ClubLexus - Lexus Forum Discussion - Consumer Guide's 2008 BestBuy List

Consumer Guide Automotive Announces 2008 Best Buy & Recommended List
Tuesday October 23, 10:16 am ET

LINCOLNWOOD, Ill., Oct. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Consumer Guide Automotive, the leading publisher of authoritative, objective new and used car reviews for 40 years, today announced the recipients of its 2008 Best Buy and Recommended Awards. The annual list, designed to make car buying easier for consumers, represents the best overall values in 18 categories and includes a total of 87 vehicles. The complete list of Consumer Guide's 2008 Best Buy and Recommended Awards is exclusively available at http://consumerguideauto.howstuffworks.com.

Since 1967, Consumer Guide's preeminent editorial team has used a comprehensive evaluation process based on varying factors that matter most to the average car buyer to arrive at the annual list of winners. Initially, the list is divided into 18 classes based on vehicle type, size, and price. These class segments span the entire automotive market and include hundreds of cars, SUVs, minivans, and trucks.

The editors then use objective criteria, such as price, features, performance, accommodations, fuel economy, reliability records and resale value, to assess each vehicle. The winners are divided into two categories: The Consumer Guide Automotive "Best Buy" and "Recommended" winners.

A "Best Buy" rating signifies that a vehicle is ranked at the top of its class and is strongly recommended by the editors. "Best Buy" vehicles represent the finest balance of attributes and price within their classes, and they are the best choices for the average consumer. This year's "Best Buy" winners include the Hyundai Accent, Honda Civic, Kia Rondo, Lexus LS, Chevrolet Corvette and the Audi A4.

Consumer Guide Automotive's "Recommended" list features cars that, though not ranked at the very top of their category, are still worth strong consideration by the consumer. This year's Consumer Guide Automotive "Recommended" vehicles include the Mazda 3, Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, Acura TL and the Jaguar XK.

The key to the Consumer Guide Automotive's annual Best Buy and Recommended Awards is the careful evaluation of every aspect of each vehicle as it relates to the average consumer.

"Our editorial team drives nearly 200,000 miles a year evaluating what these vehicles do well, and what they don't," stated Consumer Guide Automotive Managing Editor, Tom Appel. "Our process assures that our recommendations are based on experiences that best mimic the settings and conditions that the average car buyer encounters every day. Whether it is driving through the city, highways, rural areas, long trips or simply picking up the kids up at school, we test these vehicles in the same way the average car buyer will use theirs."

Complete reviews of the winning vehicles, as well as other pertinent information for in-market car buyers, are provided exclusively by HowStuffWorks.com (www.howstuffworks.com) and can be found online at http://consumerguideauto.howstuffworks.com .

ABOUT CONSUMER GUIDE AUTOMOTIVE

Since 1967, Consumer Guide has published authoritative, objective reviews of new and used cars and trucks. Its staff of 16 includes 10 full-time automotive editors with more than 150 years of combined automotive experience. Consumer Guide's singular focus is to make car shopping easier for consumers. Consumer Guide's editors provide professional, unbiased evaluations of nearly 1000 new and used vehicles as well as expert shopping advice, timely feature articles, and insightful automotive editorials. Consumer Guide is based in Lincolnwood, IL. It is published in print by Publications International, Ltd., and online by HowStuffworks.com. For more information, visit http://consumerguideauto.howstuffworks.com .

ABOUT HOWSTUFFWORKS:

Founded in 1999, HowStuffWorks is an online publishing company that provides objective, credible and useful information for people to learn about the world around them. The company's award-winning Web site attracts millions of unique visitors each month and is source for in-depth, easy-to-understand explanations on hundreds of topics ranging from science and technology to health and electronics. In 2005, HowStuffWorks became the exclusive online publisher for Publications International Ltd. (PIL) and its Consumer Guide and Mobil Travel Guide brands. HowStuffWorks is headquartered in Atlanta, GA, and is a subsidiary of The Convex Group, a media and technology company. For more information, visit www.howstuffworks.com.

THE 2008 BEST BUY AND RECOMMENDED
AWARD WINNERS

CARS
Subcompact Car
Best Buy
Hyundai Accent
Kia Rio
Suzuki SX4

Recommended
Honda Fit

Compact Car
Best Buy
Honda Civic
Nissan Versa
Scion xB

Recommended
Hyundai Elantra
Mazda 3

Premium Compact Car
Audi A4
BMW 3-Series

Recommended
Audi A3
Saab 9-3

Midsize Car
Best Buy
Honda Accord
Kia Rondo

Recommended
Ford Fusion
Hyundai Sonata
Kia Optima
Mazda 5
Mercury Milan
Nissan Altima
Saturn Aura
Toyota Camry

Premium Midsize Car
Best Buy
Cadillac CTS
Infiniti G
Lexus ES 350

Recommended
Acura TL
Infiniti M
Mercedes-Benz E-Class

Large Car
Best Buy
Chrysler 300
Dodge Charger & Magnum
Toyota Avalon

Recommended
Ford Taurus
Mercury Sable

Premium Large Car
Best Buy
Lexus LS
Mercedes-Benz S-Class

Recommended
Audi A8
Cadillac DTS

Sporty/Performance Car
Best Buy
Mazda MX-5
Scion tC

Recommended
Ford Mustang
Mini Cooper
Nissan 350Z

Premium Sporty/Performance Car
Best Buy
Chevrolet Corvette
BMW Z4

Recommended
Jaguar XK
Porsche Boxster & Cayman

SPORT-UTILITY VEHICLES
Compact SUV
Best Buy
Honda CR-V
Suzuki Grand Vitara

Recommended
Hyundai Tucson
Kia Sportage
Toyota RAV4
Saturn Vue

Premium Compact SUV
Recommended
Infiniti EX

Midsize SUV
Best Buy
GMC Acadia
Honda Pilot
Mazda CX-9
Saturn Outlook

Recommended
Hyundai Santa Fe
Hyundai Veracruz
Nissan Murano
Toyota Highlander

Premium Midsize SUV
Best Buy
Acura MDX
Buick Enclave
Lexus RX

Recommended
Volvo XC90

Large SUV
Best Buy
Chevrolet Tahoe & Suburban
Ford Expedition
GMC Yukon

Premium Large SUV
Best Buy
Cadillac Escalade

Recommended
Audi Q7
Mercedes-Benz GL-Class

PICKUP TRUCKS & VANS
Compact Pickup
Best Buy
Toyota Tacoma

Recommended
Dodge Dakota
Honda Ridgeline
Nissan Frontier

Large Pickup

Recommended
Chevrolet Avalanche
Chevrolet Silverado
Ford F-150
GMC Sierra
Toyota Tundra

Minivan
Best Buy
Chrysler Town & Country
Dodge Grand Caravan
Honda Odyssey

Recommended
Hyundai Entourage
Kia Sedona
Toyota Sienna