Kelley Blue Book Announces 2008 Brand Image Awards Winners

Kelley Blue Book the leading provider of new- and used-vehicle information, today announced the winners of the 2008 Kelley Blue Book 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 2008 Brand Image Awards are based on consumer automotive perception data from Kelley Blue Book Marketing 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 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 2008 Kelley Blue Book Brand Image Award winners.

    Kelley Blue Book handed out 17 awards to automotive brands in the following categories during a gala event this evening amidst the festivities of the New York International Auto Show Media Preview Week in New York City:


                  KELLEY BLUE BOOK'S 2008 BRAND IMAGE AWARDS

    Best Interior Design -- Non-Luxury Sedan/Coupe/Hatchback: Toyota
    Best Interior Design -- Luxury Sedan/Coupe/Hatchback: Lexus
    Best Interior Design -- Sports Car/Convertible: Mercedes-Benz
    Best Interior Design -- Truck: Chevrolet
    Best Interior Design -- Non-Luxury SUV: Toyota
    Best Interior Design -- Luxury SUV: Lexus
    Best Interior Design -- Minivan: Honda

    Best Exterior Design -- Non-Luxury Sedan/Coupe/Hatchback: Chrysler
    Best Exterior Design -- Luxury Sedan/Coupe/Hatchback: BMW
    Best Exterior Design -- Sports Car/Convertible: Porsche
    Best Exterior Design -- Truck: Chevrolet
    Best Exterior Design -- Non-Luxury SUV: Ford
    Best Exterior Design -- Luxury SUV: Mercedes-Benz
    Best Exterior Design -- Minivan: Toyota

    Best Overall Interior Design: Toyota
    Best Overall Exterior Design: BMW
    Best Overall Prestige Brand: Mercedes-Benz

    "The Kelley Blue Book Brand Image Awards honor the automakers that stand out in the ongoing heated battle for consumer perception," said Rick Wainschel, vice president of marketing research and brand communications for Kelley Blue Book and kbb.com. "While specific vehicle models may come and go over the years, the power of the brand is lasting in the minds of consumers."

    The most prestigious honors from Brand Watch include Best Interior and Exterior Styling, as well as Best Overall Prestige Brand. Based on the results of the Brand Watch study, consumers rated Mercedes-Benz as Best Overall Prestige Brand. With the company's long history of combining rich interiors with distinguished exterior styling, the brand is known not only as a preeminent luxury automaker, but also one of the foremost luxury brands in the world.

    BMW captured the award for having Best Overall Exterior Design. Its once-controversial new designs are now winning legions of fans, and the company has maintained a family  resemblance across the board while allowing each model to take the design theme in a slightly different direction.

Toyota garnered Best Overall Interior Design with its vehicles' simple, familiar and consistently gratifying fit, finish and materials used across its vehicle line-up.

    "Understanding brand perception is important to gauging vehicle value," said Jack R. Nerad, executive editorial director and executive market analyst of Kelley Blue Book and kbb.com. "Because brand is so important to consumers as they decide which vehicles they are considering and, ultimately, what vehicles they will buy, it is important to study their perceptions of various brands, the attributes that contribute to those perceptions, and how those  perceptions shift over time."

Be sure and check out our extensive photo galleries  including the 2008 New York Auto Show and catch up on all of the latest news and models on AutoSpies. 

w209w114 - 3/20/2008 1:57:41 PM

+10 Boost

Best Overall Prestige Brand: Mercedes-Benz

"While specific vehicle models may come and go over the years, the power of the brand is lasting in the minds of consumers."

With the company's long history of combining rich interiors with distinguished exterior styling, the brand is known not only as a preeminent luxury automaker, but also one of the foremost luxury brands in the world.

Congratulations to Mercedes-Benz! BMW & Toyota

HoofHearted - 3/21/2008 5:50:05 PM

+1 Boost

I make these comments based on real ownership - not, as I strongly suspect, bigoted comments posted by a fair few "wannabee's".

If M-B are the best prestige brand then heaven help us all. I, along with many others (read the owners' forums if you don't believe me)suffered nearly two years of electrical and mechanical heartache with my E320 E-Class. It comes to something when other owners of the same generic model come up to you to exchange tales of woe! I sold it on (cheering loudly) and tried a number of different vehicles (the Lexus LS is the only car I've ever driven that induced motion sickness whilst DRIVING!), the Audi A8 was nicely put together but very bland and uninspiring to drive, so it came down to the BMW 7-Series or the Jaguar XJ8. The 7-series was a nice car but IMHO that I-Drive should be outlawed! It is downright dangerous and a prime means of driver distraction. That, plus the butt-ugly styling, lead me to plump for the Jaguar 3.5L V8 XJ8 SE. Styling is a matter of opinion - I like it with a mesh grille added. Best vehicle I've ever owned or driven and I love it! Had it one year now, had a few problems with it, but the way they've been resolved coupled with the way that I've been treated by the dealership has been superb. Well done Jaguar! When I come to change this one I might just take a peek at the new XF.

M35MT - 3/20/2008 2:31:43 PM

+3 Boost

"Best Exterior Design -- Non-Luxury Sedan/Coupe/Hatchback: Chrysler"
What????

"Best Exterior Design -- Non-Luxury SUV: Ford"
What????

MB SUV's look great, but the Land Rovers are definetly the best looking SUV's on the road.

"Best Exterior Design -- Minivan: Toyota"
You've got to be kidding...ok they're all pretty much ugly.

Best Overall Interior Design: Toyota
Best Overall Exterior Design: BMW
Best Overall Prestige Brand: Mercedes-Benz

Pretty much spot on overall.

M35MT - 3/20/2008 2:40:16 PM

-4 Boost

Well, my town doesnt for yearly excise tax. They assessed my car at 13,000 when it's really worth 22,000 at least.

I dont know where they got 13k from.

NItePhire - 3/20/2008 2:47:10 PM

+1 Boost

MB is best overall prestige brand but they cant make a hand full of cars that are reliable in any way. Their SUV's do nothing style wise either. I am not anti MB just looking at the obvious. And yest the version of KBB that you and I get are useless when the local dealer gets their "own" special books.

Willis - 3/20/2008 11:41:27 PM

+5 Boost

They can't build reliable cars? Are you sure? For much of the 20th century Mercedes-Benz was the quality leader far above Toyota. Sure, they've had problems but saying they can't build reliable cars is just moronic. Look at the current Mercedes' and how much they have improved in this department.

Oh, and in case you have not noticed Toyota is suffering quality issues at the moment. Should I act like an idiot and say "Toyota can't build quality cars"?

investor27 - 3/20/2008 3:53:06 PM

+6 Boost

I'm glad that MB won the Most Prestigious Award. But I'm puzzled why Audi did not win Best Interior, which the brand clearly has.

Willis - 3/20/2008 11:32:06 PM

+4 Boost

Xero,

German cars have generally been praised for their intelligent ergonomical interior designs.

In fact the Lexus LS has been widely criticized for having a too busy interior with confusing controls in many European and American reviews.

Plus, the Lexus LS interior is a cheap looking in comparison to the Audi A8's and MB S class. I've spent a lot of time inside and the wood and plastic look like they belong in a Toyota Crown or something, but not a Lexus.

JUGNU - 3/20/2008 4:35:39 PM

-5 Boost

To me no audi interior is better in anything than the new LS and LX.

And also all audi's interiors look te same.

they are at second position behind Lexus.

JUGNU

audirevolution - 3/20/2008 10:25:57 PM

+8 Boost

The lexus is, gs, ls, and lx as well as the toyota highlander and the camry all have very same looking interiors as well...

I can also say the same about infiniti and bmw.

Willis - 3/20/2008 11:34:21 PM

+7 Boost

Jugnu,

The LS interior is one of the most overrated and overhyped interiors around. Fake-looking wood and dismal plastics make up this interior. Compare it to that of the Audi A8 and MB S class and it looks extremely cheap. Several publications have also commented on this.

It's a nice car, but don't overrate the interior please because it just doesn't stand up to that of the competition.

TURACO - 3/21/2008 6:29:51 PM

+2 Boost

Willis, this kid Jugnu (i'm hoping he's a kid, lol) is kind of thick headed. You are spot on with your comment. Very well said. I sat in the Lexus LS at the NAIAS and I can honestly tell you that I was not impressed. Definetely overhyped, overrated, over plastic(ked). I thought it was just awful and by no means do I have any desire to dislike this car.
Too bad....

Htay7500 - 3/20/2008 8:07:44 PM

+5 Boost

personally, I think that toyota and mercedes-benz are the most recognized and highly respected brands for very obvious reasons:

MB makes a very solid car for the very upscale and luxurious type of audience. Toyota makes very simple cars that are the cheap, most affordable and reliable to get around in. and everywhere, these automakers have a strong image. if there was an award for the most global brand(s) in the world, it'd have to be these two.

enthusiastx11 - 3/20/2008 8:26:19 PM

+4 Boost

summary:

prioritize pretty on the inside: buy japanese.
prioritize pretty on the outside: buy german.

olscuul - 3/20/2008 10:54:52 PM

+3 Boost

brand image rules my life.

Homer008 - 3/21/2008 12:46:41 AM

-5 Boost

You have NOOOOOoooo idea how solid Toyota vehicles are. You maybe ROFLMAO but, you cannot deny when you ask anyone and everywhere you go on this planet..which cars are the most reliable..its always a Toyotas and Hondas.

boost me

Homer008 - 3/21/2008 3:49:45 AM

-1 Boost

I have tooken trips to Bahrain, U.A.E., Kuwait, Oman, etc..and if you want the truth..I'll give you the truth. Approximately 70% of the cars in the middle east were Toyotas, Hondas, Nissans and rest were Mercs, bmws. I believe I saw few Mazdas and Subarus also..but that's it. If you don't believe me..go ahead and disprove me..b/c I have actually been there.
Infact, in Bahrain, there police cars were Nissan Maximas. The touring vehicles were Toyota Landcruisers etc..If you drove downtown, you'd see mostly older model toyota cars and trucks to Nissan cars and trucks everywhere you go. I'm just mentioning this b/c you sound like you been there but really have you? I have.

Htay7500 - 3/21/2008 1:40:20 PM

0 Boost

the toyotas sold in america aren't like the ones made in japan, etc.

Bu6alal - 3/21/2008 3:11:45 AM

-3 Boost

For some reason, any good comment on Toyota or Lexus gets deboosted. Ohhh, I forgot that truth often hurts.

By the way, NON and I insist on NON of any other car manufacturers can arrive at the same Toyota or Lexus quality even with their current problems in quality.

Please realize that you are talking about a nation that after being nearly erased from the world map, have achieved the second most powerful economy in the world, hence, do your calculation and tell me how they achieved that.

I totally agree that Germans have the brand name, but where was that name when Lexus was eating the market!!! Shame on you to defend a brand that is being smashed by 19 years old brand. If you still insist, then do a brain test.

TybeeZ4 - 3/28/2008 4:32:48 PM

+1 Boost

Yea! I've got a completely reliable MB CLS 500 and a Porsche Cayman S. Justified!!!!