Kelley Blue Book Launches Hot Used-Car Report, Helping Dealers Better Understand Consumer Used-Car Interest

2008 Model-Year Vehicles, Hybrid SUVs Top Shopper Activity on Kbb.com

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Sep 27, 2010, 05:00 ET

IRVINE, Calif., Sept. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Kelley Blue Book www.kbb.com, the leading provider of new car and used car information, today announces the launch of its monthly Hot Used-Car Report, featured in the company's Blue Book Market Report.

Kelley Blue Book's Hot Used-Car Report captures monthly used-car retail shopper activity on kbb.com, including a list of the top and bottom movers in the same time period. Results are provided by the Kelley Blue Book Market Intelligence Team in an effort to help dealers better understand which used vehicles consumers are looking at most each month. Utilizing the information in this report could help dealers better manage used inventory, which could lead to increased profits.

According to the September 2010 report, Minivans experienced the largest decline in share of used-car retail shopper activity, down 15 percent month-over-month. This decline is driven by the 2009 Toyota Sienna, which dropped 31 percent in share. Hybrid SUVs saw the greatest increase in share of used-car retail shopper activity, climbing 20 percent month-over-month, spurred by heightened interest in the Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid.

"Consumers seem to be realizing that many hybrid SUVs and crossovers are now entering the used-car market, and these used options may provide a better deal than their new-car counterparts," said Hwei-Lin Oetken, vice president of Market Intelligence for Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com. "Used-car retail shopping activity on kbb.com also indicates a strong push toward 2008 model-year vehicles, as many of the top vehicles experienced a redesign or launched brand-new for that model year. Dealers should take notice of hybrid SUVs and 2008 model-year vehicles at auction and trade in."

The monthly Blue Book Market Report explores the state of the automotive industry by analyzing Kelley Blue Book® Wholesale Lending Values. The report also discusses developments in residual values on a bi-monthly basis. Each month, the latest Hot Used-Car Report will be featured.

To subscribe to the monthly Blue Book Market Report, please e-mail [email protected]. For more information on Kelley Blue Book and the Blue Book Market Report, please visit www.kbb.com/media.

About Kelley Blue Book (www.kbb.com)

Since 1926, Kelley Blue Book, The Trusted Resource®, has provided vehicle buyers and sellers with the new- and used-vehicle information they need to accomplish their goals with confidence. The company's top-rated website, www.kbb.com, provides the most up-to-date pricing and values, including the New Car Blue Book® Value, which reveals what people actually are paying for new cars. The company also reports vehicle pricing and values via products and services, including software products and the famous Blue Book® Official Guide. According to the C.A. Walker Research Solutions, Inc. - 2009 Spring Automotive Website Usefulness Study, kbb.com is the most useful automotive information website among new- and used-vehicle shoppers, and half of online vehicle shoppers visit kbb.com. Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com also is a W3 Gold Award winner, sanctioned by the International Academy of Visual Arts. Kbb.com is a leading provider of new car prices, used car values, car reviews, new cars for sale, used cars for sale, and car dealer locations.

SOURCE Kelley Blue Book