For whatever it is worth, intrigue or insight, DriveME brings you the ALG list of 2012 model vehicles expected to return the best residual value. Some of the choices might appear far-fetched for a car buyer in the Gulf – like everyone knows Audi is a great car, but it’s never been considered the car with the best resale value in this market. That is, until a couple of years ago. Bolstered by a 5-year warranty and service plan, Audi has come a long way in claiming extensive space in people’s mind and on the roads in the UAE and elsewhere. Range Rover is a similar case in point. Subaru, with its loyal following is regarded in awe by many in the region, but has been able to manage less than the numbers that the brand deserves. Yet, the ALG list gives us many cues as to where the world is headed. Over to the Awards stand…
Subaru is the most resaleable mainstream brand according to ALG. Hopefully, the brand will enjoy half that conviction in the Middle East soon enough.
ALG (Automotive Lease Guide) has released its annual Resale Value Awards. For 2012, Subaru took home the honor of being the top mainstream brand, while Lexus nabbed the top luxury automaker designation. ALG says that once again, Japanese automakers have performed better than their American and European counterparts when it comes to resale. Of the 21 total ALG awards, 11 went to Japanese manufacturers, though Audi emerged as the single automaker to take home the most awards.
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Subaru claimed the title of Best Mainstream Brand for the third year in a row. “Subaru continues to draw fiercely loyal devotees who appreciate the brand’s strong quality and ability to remain practical yet progressive in its redesigns. Subaru also earned Best Midsize Utility Vehicle and Best Midsize Car nods for 2012 Subaru Outback and 2012 Subaru Legacy, respectively. “The Legacy’s standard all-wheel drive, above-average fuel economy and spacious interior appeal to a wide swath of the market, helping to keep demand high,” said Raj Sundaram, for ALG. “With the brawny new generation of Outback, Subaru continues to build on its reputation for delivering what consumers want in a crossover, the handling of a car with great utility and roomy interiors.”
Audi of America took home the most segment awards of any brand, winning three for the A6 (Luxury Car), the S5 (Luxury Sports Car) and the Q7 (Luxury Fullsize Utility Vehicle) for the 2012 model year.
The all-new 2012 Audi A6 won the award in the Luxury Car category. The A6 boasts an all-aluminium Audi 3.0 L TFSI® supercharged V6 engine with 310 horsepower. One of Audi’s most innovative and technologically-advanced models to date, the A6 makes up to 2,000 decisions per second to assist the driver.
In the Luxury Sports Car category, the 2012 Audi S5 took top honors for its iconic design and dynamic character while the Audi Q7 won the award in the Luxury Fullsize Utility Vehicle category. The seven passenger Audi Q7 offers a gasoline turbocharged, fuel-injected 3.0 liter TFSI engine, or a powerful yet fuel efficient V6 turbocharged direct injection TDI clean diesel engine, featuring a luxurious, premium interior, a panoramic roof and the most advanced Audi technologies available.
7th consecutive year as the top luxury SUV - Range Rover, the hot favourite of the Gulf!
The new Range Rover Evoque landed at the top of the Luxury Compact Utility Vehicle segment while the brand also scored its seventh consecutive award for the Range Rover Sport in the Luxury Midsize Utility Vehicle segment.
Range Rover Evoque makes an entry with great value - the most bankable compact luxury SUV
The new 2012 Jeep® Wrangler has received the Residual Value Award in the “Compact Utility” category. Jeep Wrangler – the most capable and recognized vehicle in the world – becomes even more capable both on- and off-road for 2012, courtesy of an all-new, more fuel efficient and more powerful 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 engine, and a new five-speed automatic transmission – both of which it shares with the award-winning Jeep Grand Cherokee. The winner of the prestigious Ward’s 10 Best Engines award, the new engine delivers 285 horsepower (209 kW) and 260 (353 Nm) lb.-ft. of torque, with up to 21 miles per gallon highway in the 2012 Jeep Wrangler.
The classic Jeep Wrangler is still the one to return great figures after 3 years. Hope it does the same for the Middle East customer!
The ALG award is the latest in a wave of prestigious awards for the 2012 Jeep Wrangler, including Petersen’s 4 Wheel & Off-Road’s “4×4 Of The Year,” the 2011 SEMA Show’s “Hottest 4×4 SUV and Kelley Blue Book’s “Best Resale Value Awards: ‘Top 10’ and ‘Compact Utility Vehicle.'”
The full size car of 2012 with the best projected resale value is none other than UAE's blue-eyed boy: The Maxima!
Much of the remaining list is more in line with the scene closer home with the Hyundai Elantra (Mid-Compact Car), Mazda Mazdaspeed3 (Sporty Car), Mercedes-Benz C-Class (Near Luxury Car), Nissan Maxima (Fullsize Car) completing the honours.
The ALG Residual Value Awards are the industry benchmark in recognizing annually the vehicles predicted to retain the highest percentage of original price after a three-year period. Award winners are determined through careful study of the competition in each segment, historical vehicle performance and industry trends. Vehicle quality, production levels relative to demand, and pricing and marketing strategies remain the key factors that affect ALG’s residual value forecasts.
As it gets crowded in the MPV segment, the ALG award for best returns go to Honda Odyssey.
2012 ALG Residual Value Award Winners
Mainstream Brand Subaru of America
Luxury Brand Lexus, a division of Toyota Motor North America, Inc.
Segment Winners
Sub Compact Car Honda Fit
Compact Car Hyundai Elantra
Midsize Car Subaru Legacy
Full-size Car Nissan Maxima
Sporty Car Mazdaspeed3
Alternative Powertrain Volkswagen Golf TDI
MPV Honda Odyssey
Compact Utility Jeep Wrangler
Midsize Utility Subaru Outback
Full-size Utility GMC Acadia
Midsize Pickup Toyota Tacoma
Full-size Pickup Toyota Tundra
Near Luxury Car Mercedes-Benz C-Class
Luxury Car Audi A6
Luxury Sports Car Audi S5
Luxury Alt-Fuel Lexus CT 200h
Luxury Compact Utility Land Rover Range Rover Evoque
Luxury Midsize Utility Land Rover Ranger Rover Sport
Luxury Full-size Utility Audi Q7
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