Are You Ready for Some Football? Cars.com Announces Top 10 Tailgaters

CHICAGO--(Business Wire)--
It's time to dig out the camping chairs and foam fingers --
football season is here, and that means it's time to tailgate. Veteran
tailgaters can make do in whatever wheels are available, but having a
car that's particularly suited for the event could make the difference
between a good tailgate party and a great one.

Cars.com checked out dozens of SUVs, pickups, hatchbacks and
minivans and determined which ones had enough tailgate-friendly
features -- from pivoting rear speakers to built-in coolers -- to
merit consideration. Finally, the number of features per car and the
importance of each feature was factored in, and each car was assigned
a score. Ranked accordingly, here are Cars.com's top 10 tailgaters:

1. 2008 Chrysler Town & Country

The Town & Country has one fantastic feature after another --
large storage compartments under the floor in the second row, a
third-row seat that flips backward to face outside, and cargo space
galore. Available swiveling second-row chairs with a prop-up table
allow thin-skinned revelers to convene where it's warm, and a
1,200-song hard drive should keep them occupied until game time. Add
to that stain-resistant seats, multiple power outlets -- including a
115-volt one -- and dual rear DVD screens, and this is one minivan a
tailgater can be proud to own.

2. 2008 Honda Element

Its composite bumpers should resist dings from any parking-lot
football games, and the stain-resistant seats and washable floor make
for easy cleanup. Like the Lexus LX 570, the Element has a
liftgate/tailgate combo; here it's rated to hold 440 pounds. The best
feature, though, is probably the rear seats, which have enough
clearance to recline completely flat.

3. 2008 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited

It makes a fine warm-weather option; you can leave the convertible
roof at home and blast music through the overhead speakers. With the
Wrangler's available 4,500-song hard drive, you shouldn't have any
issues finding a track to suit your team. Should the pre-gaming turn
messy, don't sweat it: Stain-resistant seats and drainable, hose-down
floors make cleanup easy.

4. 2008 Dodge Caliber

The Caliber ranks so highly thanks in large part to Dodge's
MusicGate system, which is available on the Caliber and its Jeep
siblings, the Compass and Patriot. Part of an optional 458-watt
stereo, the system has two flip-down liftgate speakers so you can
blare your tunes for all to hear. Add to that a removable, washable
cargo floor, stain-resistant upholstery and a 115-volt power outlet,
and the Caliber is a sleeper in this group.

5. (tie) 2008 Honda Ridgeline

No one has been able to replicate the Ridgeline's in-bed magic.
This pickup's bed has a lockable trunk with 8.5 cubic feet of space,
which is about two-thirds the size of a typical compact car's trunk.
With a heavy-duty composite liner and a drain plug at the bottom, it's
built for ice, drinks and food. If you need to throw a grill inside
the cab, the rear seats fold up to reveal a long aisle. That's typical
pickup fare, but it's still useful.

5. (tie) 2009 Dodge Journey

The Journey's cargo area lacks Honda's ingenious bed-mounted
trunk, but Dodge has a few tricks Honda doesn't. There's hidden
storage under the passenger seat where you can stash any game-time
grub. There are also covered compartments with removable liners in the
second row that can each hold 12 cans, plus ice. That's a nice feature
if you're short on cooler space. Stain-resistant fabric, a hard drive
to store songs and five power outlets -- including a 115-volt one --
round things out handily.

7. 2008 Dodge Nitro

Dodge's Load N' Go floor earns the Nitro a return spot on this
year's team. Load N' Go carries a lot of weight -- 400 pounds, to be
exact -- and extends it 18 inches rearward for a makeshift buffet
table. Stain-resistant fabric means even major spills aren't a big
deal, while the Nitro's 1,600-song hard drive will keep audiophiles
happy. Should the need arise, two 12-volt outlets and a 115-volt
outlet can power a modest number of electronics, too.

8. 2008 GMC Acadia

The Acadia makes its return to the tailgating list this year
thanks to its available cargo-area stereo controls. With four 12-volt
outlets plus a 115-volt outlet on board, you shouldn't have any
problems plugging in.

9. 2008 Ford Expedition EL

The lengthened version of Ford's already-huge Expedition allows
you to bring up to eight friends to the game. In back, there's 42.6
cubic feet of cargo space -- that's as much space as three Honda
Accord trunks -- and the standard heavy-duty cargo organizer can
function as a shelf or a vertical partition.

10. 2008 Lexus LX 570

Believe it or not, Lexus' rolling mansion offers a surprising
number of tailgate-friendly features. For starters, there's an actual
flip-down tailgate: It's rated to carry 400 pounds and has a
power-operated soft-close feature. The split third row powers up to
each side -- guaranteed to impress whoever's helping load the car --
and there's also a 115-volt household outlet in the cargo area to
power any on-the-spot appliances.

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).

Cars.com
Jackie Brennan
Associate Public Relations Manager
312-601-6229 (direct)
219-577-6106 (mobile)
jbrennan@cars.com
or
Steve Nolan
Public Relations Manager
312-601-5163 (direct)
630-310-2468 (mobile)
snolan@cars.com

Copyright Business Wire 2008