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Each year AutoPacific identifies the Brand and individual vehicles that top all others in vehicle satisfaction: The Vehicle Satisfaction Awards. AutoPacific’s Vehicle Satisfaction Award (VSA) is an industry benchmark for objectively measuring how satisfied an owner is with their new passenger car or light truck. Owner satisfaction is measured across 46 specific areas related to a vehicle’s operation, comfort, safety and the overall purchase/lease experience. The 2008 ratings reflect input from 33,500 buyers and lessees of new vehicles acquired September through December 2007.

2008 Vehicle Satisfaction Award top brand honors went to Cadillac, while other luxury brands such as Lexus, Mercedes-Benz and Porsche also had strong showings. But what does it mean to have a top brand? Though calculations single out one brand as having the highest overall score, each individual attribute also has its own top scorer. Sometimes the detail underneath it all can have just as much, if not more, meaning than the final outcome.

Cadillac – Top Rated Brand in AutoPacific’s Vehicle Satisfaction Awards.
Cadillac is the top ranked brand in AutoPacific’s 2008 Vehicle Satisfaction Awards. Cadillac won based on top scores for size of its cars and trucks, ride, innovative technology, audio system performance and dealer experience. These top ratings are supported by strong showing in overall satisfaction, driver’s comfort, vehicle and brand reputation, exterior styling, braking, handling, and fun to drive, reliability, quietness, feeling safe while driving, safety features and overall quality.
“Cadillac owners are the most satisfied with the experience they received at their dealership of all brands for 2008.”
“Cadillac owners are the most satisfied with the level of innovative technology in their vehicles of all brands.”
“Cadillac owners are the most satisfied with the ride of their Cadillac than the owners of any other brand.”
“Cadillac owners are the most satisfied with their audio system performance than the owners of any other brand in AutoPacific’s 2008 Vehicle Satisfaction Research.”
The Cadillac CTS, Cadillac DTS, Cadillac Escalade SUV and Cadillac Escalade EXT won their individual vehicle categories in the research.
But Cadillac is not alone at winning brand award categories. Cadillac won outright in five of 43 categories. Other brands also did well in individual categories. For instance, Lexus was the second ranking brand after Cadillac.
Lexus – Most Satisfying in Several Very Important Ownership Attributes
Lexus again achieves a strong showing in AutoPacific’s 2008 Vehicle Satisfaction Award research. Lexus achieves top ratings for driver’s comfort, reliability/dependability, overall quality and resale value. These top ratings are supported by strong showing in several additional attributes including: overall satisfaction, vehicle reputation, brand reputation, handling, ride, quietness, feeling safe while driving, and safety features.
“Lexus owners are more satisfied with the driver’s comfort of their Lexus than the owners of any other brand in AutoPacific’s 2008 Vehicle Satisfaction Research”
“Lexus owners are more satisfied with the overall quality of their Lexus than the owners of any other brand in AutoPacific’s 2008 Vehicle Satisfaction Research.”
“Lexus owners are most satisfied with the reliability and durability of their vehicle than the owners of any other brand.”
“Lexus owners are more satisfied with the resale value they anticipate their Lexus will receive than the owners of any other brand.”
The Lexus ES350 won its category in the 2008 Vehicle Satisfaction Award research.

Mercedes-Benz North America – Most Satisfying Cupholders
Mercedes-Benz is among the top-ranked brands in AutoPacific’s 2008 Vehicle Satisfaction Award research. Mercedes owners rated their product tops in cupholder design and size – a product feature that has strong importance for American drivers. Mercedes also achieves strong ratings for overall satisfaction, vehicle’s reputation, brand’s reputation, exterior styling, braking, handling, fun to drive, reliability/dependability, ride, feeling safe while driving, safety features and overall quality.
“It has widely been reported that German carmakers hate cupholders. They perceive them to be an American affectation. Well, Mercedes has proven that it can design the most satisfying cupholders in their vehicles for 2008 by receiving the top ratings for cupholder design and size from its owners than any other brand.”
The Mercedes S-Class was the top rated car in AutoPacific’s 2008 Vehicle Satisfaction Award research.
Jaguar Cars North America – Wins Most Individual Attribute Categories
While Jaguar ranked in the top ten of all brands in AutoPacific’s 2008 Vehicle Satisfaction Award research, it received the most individual category wins of any other brand. Jaguar owners rated their car higher than any other brand in the following product attributes: image, exterior color, exterior styling, interior styling, feel of fabrics and materials, quietness, easy to use controls, quality feel of the controls, instrument layout. Jaguar owners also rated their cars very strongly in overall satisfaction, driver’s comfort, vehicle’s reputation, brand’s reputation, power and acceleration, braking, handling, fun to drive, reliable/dependable, traction in all weather conditions, feeling safe while driving, safety features, and overall quality.
“Jaguar owners are more satisfied with Jaguar’s image than the owners of any other brand.”
“Jaguar owners are more satisfied with their exterior styling and color than the owners of any other brand in AutoPacific’s 2008 Vehicle Satisfaction Award research.”
“Jaguar owners are more satisfied with the interior styling and materials of their car than the owners of any other brand in AutoPacific’s 2008 Vehicle Satisfaction Award research.”
“Jaguar owners are more satisfied with the quietness of their car than the owners of any other brand in AutoPacific’s 2008 Vehicle Satisfaction Award research.”
“Jaguar owners’ ratings sweep the field giving Jaguar top spot in ease of use, quality of controls and instrumentation. Jaguar is truly a driver’s car.”
Porsche Cars of North America – Owners Rate Porsche Tops in Sports Car Product Attributes
Porsche owners rate Porsche higher than owners of any other brand in five important attributes including: Vehicle’s reputation, brand’s reputation, power and acceleration, braking and handling. Porsche also had very strong ratings from its owners in overall satisfaction, exterior styling, fun to drive, reliability/durability, and overall quality. For a sports car brand, these are extremely positive results.
“Porsche owners rate Porsche highest for reputation of Porsche vehicles and the Porsche brand.”
“Porsche owners rate Porsche highest in very important sports car performance attributes – power and acceleration, handling and braking. Porsche is among most “fun to drive” brands available in the American car market.