Cadillac takes top honors in the new Vehicle Satisfaction Index. Can GM's flagship brand keep the momentum going with future products, like the XTS?
Which brands and models are most likely to satisfy American motorists? According to a new study, Detroit dominates the list.
Cadillac is not just the top luxury brand but the most satisfying brand overall, with Buick being chosen as the top “popular” brand, according to the 2010 Vehicle Satisfaction Awards. The annual study, produced by California-based AutoPacific, Inc., also shows Ford models winning top honors in seven individual vehicle categories, while the two Japanese makers, Toyota and Honda, capture just four each. Nissan and General Motors both scored three category wins.
“Vehicles that score highest in the Vehicle Satisfaction Awards are delivering value and satisfaction across a wide range of attributes,” says AutoPacific President George Peterson. “The winners perform well in 48 separate categories that objectively measure the ownership experience.”
Cadillac’s double victory as both the overall most satisfying brand and top luxury brand comes at the expense of Toyota’s own high-line marque, Lexus. It’s particularly significant considering the increased role Caddy will play, going forward, as one of just four GM brands – out of the original eight – to survive the maker’s bankruptcy, last year.
Toyota's widely-publicized safety problems sent Camry to the bottom of its segment.
On a point scale, Cadillac scored 713, Lexus 708 and Mercedes-Benz, in third place, garnered 706 points, tying with Ford’s Lincoln brand. In the so-called “Popular” Brand category, Buick was first, with 693 points, followed by Honda, at 686, and Ford, at 681.
The industry average, according to the 2010 Vehicle Satisfaction Awards, was 666. The maximum number of points for a perfect vehicle or manufacturer would be 1,000.
Of course, customers buy products, not brands, and there the latest VSA delivered some surprises. The most satisfying vehicle overall was a newcomer from a marque that normally doesn’t dominate the quality or reliability charts, the Suzuki Kizashi. The midsize sedan scored a solid 765 points, well ahead of the single most satisfying premium luxury car, the Lexus LS, at 710 points.
On the other hand, Toyota’s normally high-scoring Camry sedan came in dead last in its class, “undoubtedly affected by the Toyota recalls and negative press,” said Peterson.
(Did Camry deserve to be panned? Click Here for TheDetroitBureau.com’s new review of the sedan.)
Only two European products, the Volkswagen GTI and Porsche 911, took top honors in the various vehicle segments.
The complete list of winners on the passenger car side:
Premium Luxury Car Lexus LS
Aspirational Luxury Car Hyundai Genesis
Large Car Ford Taurus
Luxury Mid-Size Car Nissan Maxima
Premium Mid-Size Car Honda Accord
Mid-Size Car Suzuki Kizashi
Premium Compact Car Volkswagen GTI
Compact Car Nissan Cube
Economy Car Honda Fit
Sports Car Porsche 911
Sporty Car Chevrolet Camaro
Hybrid Car Mercury Milan Hybrid
There were, meanwhile, few surprises on the light truck side of the study. Significantly, the two vehicle segments with the overall highest satisfaction scores were Crossover SUVs, followed by Traditional SUVs. That, said Peterson, “show(s) that the American preference for large, functional vehicles is not waning.”
The complete list of winners in the various light truck segments:
Large Light Duty Pickup Ford F-150
Heavy Duty Pickup Dodge Ram HD
Compact Pickup Honda Ridgeline
Luxury SUV Cadillac Escalade
Large SUV Ford Expedition
Prem Mid-Size SUV Nissan Pathfi nder/Toyota 4Runner (Tie)
Mid-Size Sport SUV Dodge Nitro
Premium Luxury Crossover SUV Lincoln MKT
Luxury Crossover SUV Lexus RX
Large Crossover SUV GMC Acadia
Prem Mid-Size Crossover SUV Ford Edge
Mid-Size Crossover SUV Ford Escape
Compact Crossover SUV Hyundai Tucson
Minivan Honda Odyssey
Hybrid Truck Lexus RX450h
The VSA is based on a survey of 42,000 owners of new 2010 model year cars and trucks purchased from September through December 2009.
A win in a study like the Vehicle Satisfaction Awards, or VSA, can be “good as gold,” suggests Peterson, noting research showing that 25% of today’s car shoppers use such results to determine what product to buy in today’s incredibly crowded market.