AutoPacific Announces 2005 Vehicle Satisfaction Awards

TUSTIN, Calif., Sept. 15 -- Results of a study released today by noted automotive consulting firm AutoPacific, Inc. reveal high owner satisfaction with new 2005 model year cars and light trucks. AutoPacific's VSA (Vehicle Satisfaction Award) study is an industry benchmark for objectively measuring owner satisfaction with their new vehicles.

Lexus is the highest-rated brand for 2005, winning by a nose in a photo finish with Cadillac. These brands along with Lincoln have owned AutoPacific's Vehicle Satisfaction Awards since 2001. Cadillac won in 2001, shared top honors with Lexus in 2002 and won outright again in 2003. Lincoln won in 2004 and Lexus moves again into top spot for 2005.

The vehicle registering highest overall satisfaction in 2005 is the Nissan Titan Full Size Pickup Truck. This is the first time that a pickup has won it all. The highest rated car is the Nissan Maxima, its affordable luxury mid-size entry.

Nissan North America has seven winners this year, tops among the various corporations. Nissan sweeps the pickup categories with wins in both segments. The Nissan Titan takes the Full Size Pickup category and is the top-rated vehicle overall. Completing the pickup sweep is a win by the Frontier in the Compact Pickup category. Nissan Maxima is at the top of the Entry Luxury Car category and also the top-rated car, the Nissan Armada takes the Large SUV category for the second year in a row, Nissan Altima is the winner of the Premium Mid-Size Car category (tied with the new Buick LaCrosse), the Nissan Murano wins the Premium Mid-Size SUV category. The Nissan Quest is in a 3-way tie as the most satisfying Minivan.

Jaguar XJ has the highest rating in the Luxury Car category nosing out the Lexus LS430.

The Lincoln Town Car wins the Luxury/Large Car category.

The top-rated Standard Mid Size Car is the Mazda6 for the third year in a row.

Scion, with its first win ever, has xB at the top of the Compact Car category.

  The Porsche 911 is the top rated Sports Car.
  The Pontiac GTO is the top rated Sporty Car.
  The top rated Heavy Duty Pickup is the Dodge Ram HD Pickup.

The Hyundai Santa Fe and the all-new Chevrolet Equinox are tied as the top rated Standard Mid-Size SUV.

Owners of the Honda Element and the all-new Hyundai Tucson tie in rating their vehicles top in the Compact SUV class.

In the first 3-way tie in the history of AutoPacific's VSA, Honda Odyssey, Nissan Quest and Toyota Sienna tie for top honors in the Minivan category.

  Top performers are:

   BRAND:                           Lexus

   PASSENGER CARS:
   Premium Luxury Car               Jaguar XJ
   Entry Luxury Car                 Nissan Maxima
   Luxury/Large Car                 Lincoln Town Car
   Premium Mid-Size Car             Nissan Altima/Buick LaCrosse
   Standard Mid-Size Car            Mazda6
   Compact Car                      Scion xB
   Sports Car                       Porsche 911
   Sporty Car                       Pontiac GTO

   LIGHT TRUCKS:
   Large Light-Duty Pickup          Nissan Titan
   Large Heavy-Duty Pickup          Dodge Ram HD
   Compact Pickup                   Nissan Frontier
   Luxury Sport Utility             Volvo XC90
   Large Sport Utility              Nissan Armada
   Premium Mid-Size Sport Utility   Nissan Murano
   Standard Mid-Size Sport Utility  Chevrolet Equinox/Hyundai Santa Fe
   Compact Sport Utility            Hyundai Tucson/Honda Element
   Minivan                          Toyota Sienna/Honda Odyssey/Nissan Quest

In addition to identifying segment winners, VSA also establishes numerical satisfaction ratings for virtually every passenger car and light truck in the North American market. This results from calculating owner satisfaction across 45 specific areas related to a vehicle's operation, comfort, safety and the overall purchase/lease experience. The 2005 ratings reflect input from buyers and lessees of new vehicles acquired September 2004 through January 2005.

AutoPacific releases VSA results yearly as a consumer and industry service. AutoPacific also offers a Satisfaction Benchmark Study (SBS) that analyzes, on a feature-by-feature basis, cars and trucks in the North American market. This study allows manufacturers and key suppliers to assess and compare their vehicles on a feature level with the best in the business. "We feel SBS is the best and most economical way for manufacturers and suppliers to rate their own performance, and find out who is setting the standard for satisfaction. It then takes the analysis to the discrete level, from cupholders to the dealership experience," says Peterson.

AutoPacific is a future-oriented automotive marketing and product-consulting firm. Every year it publishes a wide variety of syndicated studies on the automotive industry. The firm also conducts extensive proprietary research and consulting for auto manufacturers, distributors, marketers and suppliers worldwide. Company headquarters are in Tustin, California, with an affiliate office in the Detroit area.