Consumer Affairs - 72,000 Consumers Reveal Vehicles That Meet Owner Demand

TUSTIN, August 16, 2011: The 2011 Ideal Vehicle Awards (IVA), announced today by automotive research and consulting firm AutoPacific, reveal the vehicles that most closely match their owners desires. ³Everyone has had the experience of wanting to change something after you¹ve bought it and experienced it for awhile. This is especially true of vehicles,² says George Peterson, President of AutoPacific. ³This research recognizes the vehicles that owners want to change the least. In other words, the vehicles that already match their owner¹s demands.

The IVAs are based on owners¹ ratings of their new 2011 model year cars and trucks across 15 key vehicle attributes ranging from power and acceleration to interior roominess. The survey includes responses from more than 72,000 vehicle acquirers. The cars or trucks that owners would change the least are the most ideal.

³Its getting harder and harder to measure quality differences in today¹s vehicles, says Peterson. ³Consumers need better insights into which vehicles will meet their ideal for comfort, ride and handling, cargo space, and other attributes that are experienced on a daily basis. IVA winners deliver the most of what consumers are really looking for in their vehicles. Shoppers can use the IVAs as a benchmark for vehicles that are designed and built with customers in mind.²

Among premium brands, Porsche scores the highest for 2011, giving Porsche its fourth straight IVA win since 2008. Chrysler leads the pack among popular brands, followed by Hyundai and Ford.

³Ford Motor Company leads the industry with a total of seven segment winners. Like last year, no other manufacturer came even close,² said Peterson. Volvo scores three category wins and has a ³win and a place² among Luxury Crossover SUVs with the XC70 and XC60. American-branded vehicles perform well in this year¹s IVAs. Of the twenty-four Ideal Vehicle Award (IVA) categories, American brands win eleven segments, European brands seven and Asian brands six.

The top-rated product segment is Premium Luxury Car, beating out Large Pickups and last year¹s leading category Large Crossover SUV. As in previous years, American buyers continue to value large, comfortable vehicles suitable for suburban driving and highway cruising.

2011 Ideal Vehicle Award Winners:

Premium Brand Award: Porsche
Mainstream/Popular Brand Award: Chrysler
Overall Winner: Porsche 911
Overall Brand Winner: Porsche

Passenger Cars:

Luxury Car: Mercedes-Benz E-Class
Aspirational Luxury Car: Volvo S60
Large Car: Hyundai Azera
Luxury Mid-Size Car: Lincoln MKZ
Premium Mid-Size Car: Ford Fusion
Mid-Size Car: Subaru Legacy
Premium Compact Car: Volvo C30
Compact Car: Hyundai Elantra
Sports Car: Porsche 911
Sporty Car: Dodge Challenger
Hybrid Car: Ford Fusion Hybrid

Pickup, SUV & Minivans:

Large Light-Duty Pickup: Ford F-150
Large Heavy-Duty Pickup: Ford Super Duty
Compact Pickup: Honda Ridgeline
Luxury Sport Utility: Cadillac Escalade
Large Sport Utility: Toyota Sequoia
Mid-Size Sport Utility: Jeep Grand Cherokee
Premium Luxury Crossover SUV: Porsche Cayenne
Luxury Crossover SUV: Volvo XC70
Large Crossover SUV: Ford Flex
Premium Mid-Size Crossover SUV: Ford Explorer
Mid-Size Crossover SUV: Toyota RAV4
Compact Crossover SUV: Volkswagen Tiguan
Minivan: Chrysler Town & Country

In addition to identifying segment winners, IVA also establishes numerical ideal vehicle ratings for virtually every passenger car and light truck in the United States market. These results come from calculating owner input across 15 specific areas related to a vehicle's attributes, including: exterior styling, exterior size, passenger roominess, cargo space, driver's seat comfort, driver¹s seat visibility, info/entertainment technology, interior lighting, power and acceleration, ease of getting in and out, interior storage compartments, ride, handling, safety features and tires and wheels.