COSTA MESA, Calif. -

The winner of the NADAguides Car of the Year was revealed Wednesday, as analysts at the Los Angeles International Auto Show chose the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze.

NADAguides highlighted that the Cruze beat out 10 other contenders that were eligible for this award based upon performance, impressive styling and design, fuel ratings, safety features and cost of ownership all at a very competitive price point.

In a recent online consumer poll on NADAguides.com, the Cruze led the consumers’ choice for the Car of the Year race by registering 33 percent of the votes with the 2011 Ford Explorer and 2011 BMW 5-Series in the Nos. 2 and 3 spots, respectively, among consumer votes.

NADAguides analysts also took notice as the Cruze consumer shopping and research interest continued to increase month-over-month throughout the course of a 10-month period.

In addition, analysts noted that consumer interest and research from January through October for the  Cruze on their site greatly overpowered that of fellow Car of the Year contenders.

Troy Snyder, director of product development for NADAguides, said, “This aspirational compact has done phenomenal things for the reemergence of the GM brand in the global marketplace by bringing technology, design and performance to this segment at an elevated level versus its competitors.

“The Cruze provides domestic auto shoppers with a new, higher level of options and sophistication not previously seen and we are very excited to see this vehicle so successfully push the envelope for this segment,” Snyder continued.

In accepting the award, director of Chevrolet small car marketing Cristi Landy stated, “The NADAguides.com Car of the Year award validates what our customers already know: the Cruze offers fantastic value.  It combines comfort, fuel economy and safety in a stylish package.

“With over 1 million sold globally, the Cruze redefines the small car,” Landy added.