Record Gas Prices Drive More Searches for Fuel-Efficient Cars on Cars.com

Business Wire, April 4, 2008

CHICAGO -- With gas prices again hitting record highs, the number of shoppers searching for hybrids and other fuel-efficient vehicles on Cars.com has skyrocketed. According to Cars.com's monthly Consumer Search Index, the Toyota Prius and the fuel-efficient, subcompact Toyota Yaris are once again among the top 10 most-searched new cars on the site.

Compared to other vehicle segments, hybrids and fuel-efficient cars also saw the greatest search increases in March. With the exception of the Volkswagen Jetta, all of the 10 that moved up the most get 30 mpg or more. The top three movers -- the Prius, Honda Civic Hybrid and Toyota Camry Hybrid -- all saw month-over-month search increases of more than 40 percent

"With gas prices nearing $3.30 a gallon on average nationwide, consumers are taking a close look at fuel-efficient options," said Cars.com editor in chief Patrick Olsen. "The Toyota Prius is obviously the hybrid that gets the most attention, since it gets the best mileage for a hybrid, but consumers are starting to discover that there are now a dozen or so new hybrid cars and SUVs that are worth exploring. There are also plenty of gas-only cars capable of getting 30 miles a gallon."

Below are the new cars that experienced the largest increase in searches, plus a list of the new cars that were searched for the most on Cars.com in March:

[TABLE OMITTED]

About Cars.com

Cars.com is the leading destination for online car shoppers, offering credible, easy-to-understand information from consumers and experts to help buyers formulate opinions on what to buy, where to buy and how much to pay for a car. With comprehensive pricing information, side-by-side comparison tools, photo galleries, videos, unbiased editorial content and a large selection of new- and used-car inventory, Cars.com puts millions of car buyers in control of their shopping process with the information they need to make confident buying decisions.

Launched in June 1998, Cars.com is a division of Classified Ventures, LLC, which is owned by leading media companies, including Belo (NYSE: BLC), Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI), The McClatchy Company (NYSE: MNI), Tribune Company and The Washington Post Company (NYSE: WPO).