J.D. POWER Archives — Auto Trends Magazine

AutoPacific announces the results of its latest vehicle satisfaction award.

Tesla Model S.

Purchase a new car and vehicle satisfaction should come with the territory. Unfortunately, disappointments abound and some models simply do not measure up.

New Vehicle Satisfaction Survey

AutoPacific conducts a New Vehicle Satisfaction Survey annually to identify the top performing vehicles. Relying strictly on owner input, this particular award provides perhaps the most accurate measurement of how consumers feel about their purchase decisions.

Unlike other surveys which measure reliability or quality to the exclusion of owner satisfaction, the AutoPacific survey has owners rating 50 attributes for importance in the purchase decision and satisfaction after purchase.

23 Vehicle Categories Surveyed

Twenty three vehicle categories are surveyed, representing 10 passenger car segments and 13 light truck segments.

The 2016 Top Overall Vehicle and President’s Award winner is the Cadillac Escalade. The 2016 Highest Satisfaction Overall and Premium Brand is Tesla. The 2016 Highest Satisfaction for a Popular Brand is Kia. Notably, Tesla finished on top overall for the second consecutive year.

The following passenger cars finished on top in their respective categories: Mercedes-Benz S-Class, Nissan Maxima, Volvo S60/V60, Hyundai Azera, Kia Optima, Mercedes-Benz CLA, Kia Soul, Honda Fit, Chevrolet Corvette, and the Chevrolet Camaro.

Compact Favorite: Kia Soul

Top Aspirational Luxury Car

The Volvo S60/V60 finished on top in the Aspirational Luxury Car segment for the second consecutive year. The Kia Soul was best in class among compact cars for the third consecutive year. Other repeat winners include the Honda Fit in the economy car segment (two years) and the Chevrolet Corvette as the top sports car for a fifth consecutive year.

Among light trucks were the following winners: GMC Sierra 1500, GMC Sierra HD, Nissan Frontier, Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Suburban, Toyota 4Runner, Mercedes-Benz GLE, Lexus RX, GMC Acadia, Nissan Murano, Nissan Rogue, Hyundai Tucson, and the Kia Sedona.

Two repeat winners were recognized this year. In the large crossover SUV category the GMC Acadia won for the third consecutive year. In the premium midsize crossover SUV segment, the Nissan Murano won for the second consecutive year.

Tesla, Kia Soul & Cadillac Escalade

Tesla Motors garnering the top prize is based on sales for only two models: a Model S sedan and the Model X crossover utility vehicle. The Model S has been on the market for five years, while the Model X only began selling in small numbers last fall.

The Kia Soul is now in its second generation; the current model has been on the market since 2014. The compact hatchback defies easy categorization, but has won a strong fan following. As most people know, a team of anthropomorphic hamsters helps market the popular Soul.

Needing no introduction is the Cadillac Escalade, a full-bodied luxury SUV and one that advances all things ostentatious. Introduced in 1999, the Cadillac Escalade is now its fourth generation. The beefy Cadillac shares its underpinnings with various Chevrolet and GMC models, but its style and interior design sets this model apart from the pack.

AutoPacific Survey Says

Other surveys worth considering include the J.D. Power US Vehicle Dependability Study as well as the New & Used Car Reviews & Ratings from Consumer Reports.

The J.D. Power survey examines issues reported by original owners of 3-year-old vehicles, particularly over the past 12 months. It presents a good measurement of vehicle quality during a timeframe when initial problems begin to first appear.

Consumer Reports survey includes road test results and safety information as well as reliability and owner satisfaction. CR’s ratings are based on surveys of millions of their subscribers. CR is owned by the non-profit Consumers Union, an organization that rates more than 5,000 consumer products each year, including household items.

Tesla and Kia photos courtesy the respective manufacturer. Cadillac Escalade photo copyright Auto Trends Magazine.

Within Reach: 17.5 Million Units

New light-vehicle sales for the month are expected to be the best we have seen for any month since 2005. That should allow U.S. sales to top 17.5 million units, surpassing the previous 17.4 million units reached in 2000. Retail sales (consumer or non-fleet) are expected to total 14.3 million units, representing the fourth best year in history.

Two more factors are also weighing in this year: December has five selling weekends, the first time since 2012, and will also have 28 selling days, the most since 2009. The selling days include the first few days of the new year as 2015 calendar year sales will include sales made through Jan. 4, 2016.

“As 2015 comes to a close, the industry is expected to post its strongest sales month of the year,” said John Humphrey, senior vice president of the global automotive practice at J.D. Power. “With continued record transaction prices, consumers are on pace to spend more than $44 billion on new vehicles in December and $437 billion on new vehicles in 2015, both record levels.” The previous record of $407 billion in annual consumer expenditure was set in 2014.

Humphrey also addressed the recent 0.25 percent increase in the Federal Reserve’s interest rate stating that it “…should have minimal impact on new-vehicle sales.”

Strong Fleet Sales

Fleet sales have been strong this year and have been making a significant contribution to this year’s sales pace. Data reveals that fleet sales were much stronger than expected in November, accounting for 19.5 percent of all light-duty vehicle sales. This month, that contribution is expected to drop to 18.2 percent.

LMC remains bullish on 2016 U.S. auto sales. The company has forecast 17.8 million total light-duty vehicle units, including 14.6 million retail sales. That forecast aligns with what other experts have been saying.

Stated Jeff Schuster, senior vice president of forecasting at LMC Automotive, “We now have greater confidence that record sales in 2015 will lead to yet another volume record in 2016. The year-over-year growth rate is projected to be one-third of the growth experienced in 2015, but total and retail light-vehicle sales are at a 2% increase in 2016, keeping the expansion going.”

Extensive Research Can Save You Money

For consumers shopping for a new vehicle, extensive research, including visits to dealer websites can save them money. Most new vehicles sell for hundreds to thousands of dollars below the window sticker price with greater savings achieved through aggressive negotiation. Arranging your own financing and taking manufacturer and dealer discounts instead can lower your overall costs.

J.D. POWER

Cue the Music: Cadillac Escalade is Tops in New Vehicle Satisfaction