IntelliChoice.com Names Best Certified Pre-Owned Automotive Programs for 2010

Volvo, Volkswagen and MINI ranked highest on overall value -- Kia is the biggest mover while GM brands maintain foothold in top ranks.

Las Vegas, NV (PRWEB) November 3, 2009

IntelliChoice.com, the leading provider of automotive cost and value analysis and part of Source Interlink Media, today announced the winners of its 11th annual ranking of Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) manufacturer-sponsored programs at the 2010 National Remarketing Conference & Used Car Expo, in Las Vegas. For the third straight year, Volvo took the top ranking among Luxury manufacturers, while Volkswagen and Mini are tied for the second year for the best Non-Luxury programs. IntelliChoice.com issues the industry's only report card for Certified Pre-Owned vehicles and many OEMs have developed their programs using the IntelliChoice.com inspection and ranking criteria as benchmarks.

The biggest mover this year is Kia, which broke into the top five Non-Luxury programs for the first time ever, based on a dramatic jump in its Brand Value score. GM also holds steady with three of its brands in the top five overall best Luxury programs: Saab (2), Cadillac (3) and Hummer (5).

“Volvo, Mini, and Volkswagen continue to dominate the rankings with a focus on consistency and quality in their programs,” said Eric Andersen, senior analyst, Intellichoice.com. “We are very impressed with the improvement Kia has made with a relatively new program. Kia now joins Hyundai in the top five Non-Luxury programs and demonstrates a strong and aggressive push from the Korean manufacturers to strengthen their brands in the U.S.”

Andersen continued “While the CPO market has seen both gainers and losers over the past twelve months, CPOs are showing slower sales declines versus new car sales. GM brands represent 24 percent of all CPOs sold in the US – and the rankings show they take the CPO programs seriously. These programs allow buyers looking for value to buy a great car without taking the hit on depreciation from day one.”

IntelliChoice.com 2010 CPO Winners
IntelliChoice.com investigates and analyzes 32 manufacturer programs. Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles (CPOs) are cars, trucks and sport utility vehicles that have come off lease or have been resold to dealers, and have been thoroughly inspected prior to sale. IntelliChoice.com's Best Certified Pre-Owned Awards are presented in two major classes: Luxury and Non-Luxury. The following breaks out the top vehicles in each category and the three most important sub-categories:

Luxury Brand:

• Overall Winner: Volvo
• Best Warranty: Porsche
• 100% Inspection Score: Audi, Infiniti, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lincoln, Mercedes-Benz, and Volvo
• Strongest Brand Value: Saab

Ranking:
Manufacturer     Ranking
Volvo         1
Saab         2
Cadillac     3
Jaguar     4
Hummer    5 Tie
Audi            5 Tie
Lincoln     5 Tie

Non-Luxury Brand

• Overall Winner: MINI and Volkswagen (Tie)
• Best Warranty: MINI
• 100% Inspection Score: Ford, Mercury, Nissan, and Suzuki
• Strongest Brand Quality: General Motors and Honda (Tie)

Ranking:
Manufacturer    Ranking    
MINI        1    Tie
Volkswagen 1 Tie
Hyundai        3    
Honda        4    
Kia        5    

"CPO programs rely on inventory. The recent decline in the market has provided a flood of choice. Many manufacturers are offering incentives on CPOs and that is making a big difference for the consumer," said Andersen.

Methodology
IntelliChoice.com initiated its Certified Pre-Owned awards program ten years ago to address the significant growth of the CPO offering and consumer demand for comprehensive analysis. Programs are rated on a set of eight criteria that consumers identify as having the most value:

• Extended manufacturer warranties
• Title verification
• Certification inspection process
• Roadside assistance - special financing
• Return exchange policies
• Program/dealer compliance
• Brand value

About IntelliChoice.com and Source Interlink Companies, Inc.
IntelliChoice.com, part of Source Interlink Media, LLC., is the market leader in automotive ownership cost and car values analysis. Founded in 1986, IntelliChoice.com is committed to empowering consumers to make better purchase decisions by providing independent and essential automotive information and tools. Through the IntelliChoice.com web site (http://www.intellichoice.com), consumers get the help they need to research, compare, configure and price new cars. The site also connects buyers to the buying alternatives of their choice, including vehicle manufacturers and an online car buying guide. Source Interlink Media LLC is a subsidiary of Source Interlink Companies, Inc., a recognized provider of targeted media and marketing services, a leading U.S. distributor of home entertainment products and services and one of the largest publishers of magazines and online content for enthusiast audiences.

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