PRIMEDIA's IntelliChoice, a source for automotive ownership cost and value analysis, has announced the winners of the sixth-annual ranking of certified pre-owned (CPO) vehicle programs. For the fourth consecutive year, Jaguar was selected as the best luxury program and Volkswagen received its first recognition from IntelliChoice for best non-luxury program. Winners are featured in the fall issue of IntelliChoice Magazine, and can be found online at www.IntelliChoice.com/.

IntelliChoice initiated a certified pre-owned award program six years ago because of the steep growth of CPO programs nationwide. Recently sales have doubled, jumping from 506,322 in 2000 to 1,230,000 in 2003, according to CNW Marketing Research, Inc. The first CPO programs began in the early 1990s and the increasing demand has essentially created a new category in automotive sales. Most major automakers now have a CPO program and IntelliChoice analyzes 24 of them, covering 29 brands.

The IntelliChoice CPO Awards are presented in the luxury and non-luxury classes. Programs are rated on a set of criteria that consumers identify as having the most value, such as manufacturer warranties, title verification, certification inspection process, and roadside assistance, in addition to special financing and return exchange policies.

The top five rated programs in each class for 2005 are:

Top Certified Pre-Owned Programs by Class

Luxury/Non-Luxury

1. Jaguar/Volkswagen

2. Cadillac/Honda

3. Volvo/Mazda

4. Lexus/Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep

5. Audi/Ford

Some of the most important considerations for consumers shopping for certified pre-owned vehicles are the warranties and inspections offered by the manufacturers. In the luxury class, Jaguar has the best warranty while Jaguar, Land Rover and Infiniti tied for the best inspection list. In the non-luxury class, Volkswagen has the best warranty and General Motors has the best inspection list.

In addition to Jaguar and Volkswagen, other notable performances include Cadillac breaking into the top five for the first time ever, coming in second for best overall program in the luxury class. In non-luxury, Mazda moved up to nearly tie Honda for second place.