American automakers aren't turning as many heads these days as they used to. Kelley Blue Book (KBB) released its quarterly Brand Watch report this week, giving insights on what brands shoppers considered the most amongst mass market, luxury and electrified vehicles.
Toyota took the top position among all mass market brands, reclaiming it from Ford who knocked the Japanese automaker off of that position in the previous quarter. Prior to that, Toyota had held that spot for almost four years.
In the survey, 34 percent of shoppers said they considered a Toyota vehicle, with the Camry, Camry Hybrid and Highlander receiving the highest levels of attention.
Ford and Chevrolet were runners-up, finishing the quarter with 32 percent and 30 percent, respectively.
The top three non-luxury models that were considered, were the 2022 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, the 2022 Ford F-150 and the 2022 Honda Accord.
Those surveyed said cited Toyota's reputation for reliability as a key reason for the brand's consideration. Heads turned toward Ram for safety and comfort, Honda for affordability and Dodge for driving performance.
Unsurprisingly, the SUV segment was the most popular, with 66 percent of respondents shopping for one. The top three SUVs that shoppers were looking for include the 2022 Honda CR-V, the 2022 Chevrolet Tahoe and the 2022 Dodge Durango.
The three-row Durango saw an 187 percent increase in interest over the last quarter.
In the luxury category, BMW was the most considered brand for car buyers, claiming the rank back from Lexus.
In the first quarter, 21 percent of buyers considered a BMW vehicle, buoyed by the 3 Series and 5 Series sedans.
Cadillac made a 5-percentage point leap into second place at 18 percent while Lexus came in third at 17 percent.
The 2022 Cadillac Escalade was the most-considered luxury vehicle for the quarter, seeing a 171 percent increase in interest in the last quarter. The 2022 Buick Enclave was second while the 2022 Tesla Model 3 came in third.
Acura scored highest in buyer's minds for reliability, Volvo for safety, Mercedes-Benz for comfort, BMW for driving performance and Buick for affordability.
The recent spike in gas prices was a boon for electrified products, from mild hybrids to battery-electric vehicles. One-in-four respondents said that they considered purchasing one.
Toyota also placed first in this category for consideration with the 2022 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid.
Following that, shoppers were interested in the 2022 Ford Maverick with the hybrid engine. Coming in third was the 2022 Tesla Model 3, the EV maker's entry-level sedan.
For fully-electric vehicles, Tesla's Model 3 and Model Y SUV were the most considered, followed by the new 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning pickup truck, which went on sale this year.
