(October 8, 2012) ANAHEIM, Calif. — Toyota led the list of 2012 Motorist Choice Awards with nine vehicles according to automotive industry research companies IntelliChoice and AutoPacific, which conduct the survey each year.

Now in its seventh year, this venerable award is designed to recognize those vehicles that deliver the compelling combination of high consumer satisfaction and lower-than-expected ownership costs over time. The awards were announced at the Orange County International Auto Show at the Anaheim Convention Center.

This year, IntelliChoice and AutoPacific continued categorizing the winners into a collection of 15 popular lifestyle segments that shoppers could easily identify with, including categories such as Active Lifestyle, Cosmopolitan, Eco Friendly, Head Turner and People Mover.

The category winners covered two market segments — Popular and Premium. Both reflect the purpose and perception of the consumer and illustrate the results of practical analysis, such as total cost of ownership, fuel economy and resale value.

Toyota led the list of winning vehicles with nine, including the Scion xD and Lexus CT Hybrid, which both won in two different categories. Repeat winners were the Dodge Ram HD in the Popular Active Lifestyle category, the Toyota Sienna in the Popular Kid Friendly Category, the Audi A3 in the Premium Cosmopolitan category, the Scion tC in the Popular Youthful category, and the Cadillac Escalade in the Premium High Tech and Performance categories.

The 2012 Motorist Choice Award Winners: