IRVINE, Calif. — Subaru retained its Best Overall Brand title for the second consecutive year in Kelley Blue Book’s 2017 Brand Image Awards, which are based on consumer automotive perception data from Kelley Blue Book Strategic Insights’ Brand Watch study.
Subaru also won Most Trusted Brand and Best Performance Brand. As the Best Overall Brand, Subaru captured the highest average scores among all 12 Brand Watch factors, including affordability, driving comfort, driving performance, durability/reliability, exterior styling, fuel efficiency, interior layout, prestige/sophistication, reputation, ruggedness, safety and technology.
2017 Brand Image Award Winners: Non-Luxury Brands
Subaru: Best Overall Brand
Subaru: Most Trusted Brand
Honda: Best Value Brand
GMC: Most Refined Brand
Subaru: Best Performance Brand
Mazda: Best Car Styling Brand
The Forrester, Crosstrek, and Outback contributed to Subaru’s overall success. The automaker has earned Most Trusted Brand and Best Performance Brand titles since 2015.
Kelley Blue Book’s Brand Watch is an online brand and model perception tracking study tapping into 12,000-plus, in-market new-vehicle shoppers annually on KBB.com. The highly comprehensive study offers insight into how shoppers perceive important factors driving their purchase decisions, and captures brand/model familiarity and loyalty among new-car shoppers.
“Superior product lineups and compelling marketing communications from automakers continue to influence consumer opinion, driving interest in particular brands, and, most importantly, positively affecting vehicle consideration,” said Rick Wainschel, vice president of customer analytics and insights for Kelley Blue Book. “Many of this year’s winners continue to attract car shoppers based on a variety of brand attributes, and these standouts reinforce familiarity and loyalty among new-car buyers.”
Lexus also came up big this year. It recaptured the title of Best Overall Luxury Brand, earning the top average Brand Watch factor scores among all luxury automakers. The brand is highly regarded for its strong lineup among consumers, according to KBB, with the RX, ES, NX Hybrid, IS, GS, and LS as the primary drivers of Lexus’ success. In addition to its top luxury award, Lexus took home the Most Trusted Luxury Brand award for the second consecutive year.
Lexus previously won Most Trusted Luxury Brand in 2013 and 2014.
2017 Brand Image Award Winners: Luxury Brands
Lexus: Best Overall Luxury Brand
Lexus: Most Trusted Luxury Brand
Buick: Best Value Luxury Brand
Mercedes-Benz: Most Refined Luxury Brand
Porsche: Best Performance Luxury Brand
Jaguar: Best Car Styling Luxury Brand
For the fourth year in a row, Ford claimed the top spot among truck shoppers, winning the Best Overall Truck Brand category. Ford has won eight of the nine times the vehicle information site has announced the award.
2017 Brand Image Award Winner: Truck Brand
Ford: Best Overall Truck Brand
Toyota outranked Ford in 2013.
Other noteworthy winners for 2017 include Porsche, Buick, Honda, and Mazda. Porsche is a seven-time repeat winner in the Best Performance Luxury Brand category, an honor it won behind its 911, Cayenne, Panamera, and Macan models.
Buick earned this year’s Best Value Luxury Brand behind its Verano, Encore, Regal, and Enclave models. They all scored within the Top 20 models for value and ranked high in perceived affordability and fuel efficiency.
On the non-luxury side, Honda took home the Best Value Brand honor for the third consecutive year behind its Civic, Fit, Accord, and CR-V models. Mazda regained its Best Car Styling Brand title behind its MAZDA6, MAZDA 3, AND MX-5 Miata. Mercedes-Benz, GMC, and Jaguar were also repeat winners for 2017.
For more on Kelley Blue Book’s Brand Image Awards, click here.
