National Press Release

Cars.com Survey Reveals Consumer Perceptions on Auto Industry

CHICAGO, May 4 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a recent Cars.com survey, 59 percent of consumers said that the current economy and struggles of the American car manufacturers will have no impact on whether or not their next car purchase will be an American car.

The survey, which was intended to gauge how the economy and various government and manufacturer incentives have impacted car shoppers, also showed that only 1 in 5 consumers said the threat of bankruptcy would likely preclude them from considering an American car with their next purchase.

"I think it's clear that most Americans believe that the American car manufacturers are going to survive in some capacity and many are just taking a wait and see approach like many other facets of this economy," said Cars.com Editor in Chief Patrick Olsen. "The survey also showed that the older you are the more likely you believe in the survival of these companies."

More than 40 percent of consumers between the ages of 45-64 said they were confident that the American manufacturers would succeed vs. 12 percent of consumers between the ages of 18-24.

When it comes to the various government and manufacturer incentives designed to bolster consumer confidence in the auto industry, 38 percent said that the government's announcement that it will allow consumers to deduct the state sales tax on new car purchases would provide the biggest incentive to purchase a new car; 28 percent said the various manufacturer assurance programs that provide support if the purchaser of a new vehicle losses their job would have the greatest impact; and 13 percent said that government backed manufacturer warranties was the most valuable incentive.

The survey was conducted for Cars.com by Impulse Research. The survey was conducted online with a random sample of 1028 men and women, 18 years of age and older. The sample has been carefully selected to closely match US population demographics and the respondents are representative of American men and women 18 + who own automobiles. Research was conducted in April 2009. The overall sampling error rate for this survey is +/-3 percent at the 95 percent level of confidence

About Cars.com

Cars.com is the leading destination for online car shoppers, offering credible, easy-to-understand information from consumers and experts to help buyers formulate opinions on what to buy, where to buy and how much to pay for a car. With comprehensive pricing information, side-by-side comparison tools, photo galleries, videos, unbiased editorial content and a large selection of new- and used-car inventory, Cars.com puts millions of car buyers in control of their shopping process with the information they need to make confident buying decisions.

Launched in June 1998, Cars.com is a division of Classified Ventures, LLC, which is owned by leading media companies, including Belo (NYSE: BLC), Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI), The McClatchy Company (NYSE: MNI), Tribune Company and The Washington Post Company (NYSE: WPO).

SOURCE Cars.com