Kbb.com Names Most-Researched New Vehicles During First Half of 2007

Toyota Surpasses Honda for Top Spot; Hybrid Makes Debut on Most-Researched New Car List

IRVINE, Calif., July 9 -- Kelley Blue Book (http://www.kbb.com/), America's most trusted resource for new- and used-vehicle information, names the most-researched new cars during the first half of 2007. Information was collected among more than 70 million unique visitors to kbb.com, the most-visited automotive information Web site.

  Kbb.com's Most-Researched New Vehicles During First Half of 2007

   1. TOYOTA CAMRY         11. TOYOTA PRIUS
   2. HONDA CIVIC          12. TOYOTA SIENNA
   3. HONDA ACCORD         13. INFINITI G35
   4. HONDA CR-V           14. FORD MUSTANG
   5. NISSAN ALTIMA        15. MAZDA3
   6. TOYOTA COROLLA       16. FORD ESCAPE
   7. TOYOTA RAV4          17. CHEVROLET TAHOE
   8. TOYOTA HIGHLANDER    18. JEEP WRANGLER
   9. HONDA PILOT          19. TOYOTA AVALON
  10. HONDA ODYSSEY        20. ACURA TL

Toyota and Honda again continue to dominate Kelley Blue Book's most-researched new vehicles list, with 12 of the top 20 vehicles representing those makes (seven Toyotas and five Hondas). However, Toyota surpassed Honda for the first time taking the top spot with the newly redesigned Camry, pushing Honda's Civic and Accord to numbers two and three, respectively.

A hybrid vehicle makes its debut on Kelley Blue Book's most-researched new vehicles list, with the Toyota Prius coming in at number 11. Popular new domestic models that continue to make the most-researched list include the Ford Mustang, Ford Escape and Chevrolet Tahoe.

Vehicle redesigns and updates prove to re-invigorate consumer interest in specific models, with Nissan's recently redesigned Altima being the only vehicle among the top 10 that is not a Toyota or Honda. The Jeep Wrangler places on the most-researched list for the first time this year, undoubtedly due to its recent redesign which now includes a more family-friendly four-door model. Honda's redesigned CR-V moved to number four on this half-yearly list, up significantly from number 10 this time last year.

"The stranglehold Toyota and Honda have on the top 10 most-researched spots anticipated the sales results in June and demonstrates that those brands are on many consumers' must-shop list," said Jack R. Nerad, executive editorial director and executive market analyst for Kelley Blue Book and kbb.com. "Meanwhile, the list shows that prospects for the domestic manufacturers remain bleak, because they offer too few 'gotta-have-it' products."

Mazda's compact model, MAZDA3, moved up from number 20 last year to number 15 this year, demonstrating its increased popularity. The only luxury models included on the 2007 most-researched list are the Infiniti G35 at number 13, and the Acura TL at number 20.

About Kelley Blue Book (http://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.