Cars.com Names 2018 Best of Awards Winners

Car-shopping site names best vehicles of the year in six categories, including all-new Volkswagen Atlas as the site's Best of 2018 Award winner

News provided by

Cars.com Inc.

Jan 16, 2018, 08:30 ET

DETROIT, Jan. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Cars.com has announced the winners of its annual Best of Awards. The highly sought-after awards by both automakers and car shoppers include six different categories: Eco-Friendly Car of the Year, Family Car of the Year, Luxury Car of the Year, Most Fun-to-Drive Car of the Year and the site's highest honors, Best Pickup Truck of 2018 and Best of 2018. The 2018 Best of Awards mark the eighth year of the awards program.

The highest honor, Best of 2018, went to the all-new 2018 Volkswagen Atlas.

"Volkswagen found a winning formula with its 2018 Atlas," said Jennifer Newman, Cars.com's editor-in-chief. "The three-row SUV does what few can: comfortably haul seven adults and plenty of cargo. And despite its large size, this SUV's driving dynamics are nimbler than expected. The 2018 Volkswagen Atlas delivers on its promise of utility without any compromises."

Winners in each category, as determined by Cars.com's panel of vehicle and industry experts, are (all model-year 2018):

Best of 2018: Volkswagen Atlas
Best Pickup Truck of 2018: Chevrolet Colorado ZR2
Eco-Friendly Car of the Year: Chevrolet Bolt EV
Family Car of the Year: Chrysler Pacifica
Luxury Car of the Year: Audi A4
Most Fun-to-Drive Car of the Year: Volkswagen Golf GTI

"From an off-road pickup truck to a luxury sedan, and even a family hauler, this year's crop of award winners truly represents the best of the best across an array of segments, shopper needs and lifestyle types," added Newman.

Award winners were announced at Cars.com's 2018 Best of Awards Show, which is an annual event during the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, where Cars.com hosts customers from all major automakers, industry influencers and media for an awards presentation and A-list entertainment.

When determining award winners, Cars.com experts consider three key criteria for every car tested: quality, innovation and value; for pickup trucks, the criteria are power, capability and value. These are all assets that experts consider requirements for a well-rounded, award-worthy vehicle.

Each year, Cars.com purchases its Best of Award vehicle for long-term testing and develops ongoing content – including videos – about editors' experiences with the best vehicle of the year. Shoppers can follow www.cars.com/news through the rest of 2018 as Cars.com's team of experts shares every detail of the all-new, three-row SUV from Volkswagen.

For more information about all the 2018 Best of Award winners, including details about why each vehicle was selected, visit www.cars.com/awards.

ABOUT CARS.COM

Cars.com™ is a leading two-sided digital automotive marketplace that creates meaningful connections between buyers and sellers. Launched in 1998 and headquartered in Chicago, the company empowers consumers with resources and information to make informed buying decisions around The 4Ps of Automotive Marketing™: Product, Price, Place and Person, by connecting advertising partners with in-market car shoppers and providing data-driven intelligence to increase inventory turn and gain market share. A pioneer in online automotive classifieds, the company has evolved into one of the largest digital automotive platforms, connecting thousands of local dealers across the country with millions of consumers. Through trusted expert content, on-the-lot mobile features and intelligence, millions of new and used vehicle listings, a comprehensive set of pricing and research tools, and the largest database of consumer reviews in the industry, Cars.com is transforming the car shopping experience.

Cars.com properties include DealerRater®, Auto.com™, PickupTrucks.com® and NewCars.com®. For more information, visit www.Cars.com.

SOURCE Cars.com Inc.