Utility $3000
GMC Yukon XL
Denali AWD Sport Utility $3000
GMC Yukon XL K1500 Sport Utility $3000
GMC Yukon XL K2500 Sport Utility $3000
Toyota Land Cruiser
4WD Sport Utility 0
Compact Pickup 2WD Chevrolet S-10 Extended Cab $3000
Chevrolet S-10 LS Extended Cab $3000
GMC Sonoma SL Extended Cab $3000
GMC Sonoma SL Regular Cab $3000
GMC Sonoma SLS Extended Cab $3000
Toyota Tacoma
PreRunner
Double Cab Extended Cab 0
Toyota Tacoma
S-Runner Extended Cab 0
Toyota Tacoma Xtracab Extended Cab 0
Compact Pickup 4WD Chevrolet S-10 Crew Cab
4WD Extended Cab $3000
GMC Sonoma Crew
Cab 4WD Extended Cab $3000
GMC Sonoma SL 4WD Extended Cab $3000
GMC Sonoma SLS 4WD Extended Cab $3000
Subaru Baja Extended Cab 0
Subaru Baja Sport Extended Cab 0
Full-Size Pickup 2WD Chevrolet Avalanche 1500 Extended Cab $3000
Chevrolet Silverado
C1500 Extended Cab $3000
Chevrolet Silverado
C1500 Regular Cab $3000
Chevrolet Silverado
C1500 LS Extended Cab $3000
Chevrolet Silverado
C2500 HD Extended Cab $3000
Chevrolet Silverado
C2500
HD Crew Cab Extended Cab $3000
Chevrolet Silverado
C2500
HD Crew Cab LS Extended Cab $3000
Chevrolet Silverado
C2500 HD LS Extended Cab $3000
Chevrolet Silverado
C3500 Extended Cab $3000
GMC Sierra C1500 Extended Cab $3000
GMC Sierra C1500 Regular Cab $3000
GMC Sierra C1500
SLE Extended Cab $3000
GMC Sierra C1500
SLT Extended Cab $3000
GMC Sierra C2500
HD Extended Cab $3000
Full-Size Pickup 4WD Chevrolet Silverado
K1500 Extended Cab $3000
Chevrolet Silverado
K1500 Regular Cab $3000
Chevrolet Silverado
K1500 LS Extended Cab $3000
Chevrolet Silverado
K2500 Extended Cab $3000
Chevrolet Silverado
K2500 HD Extended Cab $3000
Chevrolet Silverado
K2500 HD Crew
Cab Extended Cab $3000
Chevrolet Silverado
K2500 HD Crew
Cab LS Extended Cab $3000
Chevrolet Silverado
K2500 HD LS Extended Cab $3000
Chevrolet Silverado
K2500 LS Extended Cab $3000
Chevrolet Silverado
K3500 Extended Cab $3000
GMC Sierra K1500 Extended Cab $3000
GMC Sierra K1500
SLE Extended Cab $3000
GMC Sierra K2500 Extended Cab $3000
IntelliChoice Best Deals of the month are based on current vehicle pricing, market conditions and the lowest cost national manufacturer consumer rebate.
About PRIMEDIA
One of the world's most innovative media companies, PRIMEDIA is leading the industry with its combination of traditional and new media properties. The Company capitalizes on its focused content across print, television, the Internet and live events to offer highly effective integrated advertising and marketing solutions in some of the most sought after advertising demographic sectors including automotive, outdoor, teens, luxury, real estate and business-to-business segments. With 2002 sales from continuing businesses of $1.6 billion, PRIMEDIA is the #1 special interest magazine publisher in the U.S., producing more advertising and editorial pages through its more than 250 titles including Automobile, Motor Trend, New York, Fly Fisherman, Power & Motoryacht, Telephony, Ward's Auto World and American Demographics, than any other media company. It is also the #1 producer/distributor of specialty video with 18 satellite and digital video product lines, including Channel One Network; and the #1 news and information group on the Internet, led by About.com. PRIMEDIA's stock symbol is: NYSE: PRM. More information about the Company can be found at http://www.primedia.com/.
About IntelliChoice
Founded in 1986, IntelliChoice is the market leader in automotive ownership cost and value analysis and in automotive leasing cost analysis. Complete auto pricing information, specifications, and proprietary IntelliChoice ownership cost and value information, and GoldStar and other auto lease evaluations are readily and freely available at the IntelliChoice web site, www.intellichoice.com.
Company News On-Call: http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/683190.html