Cars.com Names its Top 10 Underappreciated Vehicles

CHICAGO, May 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The editors at Cars.com, the premier online resource for buying and selling new and used vehicles, today released their list of the top 10 most underappreciated cars currently on sale.  According to the editors, these are all vehicles that should be flying off dealer lots but for some reason have been neglected by car shoppers.

"Good products usually sell themselves, but that's not always the reality," said Cars.com executive editor, Joe Wiesenfelder. "There are so many great options on the market and these 10 vehicles are no exception. Our editors recommend that car shoppers research and test drive these models if they're already shopping for similar cars.  They might even get a good deal because these are not moving off lots as fast as some of their competitors."

According to Cars.com's editors, the top 10 underappreciated vehicles are:

1. Ford Flex—This seven-seat gem is terrific, yet it's outsold five-to-one by the Ford Explorer.
2. Suzuki Kizashi—An efficient sedan that's fun to drive and has a stunningly high-quality interior.
3. Mazdas (all models)—These fun-to-drive vehicles are just as good as the competition but lag competitors, sometimes drastically, in sales.
4. Kia Optima—With its handsome exterior, high-quality interior and generous standard-equipment endowment, there's no question why the Optima was chosen as Cars.com's Best of 2011.
5. Hyundai Genesis—It was awarded our top honor when introduced in 2009, and has only improved since.
6. Nissan Quest—With a troubled past, the new, competitive, high-quality Quest has yet to build a name for itself.
7. Dodge Challenger— Voted Cars.com's Shoppers' Choice Award winner in 2012, it is roomier and far more comfortable than virtually all of its direct, better-selling competitors.
8. Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen—A surprisingly versatile, fun car that beats many of its trendy crossover competitors.
9. Chevrolet Avalanche—It does the work, serves as a five-seat SUV or full-length pickup truck, and comes from a trusted truck brand.
10. Chevrolet Volt—Though GM's sales expectations were too high, the Volt definitely deserves more success than it's seen.

For more details on why each vehicle on this list was selected, visit Cars.com.

ABOUT CARS.COM

Founded in 1998, Cars.com is an award-winning online destination for car shoppers that offers information from consumers and experts to help buyers formulate opinions on what to buy, where to buy and how much to pay for a car. Cars.com is a division of Classified Ventures LLC, which is owned by leading media companies, including A.H. Belo (NYSE: AHC), Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI), The McClatchy Company (NYSE: MNI), Tribune Company and The Washington Post Company (NYSE: WPO).

SOURCE Cars.com