Which Vehicles Are Garnering Most Attention on KBB?

Pick a body style, and the vehicle is probably included in the latest Kelley Blue Book Hot Car Report.

What topped week-over-week shopping activity growth at Kbb.com is a unit that not all dealers might automatically have in inventory — the Ram 3500 Crew Cab. Activity for this large pickup spiked 73.4 percent, and Arthur Henry, market intelligence manager and market analyst within KBB’s analytic insights division, explained why.

“Its lift in shopper activity can be attributed to the brand’s current Summer Clearance event, where a buyer can get special incentive offers or cash on the hood,” Henry pointed out.

“Incentive and lease deals can be effective during these current economic times to persuade truck shoppers as the influences of unstable gas prices are muted on large trucks due to the fact that the majority are purchased for the purpose of work,” he went on to say.

Coming in behind the Ram’s work unit was a mix of models. Enjoying a week-over-week shopping interest gain at Kbb.com was the Jaguar XF, a sporty sedan.

“The reason for its increased popularity is two-fold,” Henry began. “First, the driving reason for the increased visitation is due to refreshed styling to the 2012 model, which was inspired by the recently redesigned XJ.

“The second reason for this lift in traffic is due to the special lease and financing deals currently being offered on the vehicle,” Henry added.

The other top activity gainers in the Hot Car Report included the Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class (up 39.1 percent), Cadillac CTS (up 35.6 percent) and Jeep Compass (up 35.0 percent).

Sliding in the other direction mainly were luxury models, including two Lincoln vehicles and a pair of Mercedes-Benz units.

The Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class was off the most in KBB’s analysis, down 35.5 percent week-over-week. Next came the Lincoln Navigator, which slid 32.7 percent.

The remainder of the vehicles with softening shopper activity included the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class (down 26.7 percent), Land Rover LR4 (down 24.6 percent) and Lincoln MKS (down 21.9 percent).

Only a total of three vehicles were mentioned in KBB’s Hot Car Report among newly introduced or redesigned models.

Shopper interest in the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic climbed 9.2 percent week-over-week, while activity connected with the 2012 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque ticked 3.4 percent higher.

Meanwhile, interest in the 2012 Audi A3 was off 6.3 percent week-over-week.