Strategic Vision Reports Quality Vehicle Winners

SAN DIEGO--May 1, 20056, 2005--Drawing a blueprint for domestics on company turnaround, Nissan North America led five segments (one a tie) on Strategic Vision's 2005 Total Quality Index(TM) (TQI). General Motors products also led five segments (one a tie) according to new owners, the San Diego-based research firm announced today.

"The common thread in Nissan and Infiniti models is superior delivery of power, style and innovation, " says Strategic Vision vice president Daniel Gorrell, "that create a strong emotional response in new owners. The company's strongly focused product effort suggests a route struggling domestic companies might follow."

Several new GM products took top honors in their segments. Pontiac's G6 medium sedan won out over Toyota and Honda entries, as did the Buick Rainier medium sport utility vehicle (SUV).

No one corporation dominated, with Toyota leading four segments (2 ties), BMW three (1 tie) Ford three (2 ties), Hyundai two (1 tie), and Honda, Chrysler and Land Rover one each. After a year out of the winner's circle, BMW reemerged as the top-scoring brand. Nissan North America led as best full-line corporation.

Total Quality, the premier measure of new vehicle owner satisfaction, assesses the complete ownership experience, from buying and owning to driving new vehicles. This is how buyers gauge quality, including attributes and the emotional response to vehicle.

Buyers rated the following vehicles tops in their segments: (closely ranked scores, if the differences are not statistically significant, are considered ties)

Small Car                     Ford Focus/Hyundai
                               Accent/Mazda3 (tie)    860 / 859 / 859

Small Multi-Function (MFV)(a) Chrysler PT Cruiser /
                               Scion xB (tie)               843 / 842

Medium Car                    Pontiac G6                          875

Large Car                     Ford 500 / Nissan
                               Maxima (tie)                 886 / 886

Small Specialty -$25,000      Ford Mustang                        915

Small Specialty +$25,000      Chevrolet Corvette(b)               905

Near-Luxury Car               BMW 3-Series                        934

Luxury Car                    BMW 5-Series / Lexus LS
                               430(b) (tie)                 911 / 910

Convertible (-$30,000)        Mini Cooper Convertible             891

Convertible (+$30,000)        Lexus SC 430                        920

Minivan                       Honda Odyssey(b)                    861

Small SUV                     Hyundai Tucson                      879

Medium Crossover(a)           Nissan Murano(b)                    880

Medium SUV                    Buick Rainier                       879

Large SUV                     Nissan Armada                       906

Near-Luxury SUV               Infiniti FX(b)                      906

Luxury SUV                    Range Rover/Hummer
                               H2/Escalade(b) (tie)   908 / 907 / 906

Compact Pickup                Toyota Tacoma                       852

Large Pickup                  Nissan Titan                        893

Heavy Duty Pickup             GMC Sierra 2500/3500                883


(a) New segment in 2005 
(b) 2004 Total Quality Award(TM) winner

New this year are multi-function vehicle (MFV) categories. Not all garnered awards as these segments are still developing. A medium crossover class makes its debut this year as well. "Trying to peg the growing number of these 'capable cars' into traditional categories just didn't make sense," says Gorrell.

"Buyers' rational and emotional needs differ from vehicle segment to segment," says Strategic Vision president Dr. Darrel Edwards. "Psychologically, MFV buyers' emotional needs and responses to the vehicles are so different from those associated with purchases of traditional SUVs that it only made sense to create separate classes that capture those differences."

More than 40,793 buyers who bought 2005 models in October and November of 2004 supplied data. "We gather comprehensive data that reflects the breadth and depth of the ownership experience, including emotions. The information is used to calculate 'Total Quality' indices. These integrated relationships between attributes and emotions mirror how people respond to their new vehicle. Those product and performance characteristics that deliver more desired emotions more strongly impact the perception of Total Quality," opines Dr. Edwards.

"As the number of new vehicles and segments continues to grow, understanding the emotional needs of buyers in each segment will be critical," continues Dr. Edwards. "Successful companies will be able to deliver products generating such positive emotional experiences that they delight their customer. That builds loyalty with significant monetary implications."

Strategic Vision has calculated the Total Quality Index(TM) annually since 1995. In addition, the firm releases a Total Value Index(TM) and a Total Delight Index(TM) that focus on different aspects of new vehicle owners' experiences.

Since its incorporation in 1986, the research-based consultancy that was founded in 1972 has studied consumer and constituent decision-making for a wide variety of clients, including most auto manufacturers, Coca-Cola, American Airlines, and Procter and Gamble, among many. Its unique expertise is identifying consumers' motivational hierarchies, including the values and emotions that drive perceptions and behavior.