Real Cars - Brief Article

Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine, Dec, 2000 by Ed Henry, Josephine Rossi

The final 15% of the points depend on our reaction to the interior design and exterior styling of the cars, which we drive as they are introduced.

The awards go to ... The Best in Class prize goes to the top-scoring vehicle in each category. Best New Car is the winner among all-new or significantly redesigned models. First for Safety is based on HLDI injury claims. Best Resale Value goes to the vehicle that retains the highest percentage of its value after four years. Most Fuel-Efficient is based on city mileage. Best Sellers are based on sales during the 12 months ended October 1, according to J.D. Power and Associates.

For all awards, cars compete only in the lowest price category in which they appear.

The real world, To present real-world leasing information, we asked dealers around the country to give us the skinny on deals they were offering when we went to press in late October. You'll see the results in the Bottom Line boxes for each category. (Leasing information will change as the year progresses.)