Kelley Blue Book Names 2018 Best Auto Tech Award Winners

IRVINE, Calif., Nov. 8, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- On the heels of its 10 Best Automotive Technologies of 2018 list, Kelley Blue Book names the 2018 Best Auto Tech Award winners, honoring the models with the most advanced infotainment, convenience and active safety features at a great value to car buyers. Though many cars today offer loads of cutting-edge technology at increasingly attainable prices, one critically important measure helped catapult the Honda Accord and Audi Q5 into their respective winner's circles: execution.  

"The fact that a family sedan starting in the mid-$20,000 range offers such a comprehensive suite of standard safety technology is impressive, considering that some manufacturers still require buyers to opt for pricey top-of-the-line trim levels to get these features, if they offer them at all," said Michael Harley, group managing editor for Kelley Blue Book. "There is no shortage of technology in premium and luxury cars, but finding the right mix of price and high tech takes a bit of thinking. And so, for the third annual Kelley Blue Book Best Auto Tech Award Winners, KBB.com editors picked the completely redesigned 2018 Audi Q5 as the winner in the luxury category."

The completely redesigned 2018 Honda Accord shows that shoppers don't have to break the bank to get a tech-filled new car. Whether it's the latest in active safety features or Apple's CarPlay, the Accord has it—and that's why it's a Kelley Blue Book's Best Auto Tech Award winner for 2018.

Advanced driver assist and safety technology, perhaps more so than any other automotive advancement in decades, has quickly moved from being the exclusive domain of high-end cars down to those that every man can afford. The Honda Accord epitomizes this development. All 2018 Accords will come standard with adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning and lane keeping assist. Blind spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert are standard on some models and optional on others.

On the luxury side, the Q5 is a mid-sized luxury crossover that will sell by the boatload, with good reason. It's nice to drive, comfortable inside, and is packed with nearly as much technology as the local Apple Store.

Several safety-oriented features are standard, including Xenon headlights (LEDs are an optional extra), and easy-to-see LED rear lights. Audi's standard "pre-sense city" feature detects vehicles and pedestrians at speeds up to 52 mph and can automatically brake if a collision is imminent, either reducing the severity or avoiding a crash entirely. Active lane keeping assist vibrates the steering wheel if the car is drifting over a lane line. Best of all, the latest Audi MMI control interface is a prime example of advanced technology made easy and fun to use.

For more information about the 2018 Kelley Blue Book Best Auto Tech Awards, including video, additional commentary, and more, please visit https://www.kbb.com/car-news/all-the-latest/best-auto-tech-awards/2000012788/.

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 schedule an interview.

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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 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 32,000-plus 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 exceeding $20 billion and approximately 60,000 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