Kelley Blue Book's Kbb.com Named Online Auto Shopping Brand Of The Year In 2012 Harris Poll Equitrend Study

IRVINE, Calif., April 24, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Kelley Blue Book www.kbb.com, the leading provider of new car and used car information, today announces it recently was awarded Online Auto Shopping Brand of the Year by the 2012 Harris Poll EquiTrend® study.  Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com ranked highest in brand equity among the six competitors evaluated in the online auto shopping category in the annual study of more than 38,500 U.S. consumers conducted by Harris Interactive.

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The Harris Poll Brand of the Year is the top-ranked brand in its category of Brand Equity, which provides an understanding of a brand's overall strength and is determined by a calculation of quality, familiarity and purchase consideration. Brands high in brand equity, such as Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com, excel in the connection they establish with consumers in elements such as the brand's ability to meet expectations, to be trusted, to be relevant to consumers' lives, and in the positive emotional reactions consumers have to the brand.

"Kelley Blue Book has an 86-year history of being a preeminent brand in the automotive space, and the results of the latest Harris Poll EquiTrend study provide further proof that kbb.com resonates in the minds of new- and used-car shoppers," said Jared Rowe, president of Kelley Blue Book.  "Kelley Blue Book's storied history and iconic brand equity is the foundation upon which the company is building future growth.  With innovative products and helpful tools debuting on the award-winning website kbb.com, Kelley Blue Book is poised to grow its future business while continuing to provide the vehicle pricing, values and information that both consumers and the auto industry have relied upon for decades."

Kelley Blue Book provides the most market-reflective values in the industry on its top-rated website kbb.com, including Blue Book® Trade-In and Suggested Retail Values, and Fair Purchase Price, which reports the price new-car shoppers are typically paying for a vehicle this week.  Kelley Blue Book® Values are updated weekly on kbb.com to assist with car-buying and -selling needs.  Visitors to kbb.com can obtain timely vehicle values and information, always free of charge.

In addition to Kelley Blue Book new- and used-car values, kbb.com also offers consumers Total Cost of Ownership information, Expert Reviews and Ratings, and Consumer Reviews and Ratings.  Total Cost of Ownership helps new-car shoppers make informed decisions by breaking down all major costs over the initial five-year ownership period, including depreciation costs, expected fuel costs, typical insurance costs and more by make and model.  The site also provides reviews and ratings from the company's expert editorial staff.  Having reviewed nearly all of the common makes and models of cars consumers see on the road today, kbb.com's expert editors provide straightforward assessments and information, including driving impressions, favorite features and pricing notes for each new car reviewed.  Consumer Reviews and Ratings is a forum for kbb.com site visitors to voice their opinion about their vehicle, and for car shoppers to see what owners really think of their cars.

Kbb.com also features a host of additional features to assist car buyers and sellers, including side-by-side comparisons, the company's Perfect Car Finder® tool, vehicle photos and videos, finance and insurance information, rebates and incentives information, the latest in automotive industry news, and much more.

Harris Poll EquiTrend is a leading Brand Equity tracking study conducted by Harris Interactive that measures and compares brand health for more than 1,500 brands.  The study was conducted online from January 31 through February 20, 2012, and analyzes the responses of 38,529 consumers.  Harris Interactive has conducted its EquiTrend study regularly since 1989.

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

About Kelley Blue Book (www.kbb.com)
Founded in 1926, Kelley Blue Book, The Trusted Resource®, is the only vehicle valuation and information source trusted and relied upon by both consumers and the industry.  Each week the company provides the most market-reflective values in the industry on its top-rated website www.kbb.com, including its famous Blue Book® Trade-In and Suggested Retail Values and Fair Purchase Price, which reports what others are paying for new 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 as well as governmental agencies.  Kbb.com provides consumer pricing and information on minivans, pickup trucks, sedan, hybrids, electric cars, and SUVs.  Kelley Blue Book Co. Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of AutoTrader.com.

SOURCE Kelley Blue Book