Cars.com Launches Consumer Guide to Cash for Clunkers Law

Cash For Clunkers CARS New Vehicle Qualifications:

Qualifying New Sedans
Qualifying New Coupes
Qualifying New Wagons
Qualifying New MiniVans
Qualifying New SUV/CUV

CHICAGO, June 26, 2009; With the Cash for Clunkers bill having been signed into law, Cars.com has launched a guide to help consumers understand how they can take advantage of the new legislation and get a credit for trading in their old car and upgrading to a new, fuel-efficient model.

"Cars.com has all the information shoppers need to determine how they can best take advantage of the Cash for Clunkers bill when making a new-car purchase," Cars.com Editor in Chief Patrick Olsen said. "We've outlined the rules and regulations and provided a number of scenarios to help shoppers through the process.

"Say your 1999 Ford Crown Victoria gets a combined 18 mpg. You have your eye on a new 2009 Ford Taurus, but it only gets 21 mpg, according to EPA ratings. You aren't eligible for a credit, because if you're buying a new car (not SUV, truck or minivan), it must get at least 22 mpg," Olsen said. "However, if you opt for the 2010 Ford Fusion with a four-cylinder engine instead, you'll get a combined 25 mpg and a $3,500 credit. If you want a $4,500 credit but want to stick with Ford, you could get a manual 2009 Ford Focus (28 mpg combined) or a 2009 Ford Escape (24 mpg) or Escape Hybrid with either four-wheel drive (28 mpg) or front-wheel drive (32 mpg)."

In addition to information about the new Cash for Clunkers law, Cars.com can help shoppers navigate their new-car-purchasing process with tools that make it easy to identify vehicles that meet their needs. Shoppers can take advantage of the site's Vehicle Recommender, expert and consumer reviews, and new-car inventory search to find the right car and a dealer who has it. Features such as Best Gas Mileage by Vehicle Class make it easy to identify fuel-efficient cars, trucks and SUVs that are ideal for shoppers looking to take advantage of Cash for Clunkers.

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 , Gannett Co., Inc. , The McClatchy Company , Tribune Company and The Washington Post Company .