10 Coolest New Cars Under $18,000 Of 2016 Named By KBB.com

IRVINE, Calif., May 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Proving that cool and affordable really can continue to coexist, the experts at Kelley Blue Book www.kbb.com, the vehicle valuation and information source trusted and relied upon by both consumers and the automotive industry, have named their annual list of the 10 Coolest Cars Under $18,000.  The Mazda3 is No. 1 once again for 2016, marking its third straight year in a row of capturing the top spot and notably being featured on KBB.com's annual affordable "cool cars" list every year of the vehicle's 13-year existence.

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Two longstanding criteria -- fun-to-drive and fun-to-own -- are critical among the deciding factors of what the editors freely admit is a very subjective "cool factor," the over-arching number-one criterion for a vehicle to place on this list.  Each vehicle is available for purchase starting at $18,000 or less, using Kelley Blue Book's exclusive Fair Market Range as the yardstick.  Kelley Blue Book^® Fair Market Range is part of KBB.com's Price Advisor tool, and shows the range of what consumers can reasonably expect to pay this week in their area for a new vehicle when purchasing from a dealer.  Factors such as current market conditions, vehicle availability, local demand, and seasonal buying trends all help determine a vehicle's Fair Market Range and Fair Purchase Price.

"Cool sure has come a long way. Our annual Coolest New Cars Under $18,000 is one of Kelley Blue Book's longest-running lists, and it's incredible to see all of the amazing tech features and amenities you can get on an affordable car these days compared to a decade ago," said Jack R. Nerad, executive editorial director and executive market analyst for Kelley Blue Book.  "In our eyes, the combination of cool and affordable doesn't get better than the Mazda3, which has been on the list every year since it debuted and snagged the top spot for three years running.  Gorgeous and sporty outside as well as inside, the Mazda3 backs it all up with fun-focused driving dynamics with praiseworthy fuel efficiency."

KBB.com's 10 Coolest New Cars Under $18,000 of 2016

To see KBB.com's full editorial commentary for the 10 Coolest Cars Under $18,000 of 2016, including notable tech and style features, pricing information, vehicle photography and more, please visit http://www.kbb.com/car-reviews-and-news/top-10/coolest-cars-under-18000-2016/.

To discuss this topic, or any other automotive-related information, with a Kelley Blue Book analyst on-camera via the company's on-site studio, please contact a member of the Public Relations team to book an interview.

For more information and news from Kelley Blue Book's KBB.com, visit www.kbb.com/media/, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/kelleybluebook (or @kelleybluebook), like our page on Facebook at www.facebook.com/kbb, and get updates on Google+ at https://plus.google.com/+kbb.

About Kelley Blue Book (www.kbb.com)
Founded in 1926, Kelley Blue Book, The Trusted Resource®, is the vehicle valuation and information source trusted and relied upon by both consumers and the automotive industry.  Each week the company provides the most market-reflective values in the industry on its top-rated website KBB.com, including its famous Blue Book® Trade-In Values and Fair Purchase Price, which reports what others are paying for new and used cars this week.  The company also provides vehicle pricing and values through various products and services available to car dealers, auto manufacturers, finance and insurance companies, and governmental agencies.  Kelley Blue Book's KBB.com ranked highest in its category for brand equity by the 2015 Harris Poll EquiTrend^® study and has been named Online Auto Shopping Brand of the Year for four consecutive years.  Kelley Blue Book Co., Inc. is a Cox Automotive™ brand.

About Cox Automotive
Cox Automotive Inc. is transforming the way the world buys, sells and owns cars with industry-leading digital marketing, software, financial, wholesale and e-commerce solutions for consumers, dealers, manufacturers and the overall automotive ecosystem worldwide. Committed to open choice and dedicated to strong partnerships, the Cox Automotive family includes Autotrader®, Dealer.com®, Dealertrack®, Kelley Blue Book®, Manheim®, NextGear Capital®, vAuto®, Xtime® and a host of other brands. The global company has nearly 30,000 team members in more than 200 locations and is partner to more than 40,000 auto dealers, as well as most major automobile manufacturers, while engaging U.S. consumer car buyers with the most recognized media brands in the industry. Cox Automotive is a subsidiary of Cox Enterprises Inc., an Atlanta-based company with revenues of $18 billion and approximately 55,000 employees. Cox Enterprises' other major operating subsidiaries include Cox Communications and Cox Media Group. For more information about Cox Automotive, visit www.coxautoinc.com.

SOURCE Kelley Blue Book