IntelliChoice.com's "Best Deals" for July Show Little Impact From New Round of Automaker Incentives
CAMPBELL, CA (July 5, 2007) - PRIMEDIA's IntelliChoice.com (www.intellichoice.com), the leading source for automotive ownership cost and value analysis, today announced its "Best Deals of the Month" for cars, trucks and SUVs for July 2007. Winners for July reveal that the recent increase in incentives and rebates, especially among American automakers, are thus far having little impact on overall value.
"So far, our perennial winners, which cover everything from hybrids to trucks, are holding their own in the face of increasing incentives," said James Bell, publisher of IntelliChoice.com. "Our list is an important reminder to prospective car buyers that they need to pay attention to much more than cash back and other incentives before making this big purchase. Among other things, they need to consider how long they’re going to own the vehicle and its potential resale value."
IntelliChoice.com's "Best Deals of the Month" identifies new cars, trucks and SUVs with the best ownership cost value in 33 respective classes. Selections are based on current car pricing, market conditions and the lowest national manufacturer consumer new car rebate. In addition, IntelliChoice.com uses the latest information from numerous automotive resources to evaluate what it costs to buy, own and operate each new model-year trim line over a five-year basis.
The following "Best Deals" for July 2007 are ranked by vehicle type and size:
| Class | Brand | Model |
| Subcompact Car | MINI | Cooper Hatchback |
| Compact Car over 16000 | Honda | Civic Hybrid |
| Compact Car under 16000 | Honda | Civic Sedan |
| Midsize Car over 21000 | Toyota | Prius |
| Midsize Car under 21000 | Toyota | Prius |
| Convertible | MINI | Cooper Convertible |
| Luxury Convertible | Audi | A4 Convertible |
| Near Luxury Car | Lexus | IS |
| Luxury Car | Lexus | ES |
| Large Car | Toyota | Avalon |
| Base Sport Car | Honda | Civic Si Coupe |
| Sport Car | Chevrolet | Corvette |
| Sport Sedan/Wagon over 38000 | Lexus | GS |
| Sport Sedan/Wagon under 38000 | Infiniti | G35 Sport Sedan |
| Compact Utility/Crossover | Ford | Escape Hybrid |
| Midsize Crossover | Toyota | Highlander Hybrid |
| Luxury Crossover | Lexus | RX 400h |
| Small Wagon | Toyota | Matrix |
| Midsize/Large Wagon | Subaru | Outback Wagon |
| Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) | GMC | Yukon |
| Intermediate SUV | Hummer | H3 |
| Luxury SUV | Lexus | GX |
| Compact Pickup Truck 2WD | Toyota | Tacoma Regular Cab 2WD |
| Compact Pickup Truck 4WD | Nissan | Frontier King Cab 4WD |
| Full-Size Pickup Truck 2WD 1/2 Ton | GMC | Sierra 1500 Crew Cab 2WD |
| Full-Size Pickup Truck 2WD 3/4 Ton | Ford | F250 Super Duty Super Cab 2WD |
| Full-Size Pickup Truck 2WD One Ton | Dodge | Ram 3500 Quad Cab 2WD |
| Full-Size Pickup Truck 4WD 1/2 Ton | Chevrolet | Silverado 1500 Regular Cab 4WD |
| Full-Size Pickup Truck 4WD 3/4 Ton | GMC | Sierra 2500 HD Crew Cab 4WD |
| Full-Size Pickup Truck 4WD One Ton | Dodge | Ram 3500 Quad Cab 4WD |
| Minivan | Honda | Odyssey Passenger Van |
| Full-Size Van | Chevrolet | Express 1500 Passenger Van |
| Cargo Van | Dodge | Grand Caravan Cargo Van |
IntelliChoice.com Helps Consumers Do Their Homework
IntelliChoice.com updates vehicle data several times a month in order to capture the many expiring car rebates and ongoing incentive programs offered by manufacturers--giving consumers the most up-to-date analysis.
IntelliChoice.com's "Best Deals" designation enables consumers to identify how car rebates affect a vehicle's value throughout ownership and not just at the time of purchase. Ownership costs can vary significantly among different trim lines of the same model. Additionally, IntelliChoice.com continuously updates fuel costs based on the latest data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
Vehicles designated an "IntelliChoice.com Best Deals of the Month" are typically cars and trucks that have good to great ownership cost values before any manufacturer rebate. However, a rebate can often turn a good ownership cost value into a great value, and a great value into an "IntelliChoice.com Best Deals of the Month."
Please visit www.intellichoice.com for more information or to check the auto rebate section of any vehicle report for the most up-to-date incentives.
About IntelliChoice.com
Part of PRIMEDIA's Enthusiast Media, IntelliChoice is the market leader in automotive ownership cost and value 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 web site (www.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 an online car buying guide.
