New Car Happiness Reports
24 April 2000
Volkswagen Continues to Wow New Owners SAN DIEGO, April 24 Volkswagen and its products were clear
leaders in Strategic Vision's 2000 Total Quality Index(TM) (TQI). This
premier measure of new vehicle owner satisfaction is calculated annually by
the San Diego-Based research firm.
Volkswagen headed both full-line corporations and brands $21,000 -
$30,000. It's cars won five Total Quality Awards(TM)(one tied), heading every
category in which they were entered by clearly exceeded buyers' expectations.
Calculated from the responses of more than 41,000 buyers, the top-scoring
vehicle in each segment was:
Small Car Volkswagen Golf*
Compact Car Volkswagen Jetta
Mid-Size Car Volkswagen Passat*
Larger Car Chrysler LHS*
Small Specialty (<$30,000) Volkswagen New Beetle*
Mid-Specialty Car Chevrolet Monte Carlo/
Pontiac Grand Prix Coupe
Near-Luxury Car BMW 3-Series*
Luxury Car Mercedes Benz S-Class
Convertible (<$30,000) Mazda Miata MX-5
Ford Mustang
Volkswagen Cabriolet
Minivan Honda Odyssey*
Small SUV Toyota RAV4
Medium SUV Dodge Durango
Large SUV Chevrolet Suburban*
Luxury SUV Lexus LX 470*
Compact Pickup Dodge Dakota*
Full-Size Pickup Toyota Tundra
* 1999 Total Quality Award(TM) winner
Is the new Toyota Tundra just experiencing the excitement of the new, or
do the domestics need to watch out for Japanese raids on their dominant
position in full-size pickups? Time will tell, but Tundra scores well on some
important attributes, such as power and roadability, and in feelings of esteem
and safety.
Strategic Vision's TQI offers the most complete measure of the ownership
experience, including the emotional response to the vehicle. Volkswagen's
owners felt especially safe, confident, in control and proud in a vehicle that
was fun to drive and a smart choice. They also rated their vehicles high in
exterior craftsmanship, roadability and reliability.
"Volkswagen may show a clear path to success for domestic manufacturers
whose cars fail to impress," says Strategic Vision vice president Daniel
Gorrell. "Ford's newly redesigned Taurus, for example, scored 30 points less
than VW's Passat, which is already two years old. Being the new kid on the
block doesn't necessarily win the satisfaction race."
DaimlerChrysler followed with a total of four winners, three from Chrysler
Group (Chrysler LHS, Dodge Dakota and Dodge Durango) and one from Mercedes
Benz (S-Class). Toyota Motor Corporation won three Total Quality Awards(TM)
(Lexus LX470, Toyota Tundra and RAV4), and General Motors two (Chevrolet Monte
Carlo/Pontiac Grand Prix Coupe in a tie and Chevrolet Suburban).
The new Mercedes Benz S-Class most satisfied its new owners, scoring
920 out of a possible 1,000 points. The highest scoring brand was BMW at 899.
Its 3-Series led the Near-Luxury class. Hyundai, following on the heels of
its new warranty, was the most improved brand.
The Total Quality Index(TM) measures satisfaction as consumers define it:
the whole experience of buying, owning and driving a new vehicle. Owners
don't rate their vehicles, but rather evaluate their various experiences,
including the feelings generated. "It had to be as complex as people are in
order to be accurate," says Dr. Darrel Edwards, Strategic Vision president.
"Emotions are at the core of experience, and drive it," says Edwards.
"Unless you measure and understand buyers' emotional response, you're just
looking at the tip of the iceberg. And drawing conclusions just from the tip
is pretty risky."
Owners who participated in the study purchased their new vehicles in
October and November of 1999. They were surveyed after they had had at least
90 days to experience their car or truck. Total Quality Award(TM) winners had
to be 2000 models.
The winning vehicles' path to satisfying their owners usually includes
strong feelings of esteem, with some more focused on fun and others that their
choice is a leader.
Volkswagen Golf 864. Giving small car drivers a strong sense of safety,
yet is fun to drive and a smart choice makes Golf a real stand out in its
class. Added to that are strong exterior craftsmanship and handling
characteristics.
Volkswagen Jetta 873. Exterior craftsmanship, style and safety are
Jetta's road to the top, driven by strong emotions stirred in safety, control
and esteem. This is a smart choice that's fun to drive and makes its owners
feel proud.
Volkswagen Passat 885. Reliability, ride, craftsmanship, both inside and
out, style, handling are some of the things that excite Passat owners about
their car. They feel personal satisfaction, safe, confident, in control and
proud in a vehicle that meets their needs and is fun to drive.
Chrysler LHS 878. Style, reliability, room/capacity, roadability,
handling and exterior craftsmanship are only some of LHS' strong points. Its
owners feel confident, in control and proud of a car that is fun to drive and
meets their needs.
Volkswagen New Beetle 884. Delight and personal satisfaction add to
pride in a car that most of all feels fun to drive. Of course style, exterior
craftsmanship, handling, innovation and thoughtful design and convenience
don't hurt.
Pontiac Grand Prix Coupe 888 / Chevrolet Monte Carlo 886. Style,
handling, power and exterior craftsmanship lead the list of positive
attributes in these GM twins. Strong feelings of personal satisfaction,
confidence, safety, control, and pride in a fun to drive car make this a smart
choice.
BMW 3-Series 900. In a very competitive segment, craftsmanship,
dealership. Style safety and handling take the 3-Series to the top of the
class. Very strong feelings of safety, confidence, control and fun make these
owners proud and deliver a lot of esteem.
Mercedes Benz S-Class 920. The new king of the upper class excels in
dealership experience, safety, comfort, craftsmanship, quietness and power.
Feeling safe, confident and in control while having fun, make its owners
believe they've chosen a leader.
Mazda Miata MX-5 831 / Ford Mustang Convertible 830 / Volkswagen
Cabriolet 829. People buy convertibles because they're fun to drive, and
these three leaders deliver that strongly. They also give their owners
personal satisfaction and feelings of pride, confidence and control. Style,
craftsmanship, handling and reliability are very positive attributes, to which
Mustang adds power and roadability.
Honda Odyssey 838. Lots of room, ease of use and thoughtful design,
added to the usual Honda attributes of reliability, safety and craftsmanship
make Odyssey the new minivan leader. Feeling safe, confident and in control
makes its owners believe they made a smart choice.
Toyota RAV4 837. Besides the Toyota hallmarks of exterior craftsmanship
and reliability, this small SUV rates high in style, convenience and handling.
Because it's fun to drive and a smart choice, its owners feel proud and a
sense of esteem.
Dodge Durango 850. That rugged styling, combined with exterior
craftsmanship, power, room/capacity, reliability, handling and roadability
make its owners feel proud. Plus while they find it fun to drive, they feel
safe and confident in this winner.
Chevrolet Suburban 870. All that room, plus craftsmanship, reliability,
style and ride are what owners like about this giant. They feel safe and
proud in a vehicle that meets their needs and is also fun to drive.
Lexus LX 470 895. Craftsmanship and reliability drive this winner, with
the added benefits of comfort, quietness, ride and handling. New buyers above
all feel safe and confident, and also proud and in control in a vehicle that
can handle anything.
Dodge Dakota 826. Style and exterior craftsmanship outside, and
reliability, power, safety and roadability behind the wheel make Dakota the
leader. The dominant emotions generated are safety, confidence, control,
pride and fun.
Toyota Tundra 877. Toyota as usual delivers craftsmanship and
reliability, plus power, roadability, style and safety. Behind the wheel,
owners feel safe, confident, in control, pride and fun with a healthy dollop
of esteem.
Strategic Vision has assessed new vehicle owner satisfaction and
calculated the Total Quality Index(TM) annually since 1995. In addition, the
firm issues the Problem Impact Measure(TM) in May, the Dealer Total Quality
Index(TM) in June and the Total Value Index(TM) in September.
Founded in 1986, the company conducts leading-edge research in consumer
and constituent decision-making for diverse companies. Clients include
various auto manufacturers, Coca-Cola, American Airlines, Glaxo-Welcome and
Procter and Gamble.
