KBB 2009 Auto Awards

[Bruce Nunnally]

KELLEY BLUE BOOK'S 2009 BRAND IMAGE AWARD WINNERS

IRVINE, Calif., March 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Kelley Blue Book www.kbb.com, the leading provider of new- and used-car information, today announces the winners of the 2009 Brand Image Awards. The Kelley Blue Book Brand Image Awards recognize automakers' outstanding achievements in creating and maintaining brand attributes that capture the attention and enthusiasm of the new-vehicle buying public.

The 2009 Brand Image Awards, presented to the top brands in 10 categories, are based on consumer automotive perception data from Kelley Blue Book Market Research's Brand Watch study. Brand Watch is an online brand perception tracking study tapping into 12,000+ in-market new-vehicle shoppers annually on Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com. The highly comprehensive Brand Watch report provides a detailed look at in-market new-vehicle shoppers' perceptions of brands, and important factors driving their purchase decisions while they are in the midst of the shopping process. The results of an entire year of Brand Watch research and consumer opinions determine the 2009 Kelley Blue Book Brand Image Award winners.

"The phrase 'perception is reality' can ring truer than many think when it comes to the opinions of new-car shoppers," said Rick Wainschel, senior vice president of marketing and analytics for Kelley Blue Book and kbb.com. "The winners of the annual Kelley Blue Book Brand Image Awards showcase the strengths of various automotive brands in the minds of consumers, providing great insight for all auto manufacturers, marketers and agencies on what is clearly resonating with the car-buying public today."

Best Value Brand: Toyota

Coolest Brand: BMW

Most Family-Friendly Brand: Toyota

Most Rugged Truck Brand: Ford

Best Performance Brand: BMW

Best Comfort Brand: Cadillac

Best Exterior Design Brand - Luxury: BMW

Best Exterior Design Brand - Non-Luxury: Nissan

Best Interior Design Brand: Cadillac

Best Prestige Brand: Mercedes-Ben

Best Comfort Brand: Cadillac

Cadillac's lineup is more athletic than ever, but the brand has been linked with plush ride and whisper quiet so closely and for so long that people continue to equate it first and foremost with comfort. Today, Cadillac vehicles no longer deliver comfort via button-tufted velour or wallowing ride, but by more modern means like effortless power and quiet, high-quality interiors that are rich and contemporary.

Best Interior Design Brand: Cadillac

If there's an underdog winner in this year's Brand Image Awards, this is it. Only a few years ago, the quality and styling inside a Cadillac fell far short of what you'd find in competitors like Audi and Mercedes-Benz. With the introduction of the second-generation CTS sedan, though, Cadillac jumped right back into the game it dominated a few decades ago.