(December 8, 2011) IRVINE, Calif. — Kelley Blue Book www.kbb.com today announced the 2012 Porsche 911 as the 2012 best redesigned car for the 2012 model year.

Redesigning an icon like the Porsche 911 is tricky business, but the latest rendition deftly walks that tightrope. The 911's exterior and interior have tastefully evolved, supported by enhanced performance, improved economy and clever engineering to make the 2012 Porsche 911 a compelling sports car, worthy heir to the 911 throne and our Best Redesigned Car for 2012.

"Porsche's designers and engineers were faced with the very difficult task of redesigning an icon while keeping all the aspects that made an icon intact," said Jack R. Nerad, executive editorial director and executive market analyst, Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com. 
"They accomplished that task and more, creating a car that looks and handles better than its predecessor and is more fuel-efficient to boot."

The Best Redesigned Vehicle accolade honors the vehicle that best demonstrates improvement and superiority relative to its predecessor and competitors.  In judging, the kbb.com editors consider exterior and interior styling, technology, comfort and convenience features, performance/capability, driving dynamics, safety, fuel economy, overall refinement and, of course, value.

What is the Best Redesigned Vehicle? One way to describe it is the model that got the best complete makeover.  It's the existing car, truck, minivan or SUV whose team of designers, product planners and engineers did the best job of plastic surgery, transforming what was into something much better.

Top 10 Best Redesigned Vehicles of 2012

#10: 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class

You want magic? The 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK delivers. The new SLK's interior is lavish, its exterior is sexier and sportier than ever, and the open-air freedom of a retractable hardtop convertible is always captivating. But the neatest SLK trick of all is the available Magic Sky Control roof glass that tints from crystal clear to a dark-smoked tint at the touch of a button.

#9: 2012 Ford Focus

The Ford Focus has been more than just redesigned for 2012; it's been reworked, restyled and completely changed from the model it replaces. It takes cues from other countries, incorporating a European look and feel, Japanese fuel economy and in-cabin technologies that rival both, but doesn't stray from its American roots.

#8: 2012 Toyota Camry

America's best-selling car for the past nine years gets a well-focused remake, highlighted by an absolutely brilliant new iteration of its mileage-maxing Hybrid model. Bolder looks, more comfortable seating and an even-longer roster of standard features on this recast mid-size sedan are complemented by improved fuel economy, significantly better handling and a stronger emphasis on value pricing that extends across the entire Camry lineup.

#7: 2012 Honda Civic

The latest version of the Honda Civic is proof that even if something isn't broken, it can still be fixed. More updated than fixed, actually, with a new look both inside and out, higher fuel efficiency and five different iterations to fit just about everyone.

#6: 2012 BMW 6 Series

Yes, it now offers an adjustable suspension to better fulfill the luxo-sport promise of its grand tourer design. And yes, the passenger cabin is higher-style and higher-tech than before. But it's the new sheet metal – particularly the sleeker and sportier rear end – that solidifies for the new 6 series a spot on this list.

#5: 2012 Honda CR-V

Seeking to reach an even younger audience, Honda gave its best-selling CR-V a comprehensive makeover for 2012 adding far more style and improving every functional area in the process. The fourth generation of this compact, five-passenger SUV boasts greater comfort, improved fuel economy and enhanced dynamics across the range while offering impressive options that include a more sophisticated version of its Real Time AWD and a new, first-in-class rear-seat entertainment system.

#4: 2012 Volkswagen Beetle

The all-new 2012 Volkswagen Beetle adds more grrr to its girth and loses the interior bud vase. Longer, lower, wider and meaner (or less nice, at least), the new VW Beetle stands ready to break through the previous generation's gender barrier.

#3: 2012 Audi A6

Viewed from across a parking lot, it might be fair to call the all-new Audi A6 the least redesigned vehicle on this list of Best Redesigned Vehicles. But the closer you get the clearer the improvements become, until you're behind the wheel staring at a full-color head-up display, navigating with Google map data and your A6 is providing internet access for all your passengers. That's when you realize the new A6 is something completely different.

#2: 2012 Volkswagen Passat

The Volkswagen Passat hasn't simply been updated for 2012, it's been smartly reworked and repositioned in an effort to broaden its appeal in the American market. The resulting vehicle is roomier, lighter, more efficient, and substantially cheaper than its predecessor, while continuing to offer the compelling driving dynamics long associated with VW's mid-size sedan. 

Past winners:

2011    Honda Odyssey
2010    Ford Taurus
2009    Ford F-150
2008    Chevrolet Malibu       
2007    Chevrolet Silverado
2006    Honda Civic
2005    Ford Mustang
2004    Ford F-150