CHICAGO -
Cars.com said this week that it has kicked off the voting process for its inaugural Shoppers’ Choice Award, which allows consumers to choose from 10 finalists.
These finalists have generated the most searches and dealer inquiries while also garnering the strongest ratings and reviews from consumers, Cars.com explained.
“While price and expert reviews are certainly important factors for consideration, more than 70 percent of all car buyers rank ‘current owner opinion’ as their top influence when purchasing a car,” stated Cars.com president Mitch Golub. 
“We have one of the largest searchable collections of reviews written by actual vehicle owners, and the annual Shoppers’ Choice Award is our way to reward automotive brands that our customers cite as their favorites,” he continued.
The 2010 finalists, listed in alphabetical order, are as follows:
—Cadillac Escalade.
—Chevrolet Corvette.
—Chevrolet Silverado 2500.
—Ford Expedition.
—Ford Fusion.
—Ford Mustang.
—Mazda Mazda6.
—Nissan Murano.
—Subaru Impreza.
—Toyota Prius.
The voting began Friday and will run through Nov. 15. Voting can be done via Cars.com’s Facebook page. Cars.com will unveil the winner on Nov. 18 at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
“For decades, automotive experts have named their choice for car of the year based on a number of factors including styling, price, innovation and reliability,” said Patrick Olsen, the site’s editor-in-chief. 
“This is the first time our shoppers and owners will get to move up to the driver’s seat and make their voices heard,” he added.