When you're looking to buy or lease a new car or truck, you might wish you could ask someone who already owns the model you're considering whether they're happy with their new wheels. Or, maybe a few thousand someones.
Well, that's the idea behind two new consumer satisfaction surveys. The first, J.D. Power's 2009 APEAL Study (that's short for Automotive Performance, Execution, and Layout), quizzed nearly 81,000 new owners and lessees on their satisfaction with more than 90 individual attributes of their new vehicles. Singled out for special recognition were an assortment of new models including the sporty new Dodge Challenger coupe, midsize Ford Flex crossover, and the tiny Smart Fortwo two-seater. Notable runners-up included a number of other familiar nameplates including the Buick Enclave luxury crossover, the compact Cadillac CTS sports sedan, and the fuel-efficient Volkswagen Jetta sedan.
AutoPacific's Ideal Vehicle Awards take a slightly different approach, asking 25,000 buyers and lessees to list the things they'd like to change about their new rides. Porsche and Ford emerged as the two most popular brands overall, while individual category winners included the BMW X5 luxury SUV, Chevrolet Traverse crossover, zippy Mini Cooper coupe, and the super-safe Subaru Forester crossover.
Compare the two lists and you'll find some surprising similarities emerge, as many of the same models got high marks in both surveys. Which is just about as close as you'll get to getting a thumbs-up from the crowd for buying that new car or truck you've had your eye on.
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