Kbb.com: Hyundai Ousts Nissan to Become One of Top Five Most-Considered Brands

IRVINE, Calif., Aug. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the latest Kelley Blue Book www.kbb.com Market Intelligence Brand Watch™ study, Korean automaker Hyundai has made its first foray into the top five most-considered auto brands among new-car shoppers, ousting Japanese brand Nissan into sixth place.  Domestic auto manufacturer Ford continues its reign in the top spot as the most-considered among the 37 new-vehicle brands tracked in the Kelley Blue Book Market Intelligence study, followed by Toyota, Chevrolet, Honda and Hyundai, respectively.

According to the Q2 2010 Brand Watch Study, over the past quarter Hyundai consideration has surged nearly six percentage points in the non-luxury coupe/sedan/hatchback segment, now garnering 29 percent of the total consideration among shoppers of this segment and bested only by Honda (45 percent), Toyota (42 percent) and Ford (38 percent).  

Ford continues to hold court as the most-considered automotive brand among new-car shoppers, further increasing its lead over the second most-considered brand, Toyota (Ford has 29 percent of overall brand consideration regardless of segment, whereas Toyota has 22 percent).  In Q2 2010, Ford particularly excelled in the non-luxury SUV/CUV segment, increasing its lead by four percentage points over the previous quarter to capture nearly half (46 percent) of the consideration among new non-luxury SUV/CUV shoppers.  In comparison, Honda and Toyota tie for second and third places, each only having 35 percent.

Meanwhile, Toyota continues to experience the fallout from its recall and reputation crisis earlier this year.  Since one year ago (Q2 2009), overall Toyota consideration has fallen eight percentage points (from 30 percent to 22 percent), now holding steady to its number two spot when it formerly dominated the number one spot.  In addition, Toyota's luxury brand Lexus experienced an all-time low since 2007 in the luxury sedan/coupe/hatchback category at 30 percent in Q2 2010 (down from 41% in Q1 2007).  

On a bright note for Toyota, the company's lauded "Swagger Wagon" marketing campaign for the all-new redesigned 2011 Sienna is resonating well with consumers, as the brand surged more than six percentage points in the minivan category over the past quarter to now capture 53 percent of the category consideration for Q2 2010.  In addition, new-car shoppers ranked the Toyota brand tops in the minivan category for exterior styling.

"The latest Kelley Blue Book Market Intelligence findings show how the deck is being reshuffled in the automotive marketplace, with certain brands now holding places in consumer perception that we may not have believed just one or two years ago," said James Bell, executive market analyst for Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com.  "Ford continues its upward trajectory and Hyundai is truly on a roll.  Both brands prove that when you make dynamic, exciting and affordable products that appeal to the new-car shopping masses, consumer perception begins to change and subsequently, sales will follow."

For Q2 2010, new-car shoppers rank durability/reliability, driving comfort, fuel efficiency, driving performance and safety (respectively) as the top five important factors while shopping for their next new vehicle.

The Q2 2010 Kelley Blue Book Market Intelligence Brand Watch Study was fielded to more than 3,000 in-market new-car shoppers on Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com from April 6 – June 17, 2010.  Kelley Blue Book's Brand Watch is an ongoing study tracking and trending consumer perceptions, detailing strengths and weaknesses of makes within each segment.  Brand Watch primarily tracks brand consideration, segment consideration, important consideration factors for new-car shoppers, and how brands perform on those important factors.  Kelley Blue Book Market Intelligence has been tracking Brand Watch since 2007.  For Market Intelligence sales inquiries on any segment or brand, please contact Hwei-Lin Oetken, vice president of market intelligence services for Kelley Blue Book and kbb.com, at 949-267-4460 or hoetken@kbb.com.

About Kelley Blue Book (www.kbb.com)

Since 1926, Kelley Blue Book, The Trusted Resource®, 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 website, www.kbb.com, provides the most up-to-date pricing and values, including the New Car Blue Book® 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® Official Guide.  According to the C.A. Walker Research Solutions, Inc. - 2009 Spring Automotive Website Usefulness Study, kbb.com is the most useful automotive information website among new- and used-vehicle shoppers, and half of online vehicle shoppers visit kbb.com.  Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com also is a W3 Gold Award winner, sanctioned by the International Academy of Visual Arts.  Kbb.com is a leading provider of new car prices, used car values, car reviews, new cars for sale, used cars for sale, and car dealer locations.

SOURCE Kelley Blue Book