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Find Out What Your New Car Will Be Worth Five Years From Now

IRVINE, Calif., April 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Kelley Blue Book
(http://www.kbb.com), the leading provider of new- and used-vehicle information,
now provides projected resale values for all new vehicles on its Web site.
Available on all new-vehicle pricing reports, Kelley Blue Book shows a
rating that demonstrates how much value a brand new vehicle will retain
over the first three years of ownership. By clicking on the 'Learn More'
link, shoppers can see a complete depreciation graph of any new vehicle,
how it compares to other vehicles in its segment, and how well it will
maintain its value compared to the industry average after three, four and
five years of ownership. The illustrated graphs and easy to read comparison
charts will assist buyers to quickly assess which vehicles will best hold
their value down the road compared to other vehicles.

What a new vehicle will be worth when it comes time to sell it years
later was ranked as the No. 1 piece of new vehicle information shoppers
would like to see aside from new vehicle MSRP and invoice pricing. In a
study conducted by Kelley Blue Book Marketing Research among new vehicle
shoppers on kbb.com, 92 percent of respondents said they were interested in
knowing what a new vehicle would be worth after three-to-five years of
ownership.

"Surveyed consumers said that we are uniquely qualified to provide this
important purchase decision information," said Stephen Henson, executive
vice president, consumer business and marketing, Kelley Blue Book. "We are
the top destination among new vehicle shoppers for pricing and for used
vehicle values and distinctively positioned to provide resale values and
depreciation information."

Depreciation often is the greatest expense incurred by drivers during
the first five years of vehicle ownership but the most overlooked cost
among consumers shopping for a new vehicle. The average new vehicle will
only retain about 35 percent of its original value after a five-year
ownership period, meaning that a $20,000 new car today will only be worth
somewhere close to $7,000 after five years.

"Often consumers are irritated when they learn what their car is worth
after three or five years of ownership, because some vehicles hold their
value better than others," said Jack R. Nerad, executive editorial director
and executive market analyst with Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com. "With this
new feature, kbb.com now offers new-vehicle shoppers the ability to
determine which vehicles not only fit their lifestyle, but also how well
they will maintain their value when it comes to trade-in time."

What You Can Do
Though a vehicle's resale value is determined by such things as, market
conditions, brand perception, expectations of the future economy, and
supply and demand, there are steps a consumer can take to get the best
return on their car in the future. Certain features available on new cars
today will be desirable by a majority of used-car buyers three or five
years down the road, and these features will help the vehicle maintain more
of its original value. In-market shoppers should consider the following
options in their next new vehicle to help better retain its value. First,
choose a popular exterior color, such as black, white or silver. Then
select equipment that many buyers want. Included on this list are: antilock
brakes (ABS), alloy wheels, CD player/CD changer, parking sensors,
navigation system, sensing cruise control and leather-covered seats. At the
same time, avoid less popular colors and go easy on customization.

Best Resale Value Awards
Since 2003 Kelley Blue Book has named the top new vehicles to retain
their value after a five-year ownership period in its Best Resale Value
Awards. Kelley Blue Book and kbb.com determined that for the 2007 model
year, Honda and Acura brand vehicles have the best resale value of any
brand on the market today. In the fall of 2007, Kelley Blue Book will
announce the 2008 model year vehicles expected to have the best resale
value in 2013.

Based on projections by Kelley Blue Book's expert staff of market
analysts encapsulated in the Kelley Blue Book Residual Value Guide, the
prestigious Best Resale Value Awards honor vehicles expected to maintain
the greatest proportion of their retail prices after five years of
ownership. Low-volume vehicles and vehicles with a Manufacturer's Suggested
Retail Price of more than $60,000 are excluded from awards consideration.
Values reflect projected future wholesale pricing for clean,
reconditioned vehicles at the end of a five-year lease period. Kelley Blue
Book's residual values are used by banks, financial institutions,
governmental agencies and the automotive leasing industry.

For more information about Kelley Blue Book's Best Resale Value Awards,
please visit http://www.kbb.com/resaleaward.

About Kelley Blue Book (kbb.com)
Since 1926, Kelley Blue Book, The Trusted Resource(R), 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 Web
site, kbb.com, provides the most up-to-date pricing and values, including
the New Car Blue Book(R) 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(R) Official Guide. Kbb.com is rated the No. 1 automotive information
site by Nielsen//NetRatings and the most visited auto site by J.D. Power
and Associates eight years in a row. No other medium reaches more in-market
vehicle shoppers than kbb.com; nearly one in every three American car
buyers performs their research on kbb.com.



SOURCE Kelley Blue Book