AutoPacific announced its 21st annual Vehicle Satisfaction Awards

TUSTIN, Calif. - AutoPacific announced its 21st annual Vehicle Satisfaction Awards, which recognize the most satisfying vehicles in the market.

Winners are selected by measuring how satisfied car owners are with their new vehicle. Over 54,000 owners of both new 2016 and 2017 makes and models were surveyed.

"This is the 21st anniversary of AutoPacific identifying the most satisfying vehicles and providing consumers a way to streamline their search for their perfect vehicle," AutoPacific president George Peterson said in a news release. "VSAs look at the big picture, which includes owners' experiences with their vehicle's quality and safety, but also goes deeper into the heart of the ownership experience."

The awards measure owner satisfaction according to 49 different attributes that range from interior comfort and styling to fuel economy and performance, according to AutoPacific.

With five VSAs, Nissan won the most awards this year, followed by Kia with three. Brands taking home two VSAs include Porsche, Honda and Ford. Genesis, Volvo, Mini, Jeep, Dodge, Chrysler, GMC, Lexus, and Lincoln each won one VSA.

Seven of the 23 winning vehicles were redesigned for the 2017 model year. The top redesigned vehicles include the Genesis G90, Kia Cadenza, Nissan Titan, Ford F-Series Super Duty, Honda Ridgeline, Kia Sportage and Chrysler Pacifica.

GMC won the top ranked popular brand award, "retaking the lead from 2016's top popular brand, Kia," AutoPacific said.

The premium brand with the highest ranked satisfaction is Lincoln.

AutoPacific recognized the 2017 Genesis G90 with its President's Award this year. This award is given only when the overall score tops the previous high score, according to the automotive marketing research firm. Previous President's Award recipients include the 2016 Cadillac Escalade, 2015 Kia K900, 2014 Mercedes S-Class and the 2010 Hyundai Sonata.

AutoPacific’s 2017 Vehicle Satisfaction Award Winners

Passenger Cars

Luxury Car: Genesis G90

Aspirational Luxury Car: Volvo S60/V60

Luxury Mid-Size Car: Nissan Maxima

Large Car: Kia Cadenza

Mid-Size Car: Kia Optima

Premium Compact Car: MINI Clubman

Compact Car: Honda Civic

Economy Car: Nissan Versa

Sports Car: Porsche 911

Sporty Car: Dodge Challenger

Light trucks

Light Duty Pickup: Nissan Titan

Heavy Duty Pickup: Ford F-Series Super Duty

Compact Pickup: Honda Ridgeline

Luxury SUV: Lincoln Navigator

Large SUV: GMC Yukon XL

Mid-Size SUV: Jeep Grand Cherokee

Premium Luxury Crossover SUV: Porsche Cayenne

Luxury Crossover SUV: Lexus RX

Large Crossover SUV: Ford Flex

Premium Mid-Size Crossover SUV: Nissan Murano

Mid-Size Crossover SUV: Nissan Rogue

Compact Crossover SUV: Kia Sportage

Minivan: Chrysler Pacifica