Tag: VehicleVoice

The Town & Country achieves the highest ranking among Minivans based on owner ratings in AutoPacific’s 2011 Ideal Vehicle Research.  This is quite an achievement because its two major competitors – Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna are newer.  The T&C benefits from a thorough upgrade to its interior for 2011 and the changes worked to put the Chrysler Minivan on top.  Over 25% of Town & Country owners want more infotainment technology.  Over 20% want more daring styling, better ingress/egress, more safety features and more power.  Town & Country handily won over the second place all-new Honda Odyssey. 

The Tiguan wins the Compact XSUV category based on owner ratings in AutoPacific’s 2011 Ideal Vehicle Research.  Even while winning top spot, Tiguan owners have some significant wants.  Almost 45% want more cargo room and 25% want better interior storage.  About 15% want a softer ride.  While passenger roominess is not a problem, Tiguan needs more cargo space and thoughtful places to store stuff in the interior.  The Tiguan handily won over second place Suzuki Grand Vitara. 

The evergreen RAV4 achieves the highest ranking among Mid-Size XSUVs based on owner ratings in AutoPacific’s 2011 Ideal Vehicle Research.  As winner of its class, RAV4 owners want little significant changed with the notable exception that 35% want more infotainment technology.  This is confirmation that, even as you move down in vehicle classes, buyers today want all the bells and whistles available in more expensive vehicles.  Slightly over 20% of RAV4 owners want better interior lighting, better safety features, better visibility and more roominess.  About 15% of RAV4 owners want a softer ride.  RAV4 owners most like its seat comfort.  RAV4 nosed out the even-older Mazda Tribute to win its class.

The Volvo XC70 is the top ranked Luxury XSUV 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 exceptions.  The XC70 has a fast, laid-back windshield that makes it look good, but hard to get into and out of.  Over 25% of XC70 owners want it to be easier to get into and out of.  About 20% want more infotainment technology and more roominess.  About 15% of XC70 owners would give up power and acceleration for better fuel economy.  XC70 owners are less likely to want to change its exterior size or have larger wheels or firmer seats.  Volvo swept the Luxury XSUV class with the Volvo XC60 positioned in 2nd place in the IVA rankings for the class.

The Sequoia is the top ranked Large SUV based on ratings by its owners in AutoPacific’s 2011 Ideal Vehicle Research.  Sequoia owners identify little significant that needs to be changed, but 30% want more infotainment technology, 25% want more cargo room, and 20% want better visibility and more daring styling.  Sequoia owners most like seat comfort, ride comfort and size.   Sequoia noses out the Ford Expedition for top spot. 

The Honda Ridgeline is the top ranked Compact Pickup based on owner ratings in AutoPacific’s 2011 Ideal Vehicle Research.  As the class winner, owners don’t want much changed with some exceptions.  About 30% of Ridgeline owners want better visibility.  About 25% want more infotainment technology.  About 20% want more power.  They like Ridgeline’s ride comfort, seat comfort and size.  In a class of otherwise underachievers, Ridgeline wins by a wide margin over second place Chevrolet Colorado. 

Ford’s Super Duties are the top ranked Heavy Duty Pickups based on owner ratings in AutoPacific’s 2011 Ideal Vehicle Research.  As class winner, Super Duty owners don’t want to change a lot.  About 30% want better lighting in the interior.  About 25% want larger wheels and tires, better interior storage and more infotainment technology.  Heavy Duty pickups are workhorses – about 20% of Super Duty owners want more power.  About 22% of Super Duty owners want a softer ride.  The Super Duty outpoints second place Chevrolet Silverado HD by a substantial margin. 

Fusion Hybrid owners rate the car at the top of the Hybrid Car class in AutoPacific’s 2011 Ideal Vehicle Awards.  As the class winner, owners of the Fusion Hybrid don’t want much changed with the significant exception of cargo room.  The battery pack compromise cargo room and over 50% of Fusion Hybrid owners want more cargo room.  Similar to the normally powered Fusion, about 30% want the car to be easier to get into and out of and about 25% want better visibility.  About 15% want a softer ride.  Fusion Hybrid owners most like the seat comfort of the car.  The Fusion Hybrid outpoints the Lincoln MKZ Hybrid, a sibling to the Fusion, by only a few points.

 Hybrid Car

For vehicles equipped with two powertrains, one gas and one battery-powered, or pure electric vehicles like [...]

Two new, completely different high efficiency cars entered the American car market earlier this year, and AutoPacific set out to find out how different the owners of those cars were from owners of hybrids.

In November of 2010, General Motors delivered on a promise they made to start producing the Chevrolet Volt.  Just after production started I had the opportunity to spend a day with a Volt.  While it was a very interesting car to drive for a day, I wasn’t sure what it would be like to drive a vehicle that had the ability to be plugged in, so Chevrolet let me drive one for a week earlier this year.