Jeep Patriot is Least Expensive Sport Utility Vehicle to Own According to Edmunds.com

Edmunds' True Cost to Own Data Reveals Best Values in SUV Segment
SANTA MONICA, Calif.--(Business Wire)--
Despite high gas prices and general economic uncertainty, many
consumers are still in need of sport utility vehicles and are looking
for the best values in the marketplace. A study by Edmunds.com, the
premier online resource for automotive information, reveals that the
Jeep Patriot is the least expensive sport utility vehicle to own. The
results are based on Edmunds.com's True Cost to Own(SM) data, which
incorporates projected model-specific average vehicle ownership costs,
consisting of depreciation, financing, taxes, fees, insurance
premiums, fuel costs, maintenance and repairs. Edmunds.com's True Cost
to Own(SM) data accounts for total vehicle costs over a five-year
period.

"Even though gas prices are high, some consumers are still in
search of a sport utility vehicle to meet their needs," said Jesse
Toprak, Executive Director of Industry Analysis, Edmunds.com. "For
those consumers, vehicles like the Jeep Patriot and Nissan Rogue are
relative bargains in their segments."

The following True Cost to Own(SM) data is based on a price of
$4.09 per gallon for regular gasoline (the national average on July
15):

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*T
Compact Sport Utility Vehicles
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Make Model Style Cost-Per-Mile
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Jeep Patriot Sport 4dr SUV (2.4L 4cyl 5M) $0.486
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Mazda Tribute i Sport 4dr SUV (2.3L 4cyl 5M) $0.494
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Jeep Compass Sport 4dr SUV (2.4L 4cyl 5M) $0.505
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Honda CR-V LX 4dr SUV (2.4L 4cyl 5A) $0.514
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Hyundai Tucson GLS 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl 5M) $0.524
----------------------------------------------------------------------
*T

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*T

Midsize Sport Utility Vehicles
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Make Model Style Cost-Per-Mile
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Nissan Rogue S 4dr SUV (2.5L 4cyl CVT) $0.536
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Toyota RAV4 4dr SUV (2.4L 4cyl 4A) $0.548
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Saturn VUE XE 4dr SUV (2.4L 4cyl 4A) $0.549
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Hyundai Santa Fe GLS 4dr SUV (2.7L 6cyl 5M) $0.593
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Suzuki XL7 4dr SUV (3.6L 6cyl 5A) $0.603
----------------------------------------------------------------------
*T

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*T

Large Sport Utility Vehicles
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Make Model Style Cost-Per-Mile
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Dodge Durango SXT 4dr SUV (3.7L 6cyl 4A) $0.706
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Mazda CX-9 Sport 4dr SUV (3.7L 6cyl 6A) $0.731
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Toyota Sequoia SR5 4dr SUV (4.7L 8cyl 5A) $0.745
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Chevrolet Tahoe LS 4dr SUV (4.8L 8cyl 4A) $0.759
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Chrysler Aspen Limited 4dr SUV (4.7L 8cyl 5A) $0.782
----------------------------------------------------------------------
*T

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*T

Luxury Sport Utility Vehicles
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Make Model Style Cost-Per-Mile
----------------------------------------------------------------------
HUMMER H3 4dr SUV 4WD (3.7L 5cyl 5M) $0.779
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Saab 9-7X 4.2i 4dr SUV AWD (4.2L 6cyl 4A) $0.868
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Lexus GX 470 4dr SUV 4WD (4.7L 8cyl 5A) $0.966
----------------------------------------------------------------------
M- ML350 4dr SUV AWD (3.5L 6cyl 7A)
Mercedes-Benz Class(a) $1.004
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Infiniti QX56(a) 4dr SUV (5.6L 8cyl 5A) $1.062
----------------------------------------------------------------------
(a) Model requires premium fuel, and calculations assume a cost of
$4.50 per gallon.
*T

"One of the most telling aspects of TCO(SM) is how vehicles with
similar initial costs can have very different total ownership costs,
primarily as a result of dissimilar depreciation rates," said Joe
Spina, Senior Remarketing Manager, Edmunds.com. "Almost
counter-intuitively, large SUV's are now being discounted so heavily
that ownership costs have dropped to the point that they are actually
a good buy for the right consumer - someone who needs an SUV and plans
on keeping it for several years."

Edmunds.com's True Cost to Own(SM) calculations make the following
assumptions:

-- Ownership expenses are for a five-year time span

-- Vehicles are driven 15,000 miles per year

-- Vehicles are financed using traditional financing and not
leased

-- Buyers pay 10 percent down on the vehicle

-- Buyers are in the "Gold" credit tier for the purpose of
determining the finance rate

-- The loan term is 60 months

-- Buyers represent the average demographic in their state for
insurance rates

Edmunds.com True Cost to Own(SM) is available at no charge to Web
site visitors, and provides ownership costs regionally for both new
and used vehicles. The True Cost to Own(SM) tool is available at
http://www.edmunds.com/apps/cto/CTOintroController.

About Edmunds Inc. (http://www.edmunds.com/help/about/)

Edmunds Inc. publishes four Web sites that empower, engage and
educate automotive consumers, enthusiasts and insiders. Edmunds.com,
the premier online resource for automotive consumer information,
launched in 1995 as the first automotive information Web site. Its
most popular feature, the Edmunds.com True Market Value(R), is relied
upon by millions of people seeking current transaction prices for new
and used vehicles. Edmunds.com was named "Best Car Research Site" by
Forbes ASAP, has been selected by consumers as the "Most Useful Web
Site" according to every J.D. Power and Associates New Autoshopper.com
Study(SM), was ranked first in the Survey of Car-Shopping Web Sites by
The Wall Street Journal and was rated "#1" in Keynote's study of
third-party automotive Web sites. Inside Line launched in 2005 and is
the most-read automotive enthusiast Web site. CarSpace launched in
2006 and is an automotive social networking Web site and home to the
oldest and most established automotive community. AutoObserver.com
launched in 2007 and provides insightful automotive industry
commentary and analysis. Edmunds Inc. is headquartered in Santa
Monica, California, and maintains a satellite office in suburban
Detroit.

Edmunds.com Corporate Communications
Chintan Talati/Jonathan Wahl
Media Hotline: 310-309-4900
pr@edmunds.com
www.Edmunds.com

Copyright Business Wire 2008