IRVINE, Calif. -

Three nameplates took most of the honors as Kelley Blue Book announced the winners of the 2011 Brand Image Awards Wednesday. 

Of the 10 total accolades, Cadillac garnered three awards, while Ford was a repeat winner with its pair of honors. KBB also gave two nods to BMW.

Kelley Blue Book’s 2011 Brand Image Award Winners include:

—2011 Best Value Brand: Honda.
—2011 Most Family-Friendly Brand: Toyota.
—2011 Most Rugged Truck Brand: Ford.
—2011 Best Exterior Design Brand – Non-Luxury: Ford.
—2011 Best Exterior Design Brand – Luxury: Cadillac.
—2011 Best Interior Design Brand: Cadillac.
—2011 Best Comfort Brand: Cadillac.
—2011 Best Performance Brand: BMW.
—2011 Coolest Brand: BMW.
—2011 Best Prestige Brand: Mercedes-Benz.

KBB reminded the industry that these awards are based on consumer perception data from the company’s Brand Watch study and honor brands that have most successfully captured positive consumer attention.

Officials explained Brand Watch is an online brand perception tracking study, tapping into more than 12,000 in-market new-vehicle shoppers annually on Kelley Blue Book’s Kbb.com.

“The highly comprehensive Brand Watch report provides a detailed look at in-market new-vehicle shoppers’ perceptions of brands and important factors driving their purchase decisions while they are in the midst of the shopping process,” KBB emphasized.

“The Kelley Blue Book Brand Image Awards recognize automakers’ outstanding achievements in creating and maintaining brand attributes that capture the attention and enthusiasm of the new-vehicle buying public,” the company continued.

Kelley Blue Book went on to mention this marks the fourth year the company has awarded manufacturers the Brand Image Awards, and there are multiple repeat winners.

Mercedes-Benz captured Best Prestige Brand for the fourth year in a row, demonstrating that it has prevailed in securing a long-term perception among in-market vehicle shoppers as the most prestigious brand.

KBB insisted one of the most important factors among new truck buyers is “ruggedness,” and for three years running Ford has claimed the Most Rugged Truck Brand title among consumers.  

This year, Cadillac brought home the most 2011 Brand Image Awards, standing out in consumer’s minds for exterior design in the luxury category, as well as both interior design and comfort.

In addition to its aforementioned truck award, Ford also won this year for exterior design in the non-luxury category.

Furthermore, BMW took two awards for 2011, capturing new-car shoppers’ mindshare in the categories of performance and coolness.

“When it comes to marketing, many believe that ‘perception is reality,’ so the winners of Kelley Blue Book’s 2011 Brand Image Awards have an obvious leg up on success,” noted Jack Nerad, executive editorial director and executive market analyst for Kelley Blue Book’s Kbb.com.

“The winners have persuaded the car-buying public of the desirability of their vehicles, and that correlates well with success in the marketplace,” Nerad said. “And since the Brand Image Awards are chosen by in-market car buyers, they are obviously reaching the right group.”

The Kbb.com editorial team added further comments about each 2011 Brand Image Award Winner.

2011 Best Value Brand:  Honda

“What defines a good value? When it comes to new cars, we like to factor in affordability, reliability and good resale value — all of which remain Honda hallmarks,” analysts pointed out. “While competitors continue to push bolder designs and optimistic fuel economy figures, Honda stays the course with a strong focus on all-encompassing value.”

2011 Most Family-Friendly Brand: Toyota

“In 2010, the term ‘Swagger Wagon’ helped put the revamped Sienna minivan in the minds of millions,” KBB determined. “With a lineup rich in family-friendly models — Camry, Highlander and Sequoia to name but a few — Toyota is set to remain a staple in family car buying for years to come.”

2011 Most Rugged Truck Brand: Ford

“Who makes the toughest truck in America, according to America? That would be Ford, again,” analysts responded. “For a third year running, Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com visitors have named Ford the Most Rugged Truck Brand. Not coincidentally, the Ford F-150 remains the best-selling vehicle in the country — now for 29 years running. It’s not hard to see why the F-150 is the people’s choice — pairing a go-anywhere and do-anything attitude with an enviable list of features, the F-150 is a proven work and play machine.”

2011 Best Exterior Design Brand – Non-Luxury: Ford

“In 2010, we wrote that Ford was the midst of a product renaissance, and the last 12 months have proven that the company’s revitalization isn’t over yet,” analysts emphasized. “From a refreshed Edge, all-new Explorer, more muscular Mustang and the introduction of the Euro-flavored compact Fiesta, the Dearborn-based automaker has been busy redefining its look. And, as evident in Ford’s increasing sales, the American public has proven that they like what they see.”

2011 Best Exterior Design Brand – Luxury: Cadillac

“In our opinion, the Cadillac CTS deserves at least 75 percent of the credit for securing this award,” analysts conceded. “Yes, the big, bad Escalade is impossible to ignore and the SRX crossover is a nice interpretation of Cadillac’s current design ethos, but the CTS Sedan is the car that put Cadillac design on the map (this time around, anyway). Recently expanded to include sporty wagon and positively outrageous coupe versions, the CTS lineup features design that’s strong enough to lift an entire brand.”

2011 Best Interior Design Brand: Cadillac

“One of three wins for the brand this year, Cadillac’s interior design award is a complement to its award for comfort,” KBB stated. “Rich in wood and leather, with classic details like double French stitching and modern touches like excellent LCD graphics, Cadillac interiors deliver a balance of comfort, quality and performance that’s in perfect harmony with the brand as a whole.”

2011 Best Comfort Brand: Cadillac

“The Cadillac lineup is far bolder and sportier than it was just a decade ago, but the Cadillac-comfort connection remains steadfast in the minds of car buyers,” analysts insist. “And even if its cars aren’t as soft and squishy as they were the first 100 years — Cadillac’s best-selling CTS is a bona-fide sports sedan — rich materials, fancy features and world-class interior design deliver 21st-century comfort.”

2011 Best Performance Brand: BMW

“Anyone who’s driven a BMW will understand why the team from Munich won best Performance Brand for 2011,” KBB stressed. “With powerful yet increasingly efficient engines, legendary ride and handling, and aggressive looks to match, BMW’s vehicles are the yardstick by which innumerable carmakers measure their products.”

2011 Coolest Brand: BMW

“Defining ‘cool’ is tricky business, but BMW certainly has most of the boxes checked,” KBB noted. “Effortless performance? Avant-garde styling? A heritage worth remembering? Check, check and check. For some, cool is synonymous with desirable. If resale value and sales figures are any indication, BMW has that box checked, too.

2011 Best Prestige Brand: Mercedes-Benz

“Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com visitors have named Mercedes-Benz the Best Prestige Brand four years in a row, and the office odds-makers are bullish on five,” analysts shared. “There’s just something about the three-pointed star and the rich history of sophistication behind it that no competing automaker can touch right now.”