Lexus Maintains Leadership in ALG's Luxury Models Summer 2009 Perceived Quality Study

SANTA BARBARA, Calif.--Automotive Lease Guide (ALG), a subsidiary of DealerTrack Holdings, Inc. , a leading provider of on-demand software and data solutions for the U.S. automotive retail industry, today announced that Lexus maintained its top position in ALG’s Luxury Models Summer 2009 Perceived Quality Study (PQS). Only four brands out of the 15 surveyed showed a year-over-year improvement, with Cadillac registering the strongest performance with a four-point increase in its overall score, helping it jump two places to number nine in the 2009 rankings. Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Acura, Infiniti and Porsche rounded off the top five positions in the study, which also were unchanged from the 2008 study (Infiniti and Porsche tied for fifth).

“Luxury brand value has proven to be resilient even during this severe economic downturn,” said James Clark, general manager of ALG. “However, manufacturers’ retail strategies to push volume, such as exceedingly high sales and leasing incentives, pose a threat to sustaining strong perceptions for many of these luxury brands in the future.”

Lexus’ top performance in PQS correlates with its exceptional resale and residual performance. The brand currently holds a considerable advantage in residual performance relative to the luxury average, consistently ranking in the top two in ALG’s Residual Value Awards over the past five years.

“Lexus is a repeat winner because of Toyota Motor Corporation’s dedication and focus on maintaining industry-leading manufacturing standards, market-based vehicle production that limits incentives, and providing an exceptional dealership experience in both the sales and service areas. These factors create an ideal environment for building and maintaining strong brand perception and residual performance,” said Mr. Clark.

Now in its 9th year, ALG’s PQS is based on a proprietary rating scale derived from surveys of car-owners in the U.S., which then determines the relative positions of mainstream and luxury brands. The survey includes a variety of topics ranging from attitudes towards the economy, interest in and valuation of new vehicle content, and consumer perceptions of quality.

The complete list with scores is available HERE.

About ALG (www.alg.com)

Based in Santa Barbara, California, ALG is a leading provider of data and consulting services to the automotive industry. ALG publishes the “Automotive Lease Guide” – the standard for Residual Value projections in North America, and has been forecasting automotive residual values for over 37 years in both the U.S. and Canadian markets. ALG is a company of DealerTrack Holdings, Inc. .

About DealerTrack (www.dealertrack.com)

DealerTrack’s high-value software solutions enhance efficiency and profitability for all major segments of the automotive retail industry, including dealers, lenders, OEMs, agents and aftermarket providers. DealerTrack operates the industry’s largest online credit application network, connecting approximately 18,000 dealers with over 750 financing sources. Our solution set for dealers is the industry’s most comprehensive. Our Dealer Management System (DMS) enables dealers to effectively manage data and operations from a system with an open integration interface. With DealerTrack Inventory Optimization, dealers get better data along with the tools to make smarter, more profitable inventory decisions. Our Sales and F&I solution enables dealers to streamline the entire sales process, quickly structuring all types of deals from a single integrated platform. DealerTrack’s Compliance solution helps dealers meet legal and regulatory requirements and protect their hard-earned assets. DealerTrack’s family of companies also includes data and consulting services providers, ALG (Automotive Lease Guide) and Chrome Systems. For more information, visit www.dealertrack.com.