Quality Vehicles Now Coming From All Quarters
26 April 1999
Quality Vehicles Now Coming From All Quarters SAN DIEGO, April 26 -- No geographic area has an edge in
producing vehicles that deliver a quality experience, according to Strategic
Vision, Inc. The San Diego-based research firm today announced the winners of
its 1999 Total Quality Award(TM) in 16 different segments.
The leaders came almost equally from domestic, European, and Asian
companies and included both eagerly awaited new models and old standbys. This
premier measure of new vehicle owner satisfaction measures buyers' complete
experience of buying, owning, and driving their purchases.
Many of the winners scored high marks by enhancing buyers' sense of
esteem. "While the purpose of a vehicle is to get its occupants from one
place to another," says Strategic Vision vice president Daniel Gorrell, "when
yours generates such positive emotions, your level of satisfaction with your
purchase is going to be way above the crowd."
Based on the responses of more than 33,000 buyers, the following 1999
models topped each segment:
Small Car Volkswagen Golf*
Compact Car Pontiac Grand Am(N)
Mid-Size Car Volkswagen Passat*
Larger Car Chrysler LHS(N)
Small Specialty (under $30,000) Volkswagen Beetle
Mid-Specialty Honda Accord Coupe
Toyota Solara(N)
Near-Luxury Car BMW 3 Series(N)
Luxury Car Volvo S80(N)
Convertibles (under $30,000) Chrysler Sebring*
Minivans Honda Odyssey(N)
Small SUV Subaru Forester*
Medium SUV Toyota 4Runner
Large SUV Chevrolet Suburban
Ford Expedition*
Luxury SUV Lexus LX 470
Compact Pickup Dodge Dakota
Full-Size Pickup Chevrolet Silverado(N)
* 1998 Winner
(N) New Model
Strategic Vision measures new vehicle quality in the manner consumers
define it. The Total Quality Index(TM) calculates how buyers rate the whole
ownership experience -- from buying to driving and service. "The measure of a
measure is what it measures," says Dr. Darrel Edwards, Strategic Vision
president. "To provide the most accurate picture of new vehicle satisfaction
and quality, we had to create a very complex model that reflects what owners
actually experience."
Numerous product-related factors, such as reliability, safety,
craftsmanship, style, ride, power, handling, comfort, and useful innovation,
as well as the dealership experience are used to calculate the index. In
addition, Strategic Vision measures buyers' emotions associated with their
ownership experience.
"Emotions are the core of the experience and what drive it," says Edwards.
"Truly satisfied buyers feel safe and secure in their vehicles, plus they have
a sense of freedom and control to do what they want. An excellent vehicle
also heightens owners sense of pleasure, pride and self-esteem."
"Until you understand the emotions generated by the experience," says
Edwards, "you won't understand new owner satisfaction. All parts of the
experience interact, with the values and emotions at the core."
Buyers who participated in the survey had purchased their vehicles in
October and November of 1998, and had owned them at least 90 days. Their
answers show how well each vehicle measured up to the buyer's ideal, which
would be a score of 1,000 on the Total Quality Index(TM).
Because buyers' needs and wants vary, the vehicles are grouped in
segments. The winners, followed by their TQI scores, stood out as leaders in
their class in the following ways:
Volkswagen Golf 839. Giving drivers far better than average roadability,
comfort, and power generates feelings of personal satisfaction and confidence.
Owners get a fun to drive car that they feel is a smart choice and a leader.
Pontiac Grand Am 870. Style, convenience, power, and innovation propel
this new GM entry to the head of the class. Its owners feel especially
confident and proud in a car they see as friendly, hassle-free, and fun to
drive -- a leader in its segment.
Volkswagen Passat 879. For the second year, Passat's style, innovation,
and thoughtful design make it a winner. Its owners feel pride and personal
satisfaction in a car that's fun to drive and a leader that is both friendly
and can handle anything.
Chrysler LHS 890. Style, innovation, and better-than-average power put
the new LHS well ahead of the pack. Its owners feel proud and in control of a
fun-to-drive car that can handle anything. They see it as a leader in its
class.
Volkswagen Beetle 878. Volkswagen continues its winning streak with the
Beetle. Style, innovation, thoughtful design, comfort, and ease of use
enhance a package that its owners find delightful, friendly, manufactured with
the highest standards, and a leader.
Honda Accord Coupe 877/Toyota Solara 876. These two cars take the lead
with craftsmanship, both inside and out. Solara excels in quietness and
comfort, while Accord Coupe wins in convenience. Offering the highest
standards, owners of both feel safe and comfortable in cars that can handle
anything.
BMW 3 Series 906. The new "3" excels in style, roadability, handling,
innovation, and craftsmanship. Offering the highest standards, they make
their owners feel delight, personal satisfaction, esteem, and pride in cars
that are fun to drive and create excitement."
Volvo S80 922. In a tough category Volvo added style to its usual
comfort, innovation, and room/capacity to make the new S80 a winner. Its
owners feel in sync with a car that gives them an enhanced sense of esteem and
pride, is fun to drive, a smart choice, and a leader.
Chrysler Sebring 831. Sebring owners find the ride, the unexpected
room/capacity, ease of use, and the dealership experience well above average.
They feel personal satisfaction, pride, and esteem in a convertible that's
both a smart choice and fun to drive.
Honda Odyssey 866. The all new Odyssey gets excellent scores for
thoughtful design, ease of use, and innovation. Good power and room/capacity
make this a smart choice and a leader by offering the highest standards in a
hassle-free vehicle.
Subaru Forester 821. For those who need more than a car, the all-wheel
drive Forester excels in safety, roadability, power, and ease of use. Its
owners feel safe, secure, and confident in a vehicle that is hassle free and
can handle anything.
Toyota 4Runner 858. Always a contender, 4Runner is a strong performer in
exterior craftsmanship, quietness, comfort, and roadability. Its owners feel
comfortable with a vehicle that offers the highest standards and is both a
smart choice and a leader.
Chevrolet Suburban 849/Ford Expedition 849. These giants take different
roads to the top. Suburban's room/capacity help make its owners feel
safe/secure and proud. Expedition offers style and exterior craftsmanship and
gives its owners delight and personal satisfaction in a vehicle that is fun to
drive and a leader.
Lexus LX 470 918. The highest scoring sports utility vehicle does well in
all areas and especially well in craftsmanship, comfort, quietness, and
room/capacity. Its owners feel comfortable, proud, and taken care of in a
vehicle that they believe is a smart choice.
Dodge Dakota 830. Style, craftsmanship, roadability, and power put Dakota
ahead of the pack. Scoring well above average in all areas, Dakota excels in
making its owners feel safe and secure, pride and delight in a truck that's
also fun to drive.
Chevrolet Silverado 859. Power, safety, and innovation are the strengths
of Chevrolet's new full-size pickup. Offering the highest standards, its
owners feel it is a leader that can handle anything.
This is the fifth year Strategic Vision has measured the complete new
vehicle ownership experience and released the findings of its Total Quality
Index(TM).
Additional Strategic Vision study results released to the public are the
Problem Impact Measure(TM) (May), the Dealer Total Quality Index(TM) (June)
and the Total Value Index(TM) (September).
The company, founded in 1986, studies consumer and constituent decision-
making in many areas. Clients include various automotive manufacturers as
well as American Airlines, Procter and Gamble, and Coca-Cola, among others.
