GM Leads Quality Survey Index Among New Owners, Beats Toyota

[racy]

http://www.carbuyersnotebook.com/arc...ads_qualit.htm

General Motors' vehicles captured five awards from new owners assessing the quality of their vehicles, according to a new survey published by Strategic Visions. The Chevy HHR won its small multi-function category, the Saturn Vue won small SUV, the Chevy Silverado won heavy duty pickup and the Corvette won two separate categories.

Toyota came in second with four wins, BMW and Honda three each; Chrysler Group had two. BMW repeated as the top scoring brand, the seventh time in eight years, and Volkswagen reemerged as the best full-line. Ford’s only win was significant, as its much-heralded Fusion took top honors in the medium car category.

[01cavalier]

Nice, signs of GM's work paying off!

[asim]

Well the HHR, VUE, Silverado, and Corvette are pretty good vehicles. So no big suprise that these vehicles won.

[give_it_all_]

I wish the Cobalt would be up there too...

[Strapping.Young.Lad]

The Fusion won best midsizer!

[SobeSVT]

U.S. cars score well in quality, study says
But in trucks and SUVs, Japanese gain in traditional Big 3 stronghold
Sarah Karush / Associated Press

DETROIT -- U.S. automakers are producing more hits with cars, but are facing steeper competition in trucks, an area they once dominated, according to a vehicle quality study released today.
The domestic Big Three had the top-scoring vehicles in five out of 10 car categories in the annual vehicle quality study by Strategic Vision Inc., a San Diego-based market research firm and consultant to automakers. A notable winner was the Ford Fusion, which prevailed in the medium car category.
In trucks, Japanese companies took six of 10 categories. The winners included the Honda Odyssey for minivan and the Nissan Armada for large SUV.
Detroit is "playing catch-up, but the competition is moving ahead at the same time," said Daniel Gorrell, vice president of Strategic Vision. "The imports are really developing a strong foothold in the truck market."
The study, which factors in emotional reactions to vehicles, as well as defects and design issues, found BMW to be the top brand, just ahead of Lexus.
BMW's ranking contrasted sharply to a better-known quality report by J.D. Power and Associates. That study, released earlier this month, found a high number of complaints about BMW for design, particularly its iDrive system, which operates many different controls through a single knob.
Gorrell called iDrive "a mistake." But, he added, "that's not the total experience people have with BMW."
With the Fusion, a key vehicle in Ford Motor Co.'s comeback strategy, a variety of attributes -- particularly styling, roominess, quiet and dealership experience -- prompted owners to give it high marks.
General Motors Corp. had five winners, though most were lower-volume models, including the Chevrolet Corvette and the Saturn Vue. Three of the company's largest sellers, the Chevrolet Silverado 1500, the GMC Sierra 1500 and the Chevrolet Impala, scored below average in their segments.
DaimlerChrysler AG's Chrysler Group won in the large car segment with the Dodge Charger and the medium crossover category with the Dodge Magnum.
For the Japanese manufacturers, the reliability they are known for was only one element in their success, Gorrell said. For instance, the Toyota Tacoma, which won for compact pickup, and the 4Runner, which took first place for medium sport utility vehicle, got a boost from superior styling, he said. Meanwhile, the Odyssey and the Honda Ridgeline (full-size pickup) benefited from power, roominess and innovation.

For more click here.

Winners in Strategic Vision Inc.'s survey of 2006 vehicles:
Best brand: BMW
Small car: Honda Civic
Small multi-function: Chevrolet HHR
Medium car: Ford Fusion
Large car: Dodge Charger
Small specialty (under $25,000): Mini Cooper
Small specialty (over $25,000): Chevrolet Corvette
Near-luxury car: Lexus IS 250/350
Luxury car: BMW 7-Series
Convertible (under $30,000): Mini Cooper Convertible
Convertible (over $30,000): Chevrolet Corvette Convertible
Minivan: Honda Odyssey
Small SUV: Saturn Vue
Medium SUV: Toyota 4Runner
Medium crossover: Dodge Magnum
Large SUV: Nissan Armada
Luxury SUV: Land Rover Range Rover Sport
Compact pickup: Toyota Tacoma
Full-size pickup: Honda Ridgeline
Heavy-duty pickup: Chevrolet Silverado 2500/3500

[ponchoman49]

Originally Posted by SobeSVT

U.S. cars score well in quality, study says
But in trucks and SUVs, Japanese gain in traditional Big 3 stronghold
Sarah Karush / Associated Press

DETROIT -- U.S. automakers are producing more hits with cars, but are facing steeper competition in trucks, an area they once dominated, according to a vehicle quality study released today.
The domestic Big Three had the top-scoring vehicles in five out of 10 car categories in the annual vehicle quality study by Strategic Vision Inc., a San Diego-based market research firm and consultant to automakers. A notable winner was the Ford Fusion, which prevailed in the medium car category.
In trucks, Japanese companies took six of 10 categories. The winners included the Honda Odyssey for minivan and the Nissan Armada for large SUV.
Detroit is "playing catch-up, but the competition is moving ahead at the same time," said Daniel Gorrell, vice president of Strategic Vision. "The imports are really developing a strong foothold in the truck market."
The study, which factors in emotional reactions to vehicles, as well as defects and design issues, found BMW to be the top brand, just ahead of Lexus.
BMW's ranking contrasted sharply to a better-known quality report by J.D. Power and Associates. That study, released earlier this month, found a high number of complaints about BMW for design, particularly its iDrive system, which operates many different controls through a single knob.
Gorrell called iDrive "a mistake." But, he added, "that's not the total experience people have with BMW."
With the Fusion, a key vehicle in Ford Motor Co.'s comeback strategy, a variety of attributes -- particularly styling, roominess, quiet and dealership experience -- prompted owners to give it high marks.
General Motors Corp. had five winners, though most were lower-volume models, including the Chevrolet Corvette and the Saturn Vue. Three of the company's largest sellers, the Chevrolet Silverado 1500, the GMC Sierra 1500 and the Chevrolet Impala, scored below average in their segments.
DaimlerChrysler AG's Chrysler Group won in the large car segment with the Dodge Charger and the medium crossover category with the Dodge Magnum.
For the Japanese manufacturers, the reliability they are known for was only one element in their success, Gorrell said. For instance, the Toyota Tacoma, which won for compact pickup, and the 4Runner, which took first place for medium sport utility vehicle, got a boost from superior styling, he said. Meanwhile, the Odyssey and the Honda Ridgeline (full-size pickup) benefited from power, roominess and innovation.

For more click here.

Winners in Strategic Vision Inc.'s survey of 2006 vehicles:
Best brand: BMW
Small car: Honda Civic
Small multi-function: Chevrolet HHR
Medium car: Ford Fusion
Large car: Dodge Charger
Small specialty (under $25,000): Mini Cooper
Small specialty (over $25,000): Chevrolet Corvette
Near-luxury car: Lexus IS 250/350
Luxury car: BMW 7-Series
Convertible (under $30,000): Mini Cooper Convertible
Convertible (over $30,000): Chevrolet Corvette Convertible
Minivan: Honda Odyssey
Small SUV: Saturn Vue
Medium SUV: Toyota 4Runner
Medium crossover: Dodge Magnum
Large SUV: Nissan Armada
Luxury SUV: Land Rover Range Rover Sport
Compact pickup: Toyota Tacoma
Full-size pickup: Honda Ridgeline
Heavy-duty pickup: Chevrolet Silverado 2500/3500

I wonder what is going on with the Impala. It seems that it's quality rankings have slipped a bit for the new model year. I have heard lots of complaints for check engines lights, A/C issues and poor fuel economy with either the 3900 or 5300 AFM motors. Also many have complained about the overly hard seats that are too flat and unsupportive and some of the cost cutting like the shifter without indicators on the floor or no trunk keyhold in case the battery dies. All of these issues should be easy to clean up as the brother Monte Carlo has better seats than the Impala and AFM should give better mileage. Time should also clean up first year teething issues.

[SobeSVT]

This is a link to the list of winners. Check it out, is very interesting. You can click on each athergory and see the list of runner ups and how many point each one of them got. It tells a much broad and interesting story.

[BrickTamland]

which factors in emotional reactions to vehicles

And emotional reactions have what to do with quality?

[SlySy]

Full-size pickup: Honda Ridgeline......WTF? Full-size?

[PenguinPIE]

Originally Posted by SlySy

Full-size pickup: Honda Ridgeline......WTF? Full-size?

exactly....wtf

[milt_1992]

anyone heard about GM offering 0% for 72mo on all '06 models?

[Ridge1]

Originally Posted by SlySy

Full-size pickup: Honda Ridgeline......WTF? Full-size?

Well, the Ridgeline is so good they had to give it a category . The Taco isn't exactly a compact truck either. The previous Taco was more of a compact truck. I'm not sure why they don't have a midsize category. Be Happy the Silvy took the Heavy Duty truck category.