Double bonanza indefinitely. Following Kia's recent acceptance of "Best Bets" from The Car Book 2008 for seven cars, Hyundai is the next in line to be the recipient of the award for five of its models. The Accent, Elantra, Sonata, Tucson, and Entourage each took home a Best Bet distinction for its class.The Car Book selects the car to receive the award based on rating calculations marked by passing certain criterias. The model that receives the Best Bet distinction is the one that has garnered the highest points in its class. The points are given based on the car's expected performance of ten categories - crash tests, safety features, fuel economy, rollover, repair costs, preventative maintenance, warranties, insurance costs, complaints from owners, and safety.
[Source: Hyundai]
Press release and images of awarded models after the jump
PRESS RELEASE: THE CAR BOOK 2008 HONORS FIVE HYUNDAI MODELS WITH "BEST BET" SELECTIONS
HYUNDAI'S ACCENT, ELANTRA, SONATA, TUCSON AND ENTOURAGE RECOGNIZED FOR MEETING THE SAFETY AND PERFORMANCE NEEDS OF THE AMERICAN BUYER
FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., 03/13/2008 Hyundai continues to collect awards for its revamped model lineup adding “Best Bet” distinction for five of its vehicles in The Car Book 2008. Accent, Elantra, Sonata, Tucson and Entourage all earned the title “Best Bet” from author Jack Gillis and the Center for Auto Safety. For 28 years, The Car Book has selected vehicles for this distinction based on how well they respond to the safety and performance needs of today’s consumer.
The Car Book analyzes new vehicles each year to identify vehicles that make a significant contribution to bettering the market. “Best Bet” ratings designate The Car Book’s highest-rated cars in each of the size categories. Ratings are based on expected performance in ten important categories: crash tests, safety features, fuel economy, rollover, repair costs, preventative maintenance, warranties, insurance costs and complaints, with the heaviest emphasis on safety.
The following are the “Best Bet” categories for each winning Hyundai model:
Accent: Subcompact
Elantra: Compact
Sonata: Intermediate
Tucson: Small SUV
Entourage: Minivan
Hyundai Motor America, headquartered in Fountain Valley, Calif., is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Co. of Korea. Hyundai vehicles are distributed throughout the United States by Hyundai Motor America and are sold and serviced through more than 780 dealerships nationwide.
