JERICHO, N.Y. -

New and redesigned models for 2013 are creating a media buzz, and a new report ranks Ford as having top Impact Media Value.

According to General Sentiment’s New Models Auto MediaMatch report, released this week, Ford is the top brand with $79.8 million of Impact Media Value.

The research credits the buzz on Ford to factors such as its redesign of the Fusion and Escape models this year, and the introduction of the 2013 Ford C-MAX lineup. That line includes the C-MAX hybrid and the C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid, which offers drivers a button for a quick choice to electric-only driving mode.

General Sentiment also said MediaMatch uses the company’s core social analytics platform to isolate audiences, and identify the most suitable TV show or brand for any given advertiser. The shows considered best matches based on overlap with the Ford audience include Stars Earn Stripes; Hotel Hell; Top Gear; Undercover Boss; and Sons of Guns.

More Rankings

Ranking second on the Impact Media Value list is Honda, at $73.6 million, rising by one spot to take a place formerly occupied by Chrysler. Honda redesigned its Accord model for 2013, but did not significantly alter the Pilot, CR-V or Odyssey, although those models saw minor pricing adjustments this year.

Gaining one spot to place third on list is Toyota, at $73.5 million, which unveiled a refreshed 2013 Mark sports sedan. Toyota also redesigned its Auris hatchback, introduced a remodeled Porte compact, and announced it would build a limited edition model based on the 2012 Camry SE sport sedan.

“The new auto models and redesigns for 2013 are all the buzz online, and they significantly impacted the auto brands these past few months,” said Pete Moran, General Sentiment’s chief executive officer. “Brands like Volkswagen and GM gained considerable traction in our ranking because of new models. The social audience is a crucial one for the auto industry, and it should not be ignored.”

Dropping to the fourth-place slot is Chrysler, at $73.3 million in Impact Media Value, which increased luxury features in the Chrysler 300, and added a Blue-Ray player option for the 2013 Town & Country.

And climbing three spots to take fifth place, passing Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Chevrolet, is Dodge, at $57.7 million. Most of the Dodge buzz is centered on the 2013 Dodge Dart, particularly the Dart R/T model, General Sentiment noted; the Ram 1500 also received an update for 2013.

The biggest movers in the study were Volkswagen, which climbed from twelfth to sixth on buzz around changes made to the Beetle and Golf models, and General Motors, which moved from eleventh to seventh on buzz surrounding the new Cadillac and Chevrolet models.

General Sentiment ranked 36 auto brands by Impact Media Value from June to August of this year.