IntelliChoice

IntelliChoice, part of the Motor Trend Automotive Group, is the market leader in automotive ownership cost and car values analysis. 

The IntelliChoice Best Overall Value of the Year awards identify the vehicles with the lowest total cost to own and operate over the first five years of ownership. Selected from over 2,300 vehicles analyzed down to the trim, the Best Overall Value of the Year (BOVY) awards recognize the best car values by class. IntelliChoice’s BOVY awards represent the oldest and most recognized automotive data analysis focused solely on identifying vehicles that will cost significantly less to own than other vehicles in their respective class. IntelliChoice uses proprietary methodologies to determine a vehicle's depreciation—that is, how much value it will lose over five years. This almost always has the greatest impact on a vehicle's overall ownership costs. For fuel costs, IntelliChoice calculates mpg and mpg-e figures for each vehicle based on assumed driving tendencies. Analyzing fuel and electricity pricing trends, we determine a five-year total cost to fuel or fully charge a vehicle. IntelliChoice determines the typical insurance coverages for an average driver; for each vehicle we then calculate a unique total insurance premium for five years that’s influenced by its MSRP and claims history. Our financing costs are based on a typical loan length and down payment, and they are calculated using a reasonable APR. This results in the amount of interest the buyer will pay over five years. IntelliChoice determines how much it will cost to maintain a vehicle over five years based upon industry-standard service times and national labor rate averages, and assuming that services are performed at each vehicle's recommended intervals. For state fees, we determine the unique registration, titling and renewal costs for each state over five years. We then iterate these calculations for each vehicle, employing state-based sales weighting, resulting in an average five-year total figure. IntelliChoice determines five-year repair costs for each vehicle based on extended service contracts that pay for repairs for at least five years or 70,000 miles with no deductible.