Thursday, November 17, 2011

HYUNDAI NAMED TOP CPO PROGRAM

Awards Revealed at Certified Pre-Owned Forum and National Remarketing Conference In Las Vegas Nov. 15

IntelliChoice, the leading provider of automotive cost of ownership and value analysis and part of the Motor Trend Automotive Group, announced today the winners of its 13th annual ranking of manufacturer Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) programs, at the Certified Pre-Owned Forum and National Remarketing Conference in Las Vegas. For the fifth straight year, Volvo earned the top ranking among Premium manufacturers, while Hyundai was ranked highest among Popular vehicle brands.

Each year, IntelliChoice issues the industry's only independent report card comparing Certified Pre-Owned programs offered to consumers through franchise dealerships. 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. Car manufacturers have traditionally refined and augmented their programs based on the criteria employed by IntelliChoice in its benchmarking analysis, in an effort to compete more effectively in the marketplace for certified used cars.

"Since 2008, Hyundai had placed third overall in the Popular category, but was finally able to break into the top spot overtaking the two previous winners, MINI and Volkswagen," said Eric Anderson, senior analyst at IntelliChoice. "While Volvo was able to retain its top ranking in the Premium category, Cadillac and Porsche are not far behind."

Tyler Schulze, vice president and general manager of IntelliChoice, added, "The Certified Pre-Owned segment of the market continues to be very important to manufacturers and dealers alike, particularly due to the recent contraction in used-vehicle inventory levels. The ability for dealers to certify their best used cars and trucks under a compelling program sponsored by the manufacturer is a clear win for both the consumer and the dealer. We continue to see marginal year-over-year improvements in CPO program features across all makes, indicating that consumers can benefit from the ever-increasing competition in this market segment."

Methodology

IntelliChoice originally developed its CPO analysis methodology to address the significant growth of manufacturer CPO programs in line with its stated mission to provide consumers with comprehensive automotive analysis and advice. IntelliChoice investigates and analyzes 26 manufacturer programs which are divided into two major classes: Premium and Popular. Programs are then rated on the following set of nine criteria that consumers have identified as being most valuable to their decision-making processes:

Extended Manufacturer Warranties
Title Verification
Certification Inspection Process
Roadside Assistance
Special Financing
Return/Exchange Policies
Program and Dealer Compliance
Used Cost of Ownership
Market Penetration

The 2012 Winners Include:

Premium:
Overall Winner Volvo
Best Warranty Porsche
Used Cost of Ownership Lincoln
Popular:
Overall Winner Hyundai
Best Warranty MINI
Used Cost of OwnershipToyota

Top 5 Premium Programs:
1. Volvo
2. Cadillac
3. Porsche
4. Lexus
5. Lincoln

Top 5 Popular Programs:
1. Hyundai
2. MINI
3. Toyota
4. Honda
5. Scion

About IntelliChoice

IntelliChoice, part of the Motor Trend Auto Group, is the market leader in automotive ownership cost and car values analysis. Founded in 1986, IntelliChoice 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 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. Motor Trend Auto Group is a subsidiary of Source Interlink Media, a recognized provider of targeted media and marketing services and one of the largest publishers of magazines and online content for enthusiast audiences.