Toyota, Chevrolet and Lexus Dominate IntelliChoice.com's 2007 'Best Overall Value of the Year' Awards

Chevrolet was well represented on the list, winning a total of ten awards followed closely by Lexus, which earned seven awards, including the ES sedan for Best Car Value Over $23,000 and the RX 350 for Best SUV Value Over $28,000.

Now in its 21st year, IntelliChoice.com's "Best Overall Value of the Year" awards recognize vehicles whose cost of ownership is significantly lower than that of peer models. The awards provide a quick reference to finding vehicles that promise the best return on investment. A listing of this year's winners and additional information on the awards can be found online at www.IntelliChoice.com.



"Toyota continues to prove that value is a critical ingredient for Toyota's success with the American consumer," said James Bell, publisher of IntelliChoice.com. "Toyota also went back to their roots with the subcompact Yaris, which wins in a category that saw a lot of strong entries for 2007."

Winners for 2007

This year, IntelliChoice.com identified thirty-three winning models by segment and class, plus eight overall category winners. The eight overall category winners are:

-- Best Car Value Under $23,000 - Toyota Prius

-- Best Car Value Over $23,000 - Lexus ES

-- Best SUV Value Under $28,000 - Ford Escape Hybrid

-- Best SUV Value Over $28,000 - Lexus RX 350

-- Best Truck Value Under $27,000 - Toyota Tacoma 2WD

-- Best Truck Value Over $27,000 - Chevrolet Silverado Classic 3500 Extended Cab 2WD

-- Best Van Value Under $25,000 - Honda Odyssey Passenger Van

-- Best Van Value Over $25,000 - Honda Odyssey Passenger Van

Similar to last year's awards, hybrid vehicles continue to score well, with the Prius, Ford Escape, Toyota Highlander and Honda Civic winning awards within their respective classes. Rather than focusing solely on sticker price, IntelliChoice.com uses multiple criteria such as depreciation, maintenance, repairs, fuel costs and state fees to analyze the value of hybrids. Against these criteria, buyers can expect a lower cost of ownership in relation to the price of that vehicle.

Bell added that some observers might wonder about the inclusion of hybrid vehicles on the same list as the Hummer H3, which makes IntelliChoice.com's Best Overall Value list for the first time.

"Looking at the Hummer H3 tells consumers a great deal about how the Sports Utility/Crossover market has changed in the past year," Bell said. "We re-segmented our class designations to reflect what we feel is a true sports-utility vehicle. The H3 is constructed on a truck-based platform and has real off-road capabilities. In terms of its overall value, the H3 gets good gas mileage within its class, and Hummer has kept inventory volume close to demand, which helps the H3 retain its value."

Further highlights from the list include the Honda Odyssey sweeping the minivan category for the third consecutive year.

How IntelliChoice.com Determines "Best Overall Value"

2007 marks IntelliChoice.com's twenty-first year publishing ownership cost and value analysis. The Best Overall Value of the Year (BOVY) awards identify the vehicles that promise the best return on investment within their classes. The IntelliChoice.com evaluation process aggregates and analyzes data from auto manufacturers, the U.S. government, and third-party data resources to determine the true costs of owning every 2007 vehicle over a five-year ownership period. For the 2007 BOVY's, IntelliChoice.com assigned a value rating to more than 1,700 mainstream vehicles sold in America. This value rating factors the accumulated costs of depreciation, maintenance, repairs, fuel, state fees, financing, and insurance to identify the true standout models in each class.

About IntelliChoice.com

Part of PRIMEDIA, the country's leading targeted media company, IntelliChoice.com is the market leader in automotive ownership cost and value analysis. Founded in 1986 and celebrating its 20th Anniversary, IntelliChoice.com is committed to empowering consumers to make better purchase decisions by providing independent and essential automotive information and car-buying tools. Through IntelliChoice.com consumers get the help they need to research, compare, configure and price vehicles. The site also connects buyers to the buying alternatives of their choice, including vehicle manufacturers and online buying services.



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Cars

-- Subcompact Class - Toyota Yaris Hatchback

-- Compact Class under $16,000 - Honda Civic Sedan

-- Compact Class over $16,000 - Honda Civic Hybrid

-- Midsize Class under $21,000 - Toyota Prius

-- Midsize Class over $21,000 - Toyota Prius

-- Large Class - Toyota Avalon

-- Near Luxury Class - Lexus IS

-- Luxury Class - Lexus ES

-- Luxury Convertible - Audi A4 Convertible

-- Convertible - Volkswagen Beetle Convertible

-- Small Wagon Class - Toyota Matrix

-- Midsize/Large Wagon Class - Subaru Outback Wagon

-- Base Sport Class - Honda Civic Si Coupe

-- Sport Class - Chevrolet Corvette

-- Sports Sedan/Wagon under $38,000 - Infiniti G35 (Manual) Sports Sedan

-- Sports Sedan/Wagon over $38,000 - Lexus GS

Sport Utilities

-- Compact Utility/Crossover - Ford Escape Hybrid

-- Intermediate Utility Class - Hummer H3

-- Luxury Utility Class - Lexus GX

-- Utility Class- Toyota Land Cruiser

Crossovers

-- Midsize Crossover Class - Toyota Highlander Hybrid

-- Luxury Crossover Class - Lexus RX 350

Trucks

-- Compact Pickup Class 2WD - Toyota Tacoma

-- Compact Pickup Class 4WD - Toyota Tacoma

-- Full-Size Pickup Class 1/2 Ton 2WD - Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Extended Cab 2WD

-- Full-Size Pickup Class 1/2 Ton 4WD - Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Regular Cab 4WD

-- Full-Size Pickup Class 3/4 Ton 2WD - Chevrolet Silverado Classic 2500 HD Crew Cab 2WD

-- Full-Size Pickup Class 3/4 Ton 4WD - Chevrolet Silverado Classic 2500 HD Extended Cad 4WD

-- Full-Size Pickup Class One Ton 2WD - Chevrolet Silverado Classic 3500 Crew Cab 2WD

-- Full-Size Pickup Class One Ton 4WD - Chevrolet Silverado Classic 3500 Crew Cab 4WD

Vans

-- Mini-Van Class - Honda Odyssey Passenger Van

-- Full-Size Van Class - Chevrolet Express 1500 Passenger Van

-- Cargo Van Class - Chevrolet Uplander