Tustin, California – The Cadillac brand has ranked highest in vehicle satisfaction for the second year in a row in AutoPacific’s 13th annual Vehicle Satisfaction Awards (VSA), while the Lexus LS registered the highest satisfaction of any vehicle, car or truck. Among manufacturers, Toyota took the most awards, with six for its various brands.
Hyundai earned the 2009 Rising Star honours, as overall brand satisfaction ratings among its customers jumped 11 positions, more than any other in the survey.
AutoPacific’s Vehicle Satisfaction Award is an industry benchmark that measures how satisfied an owner is with his or her new car or light truck, summarizing the results of the research firm’s 2009 model year vehicle satisfaction data and analysis.
“These are difficult times, with news of automaker bankruptcies, companies restructuring and dealer closures a daily occurrence,” said George Peterson, president of AutoPacific. “Clearly, the dynamics surrounding the Vehicle Satisfaction Award in 2009 are far different from anything we’ve seen in many years. Winners needed to overachieve to earn their awards.”
The Lexus LS registered the highest overall satisfaction of any vehicle, scoring 99 points above the industry average. The truck or SUV with the highest overall satisfaction score was the Cadillac Escalade, contributing to Cadillac’s win as the top-ranked brand for vehicle satisfaction.
The 2009 model year winners were:
Highest Satisfaction Brand: Cadillac
2009 Rising Star: Hyundai
Passenger Cars:
Premium Luxury: Lexus LS
Aspirational Luxury: Hyundai Genesis
Luxury Large: Lincoln Town Car
Luxury Midsize: Lexus ES
Premium Midsize: Hyundai Sonata
Midsize: Ford Fusion
Image Compact: Toyota Prius
Compact: Mitsubishi Lancer
Economy: Honda Fit
Sports Car: Porsche 911
Sporty Car: Scion tC
Light Trucks:
Large Pickup: Dodge Ram 1500
Compact Pickup: Ford Explorer Sport Trac
Luxury SUV: Cadillac Escalade
Large SUV: Chevrolet Tahoe
Premium Midsize SUV: Ford Explorer
Midsize SUV: Jeep Liberty
Luxury Crossover SUV: Land Rover LR2
Large Crossover SUV: Mazda CX-9
Premium Midsize Crossover SUV: Toyota Venza
Midsize Crossover SUV: Volkswagen Tiguan
Compact Crossover SUV: Kia Sportage
Minivan: Toyota Sienna
