Category: Uncategorized

AutoPacific is up and running as usual.  Two years ago, we sold the Automotive Futures Center in Tustin and began working from our homes.  The stay at home directives have not really made our work life any different.  Our New Vehicle Satisfaction Study is in the field and we are expecting results in a few weeks.  Our person-to-person field research – product clinics and focus groups have been put on hold.  A clinic scheduled for late March was pushed back to late summer, if then.  We have been fielding online surveys, interviews and focus groups.  Working with our clients, we have developed techniques to help them determine the dynamics of the market and also ways to accomplish virtual product clinics.

Flint, Michigan:  Chevrolet is bringing the fight to Ford’s Super Duty line-up with the all new 2020 Silverado HD pickup line.  In a reveal at GM’s Flint heavy duty truck assembly plant Chevrolet showcased the new 2020 Silverado HD.  

A week earlier Ford showcased its Super Duty freshening for 2020 and it was impressive.  In essence, the changes to the Chevrolet are an attempt to catch up with the Ford Super Duty that was launched in 2016.  

Ford showed an all new 7.3L big block V8 added to the Super Duty.  Chevrolet showed an all new 6.6L small block V8.  It has an impressive 401HP and 464 lb-ft of torque. Ford announced it was applying its 10-speed automatic transmission to the Super Duty.  Chevrolet continues with its tried and proven 6-speed automatic.

2020 Silverado [...]

2020 Ford Super Duty gets a mid-cycle freshening that is intended to keep the product ahead of heavy duty competition from GM and FCA's Ram. GM and Ram products launch early in 2019 with Ford launching later in the year.

Chevrolet Receives Most Brand Wins, Sweeps Pickup Segments; Tesla Returns to the Top

Automotive research and consulting firm AutoPacific, Inc. today announced the 2018 Ideal Vehicle Awards (IVA), recognizing vehicles that best meet owners’ expectations for the product. The 2018 awards are based on responses from more than 58,000 owners of new vehicles across all major manufacturers.

Based solely on owner input, AutoPacific IVAs measure the fusion between owner expectations and reality.  “IVA’s speak to a vehicle’s layout and design,” says AutoPacific president George Peterson. “Giving owners a chance to tell us what they would change and how they would change it reveals which vehicles are designed to meet their needs and expectations. In other words, having owners who are happy with things the way they are says the manufacturer did their upfront [...]

Whizzing around tight corners, while rapidly shifting the gears of a manual transmission is exhilarating! However, reality dictates that I spend most of my driving time mindlessly crawling through rush-hour traffic, so the thought of constantly burying my leg into a clutch while shifting from 2nd to 3rd back to 2nd every five seconds has made me think twice about buying a car with a manual transmission. Driving an automatic now-a-days just seems more convenient for day-to-day driving. And apparently I am not alone here.

VehicleVoice recently surveyed its panel to find out how much of the vehicle-driving population still drives a manual transmission. Looking specifically at enthusiasts (after all, aren’t they primarily the ones driving a stick shift?), the data reveals that, despite a significant portion of our sample claiming stick-shift know-how (89%), only a fraction [...]

AUTOPACIFIC ANNOUNCES 2017 IDEAL VEHICLE AWARDS – PORSCHE TOP BRAND AND TOP OVERALL VEHICLE; FORD MOTOR HAS MOST SEGMENT WINNERS

TUSTIN, Calif. (August 22, 2017) – Automotive research and consulting firm AutoPacific, Inc. today announced the 2017 Ideal Vehicle Awards (IVA), recognizing vehicles that best meet their owner’s expectations and desires.

The 2017 awards are based on responses from more than 54,000 owners of new model year 2016 and 2017 vehicles across all major manufacturers. Respondents were asked what changes they would make to their car or truck in 15 key categories, including ride and handling, interior storage, safety features, power and acceleration and technology. “Even the most satisfied owner would change something about their vehicle if given the opportunity,” says George Peterson, president of AutoPacific. “AutoPacific’s IVAs identify vehicles whose owners want the least amount of change – those that are truly hitting the mark with owners.”

Porsche Returns to the Top

After being [...]

AutoPacific Announces 2017 Vehicle Satisfaction Awards

Lincoln Most Satisfying Premium Brand; GMC Most Satisfying Popular Brand

TUSTIN, Calif. (June 7, 2017) – AutoPacific today announced its 21st annual Vehicle Satisfaction Awards (VSAs), identifying the most satisfying vehicles in the market. An industry benchmark for measuring how satisfied an owner is with his/her new vehicle, VSAs are based on survey responses from over 54,000 owners of new 2016 and 2017 cars and light trucks.

“This is the 21st anniversary of AutoPacific identifying the most satisfying vehicles and providing consumers a way to streamline their search for their perfect vehicle,” says AutoPacific president George Peterson. AutoPacific’s Vehicle Satisfaction Awards objectively measure owner satisfaction with 49 separate attributes ranging from interior comfort and styling to fuel economy and performance. “VSAs look at the big picture, which includes owners’ experiences [...]

LOS ANGELES–September 27, 2016 – Notable automotive industry research companies IntelliChoice and AutoPacific today announced the winners of the 2016 Motorist Choice Awards. Now in its eleventh year, this esteemed award recognizes vehicles that deliver the compelling and sought after combination of high consumer satisfaction and lower-than-expected ownership costs over time – meeting the needs and expectations of both the heart and the mind.

The Motorist Choice Awards (MCA), which take AutoPacific’s owner satisfaction data from new car and light truck owners and combine those data with IntelliChoice’s cost of ownership rating methodology, provide a reliable guide for new car shoppers. “Automakers know that car buyers are looking for a vehicle that satisfies both their needs and emotional desires, and they want it at a great value,” said Eric Anderson, Director of Data Products [...]

Honestly now, who pays attention to the type of cup holder or tablet support a car has when interested in getting a new one? All you can think of now is how strong the engine is or if you can use an auto-pilot highway cruising system. But you will eventually want to be able to listen to music or your favorite audio books – so here’s a reason to want to connect your phone to your car stereo using an USB or aftermarket stereo. But…

  Why Use A Phone Inside Your Car

Besides the previously mentioned reasons, if you’re a serious business man, chances are you will want to keep track of everything going on with your projects. And one way of doing this is by picking up the phone and making calls even when you are on the highway. But because driving and using your cell phone don’t go work together [...]

Honestly now, who pays attention to the type of cup holder or tablet support a car has when interested in getting a new one? All you can think of now is how strong the engine is or if you can use an auto-pilot highway cruising system. But you will eventually want to be able to listen to music or your favorite audio books – so here’s a reason to want to connect your phone to your car stereo using an USB or aftermarket stereo. But…

  Why Use A Phone Inside Your Car

Besides the previously mentioned reasons, if you’re a serious business man, chances are you will want to keep track of everything going on with your projects. And one way of doing this is by picking up the phone and making calls even when you are on the highway. But because driving and using your cell phone don’t go work together [...]