Posted by George Peterson on August 3, 2012 at 11:09 am
AutoPacific’s 2012 Ideal Vehicle Awards (IVA) are based on over 75,000 surveys completed by owners of new cars and light trucks in the United States in the first half of 2012.
The IVA award recognizes those products designed most closely to meet the requirements of their buyers.
The IVAs are based solely on owner input. These results are the voice of the math. AutoPacific does not have a vote. We only do the arithmetic.
AutoPacific’s IVAs measure the fusion between owner expectations and the reality provided by the manufacturer by quantitatively measuring how closely a vehicle matches those expectations.
An ideal vehicle is one that meets the owner’s expectations for the product. They do not want it changed. They don’t want it bigger. They don’t want it faster. They don’t want its styling changed. When asked what they would change about their new vehicle, buyers who want the least change are driving their ideal vehicle.
AutoPacific’s research reviews of each IVA winner can be found on VehicleVoice.
Autobytels reviews of each IVA winner can be found at http://www.autobytel.com/auto-news/awards/ideal-vehicle-awards-from-autobytel-autopacific-highlight-owner-s-happiness-112198/
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Posted by George Peterson on July 30, 2012 at 12:57 pm
AutoPacific’s Ideal Vehicle Award (IVA) recognizes the vehicle that best hits the target its buyers demand. Winning an IVA shows the product planners, engineers and designers of the manufacturer understand what their target customers want and have created the vehicle to best meet their demands.
Fit Edges Scion xD for IVA Win: The 2012 Honda Fit comes closest to the ideal of any Economy Car. The Fit edges out the second place Scion xD by 32 rating points to win in this class that is getting more and more competitive. Having eighty-percent or more of owners rating a characteristic ideal is outstanding. Achieving a score of ninety-percent is even more impressive. Ninety-percent or more of Fit owners rate its exterior size ideal. Eighty-percent or more of Fit owners find these additional characteristics ideal: driver’s seat visibility, passenger roominess, cargo space, exterior styling, tires and wheels, driver’s seat comfort, ride and handling and ease of getting in and out.
A Few Shortfalls – But None Critical. Being an Economy Car, Fit is not expected to be as fully-featured as cars in higher, more expensive classes. About 33% of Fit owners want better interior lighting than they have now. About 22% want better interior storage than now. About 18% want better infotainment technology.
You can find an Autobytel review of this IVA award winner at http://www.autobytel.com/auto-news/awards/consumer-s-ideal-cars-revealed-in-2012-iva-awards-112116/
For a complete summary of all AutoPacific 2012 Ideal Vehicle Award results contact karin.turner@vehiclevoice.com and title your email “IVA Results”. A copy of the results will be emailed to you within 48-hours.
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Posted by George Peterson on July 30, 2012 at 12:39 pm
AutoPacific’s Ideal Vehicle Award (IVA) recognizes the vehicle that best hits the target its buyers demand. Winning an IVA shows the product planners, engineers and designers of the manufacturer understand what their target customers want and have created the vehicle to best meet their demands.
Pilot Slips By Ford Edge for IVA Win: The 2012 Honda Pilot comes closest to the ideal of any Premium Mid-Size Crossover SUV. The Pilot slips by the second place Ford Edge by 3 rating points to win in a class that has become increasingly competitive. Having eighty-percent or more of owners rating a characteristic ideal is outstanding. Achieving a score of ninety-percent is even more impressive. Ninety-percent or more of Pilot owners rate its driver’s seat comfort, ride and handling and tires ideal. Eighty-percent or more of Pilot owners find these additional characteristics ideal: exterior size, interior lighting, driver’s seat visibility, passenger roominess, wheels, interior storage compartments and safety features.
The Honda Pilot was also best in class in AutoPacific’s 2012 Vehicle Satisfaction Award research.
A Few Shortfalls – Some Could Have Been Offset by Selecting Available Options: About 31% of Pilot owners want more infotainment technology than now. About 27% want better ease of getting in and out. About 25% of Honda Pilot owners want more cargo space. About 18% of Pilot owners want more power and acceleration but an equal percentage would trade off power and acceleration for better fuel economy.
You can find an Autobytel review of this IVA award winner at http://www.autobytel.com/auto-news/awards/ideal-suvs-pickups-rated-by-owners-in-2012-iva-awards-112117/
For a complete summary of all AutoPacific 2012 Ideal Vehicle Award results contact karin.turner@vehiclevoice.com and title your email “IVA Results”. A copy of the results will be emailed to you within 48-hours.
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Posted by Ty Michael on August 16, 2011 at 9:10 am
The Dodge Challenger is the top ranked Sporty Car in AutoPacific’s 2011 Ideal Vehicle Award Research. Sporty Car owners are always seeking more and even though the Challenger won because its owners did not want much changed, there are some substantial areas they want changed. First, almost 50% want more power. This is characteristic of the Sporty Car buyer and Challenger buyers are no exception. Challenger owners want better visibility – a characteristic sacrificed by the aggressive styling of the car. They also want more infotainment technology. They most like its exterior size (although some want it smaller), cargo room and seat comfort. The Challenger handily outpointed the second place Volkswagen Eos for the Sporty Car trophy.
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Posted by Ty Michael on August 16, 2011 at 9:05 am
The Cadillac Escalade is the top ranked Premium SUV in AutoPacific’s 2011 Ideal Vehicle Research. As the class winner, Escalade owners identify few things they would want changed. Even the most technology-laden vehicles still have their owners wanting more. About 30% of Escalade owners want more infotainment technology. They also want better interior storage and, believe it or not, more cargo space and passenger room. They most like its size, seat comfort and wheels. Escalade wins its class over second place Land Rover LR4.
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Posted by Ty Michael on August 16, 2011 at 9:00 am
The F-150 is the top-ranked Light Duty Full Size Pickup based on owner ratings in AutoPacific’s 2011 Ideal Vehicle Research. As the class winner, owners don’t want much change, but there are some exceptions. Over 35% of F-15 owners want better interior storage, 25% want their truck to be easier to get into and out of. About 20% want larger wheels and tires. Owners like their seat comfort, ride and roominess. The F-150 outpoints the second place Chevrolet Avalanche by a wide margin.
Large Light Duty Pickup
A Light Duty Pickup has a gross vehicle weight ratio under 8,500 pounds and includes the likes of the Ford F-150, Dodge Ram, and Chevrolet Silverado. These pickups can be used for both commercial and personal use and have a wide range of capability and pricing. Towing and horsepower both rank supreme for buyers of these trucks.
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Posted by Ty Michael on August 16, 2011 at 9:00 am
The owners of the Porsche 911 rate the car so highly in AutoPacific’s 2011 Ideal Vehicle Research that the car wins the IVA for the Sports Car Class and is also the top rated vehicle overall. As the overall and class winner, owners of the 911 do not want much changed. When pressed, about 20% say they want more cargo room, easier ingress/egress and more infotainment technology. They most like the seat comfort, ride and interior roominess. The Porsche Boxster/Cayman were in second place in the class. It was a Porsche sweep.
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Posted by Ty Michael on August 16, 2011 at 8:50 am
The all new Grand Cherokee is the top ranked Mid-Size SUV in AutoPacific’s 2011 Ideal Vehicle Research. As the class winner, its owners identify few things they would want changed, but there are a few. About 30% would like better visibility and more infotainment technology. About 25% want the Grand Cherokee to be easier to get into and out of. About 25% want it to have more power and more cargo room as well. Grand Cherokee owners most like its ride, seat comfort, exterior size and the styling of the new vehicle. Grand Cherokee handily outpoints the second place Nissan Xterra.
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Posted by Ty Michael on August 16, 2011 at 8:45 am
Cayenne is the top rated Premium Luxury XSUV based on owner ratings in AutoPacific’s 2011 Ideal Vehicle Research. As the class winner, owners are pretty satisfied with the way the vehicle is executed with a few exceptions. Almost 35% want better interior storage in their Cayenne. About 25% want more cargo room and more infotainment technology. Over 20% want better visibility and more power. Owners like the ride, size and seat comfort. Cayenne edges out second place BMW X5 for its category win.
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Posted by Ty Michael on August 16, 2011 at 8:15 am
The Flex is the top ranked Large XSUV in AutoPacific’s 2011 Ideal Vehicle Research. As the class winner, its owners identify few things they want changed, but inevitably there are a few. About 30% want better interior storage. Over 20% want more cargo room (!), more power (non-EcoBoost vehicles), and more infotainment technology. Flex owners most like its ride, seat comfort, size, roominess and ease of getting in and out. Flex handily outpoints second place GMC Acadia.
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