Honda Motors USA

Honda Motors Co. has been named Best Overall Brand (non-luxury) for the second consecutive year in the Kelley Blue Book 2014 Brand Image Awards, which are based on preferences of new-car shoppers visiting the KBB website.

Mercedes-Benz was named the Overall winner among luxury brands, according to a KBB study.

Strong consumer perception of the Accord, Civic, CR-V and Odyssey helped drive Honda’s success in earning the top honor among all automakers and Most Trusted Brand honors.

Other KBB’s non-luxury winners were Kia, Best Value Brand; GMC, Most Refined Brand; MINI, Best Performance Brand, and Chevrolet, Best Car Styling Brand. Among luxury brands, Lexus was named Most Trusted; Buick, Best Value; Mercedes-Benz, Most Refined; Porsche, Most Trusted, and Jaguar, Best Car Styling Brand. Ford was named Best Overall Truck Brand.

Study factors included affordability, “cool” factor, driving comfort, driving performance, durability/reliability, exterior styling, fuel efficiency, interior layout, prestige/sophistication, reputation, ruggedness and safety (listed in alphabetical order).

“Considering Honda has also won the award for Most Trusted Brand among non-luxury shoppers three years in a row, this [overall] win isn’t a huge surprise, ” KBB said in reporting the results on its website. “We have long respected Honda’s cars, SUVs and minivans for their reliability and refinement, and it turns out the new-car shoppers at Kelley Blue Book feel the same way.”

“The well-rounded Mercedes-Benz stable includes models for well-heeled travelers who enjoy a comfortable ride, vehicles that provide the adrenaline-infused performance of the AMG treatment, and prices that range from entry-level luxury to opulence worthy of a CEO, ” said KBB on its website. “Its cars continue to impress, with eye-catching styling and elegant, technology-filled interiors, and have always stayed true to the company’s reputation for reliability and quality.”