AutoPacific today announced the 2020 Vehicle Satisfaction Award (VSA) winners according to the results of its annual New Vehicle Satisfaction Survey of over 73,000 new car and light truck owners. Now in its 24th year, the VSAs identify the most satisfying vehicles in the market.
AutoPacific’s Vehicle Satisfaction Awards objectively measure owner satisfaction with 27 individual attributes ranging from driving performance to seating comfort and interior design. “AutoPacific VSAs give consumers true, unbiased insight into which vehicles are providing their owners with the most satisfying experience,” says AutoPacific president George Peterson. Scores are based solely on owner input and are unique in the industry for their use of both importance and satisfaction ratings to represent a comprehensive view of the ownership experience.
This year’s winners are spread across 12 manufacturers and 17 brands. Hyundai Motor Group, which includes the Hyundai, Kia and Genesis brands, leads with nine wins, followed by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles with six wins, Nissan Motor Company with three wins and Mercedes-Benz and Ford Motor Company each with two wins. The remaining manufacturers, Volkswagen, BMW, General Motors, Honda Motor Company, Subaru, Tesla, Inc. and Toyota Motor Corporation receive one win each.
Hyundai and Kia Brands Tie for Most Wins
Each with four winning vehicles, Hyundai and Kia have doubled their number of wins from last year and dominated the crossover SUVs, winning four of the five non-luxury crossover SUV segments. Three of Hyundai’s four winning vehicles are new for 2020: Sonata, Santa Fe and Palisade, while Kia has two all-new winners: Soul and Telluride. Both the Hyundai Palisade and Kia Telluride are new entries in the large crossover SUV market and received top scores resulting in a tie. “The Telluride, assembled in Georgia in the USA, and the Palisade, assembled in South Korea, share their basic underpinnings. Clearly Hyundai and Kia designers and engineers solved the equation for satisfying their buyers, with both vehicles having equal scores from their customers,” says Peterson.
Adding to the success of the Hyundai and Kia brands is Genesis, Hyundai Motor Group’s luxury brand, with a win for the G90 in Premium Luxury Car. The G90 scored the highest of any passenger car. The G90 win brings Hyundai Motor Group’s total to nine wins – the most of any manufacturer this year.
Alfa Romeo Gains Against Established Luxury Competition
Newcomer Alfa Romeo, a brand under the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) umbrella, has two winning vehicles: Giulia (Standard Luxury Car) and Stelvio (Standard Luxury XSUV). Alfa Romeo entered both the luxury car and luxury XSUV market in recent years and satisfies owners in the areas of handling and fun to drive. Owners also appreciate Giulia’s front seat comfort and Stelvio’s driver’s seat ingress and egress. “Entering the US market alone has its challenges, but Alfa Romeo has the added challenge of taking on established luxury brands, which it has done exceptionally well through performance and styling. Updates to the Alfas’ infotainment system for 2020 was especially instrumental in their wins.” says Peterson.
FCA brands Chrysler, Dodge and Ram have one win each, while Ram also gains honors as most satisfying popular brand, bringing FCA’s total to six wins.
All-New Nissan Versa Debuts on Top in Subcompact Car Category
Nissan Motor Company received 3 wins, including the Armada, for the 2nd year in a row, Rogue, and the all-new Versa winning in the subcompact car category. “Versa’s redesign includes a competitive collection of standard safety equipment, a strategy that has clearly paid off as the Versa gains top ratings in its segment for safety features,” says Peterson. Versa owners also give the vehicle top satisfaction ratings within its segment ratings for passenger roominess, cargo space and driver’s seat comfort.
2020 VEHICLE SATISFACTION AWARD WINNERS
Most Satisfying Vehicle Overall and Top Scoring Truck: BMW X6
Most Satisfying Passenger Car: Genesis G90
Highest Satisfaction Premium Brand: Lincoln
Highest Satisfaction Popular Brand: Ram
AutoPacific 2020 Vehicle Satisfaction Award Winners: Commentary and Analysis
Lincoln Brand: Highest Satisfaction Premium Brand
The ratings for Lincoln brand vehicles give it the highest overall score. Lincoln has been positioning itself as “Quiet Flight” for a while now. Lincoln owners’ rating for Brand Reputation is tied with Lexus, Mercedes and Volvo among luxury brands. Lincoln achieves top ratings for attributes that contribute to serenity: quietness, ride, handling, safety features and ratings. Surprisingly, for a brand once known to sell only land barges, Lincoln scores in “active” attributes including power and acceleration, and fun to drive in addition to ride and handling mentioned previously. This is likely due to the brand’s rapid move away from traditional sedans and towards dynamically excellent crossover SUV products.
Ram Brand: Highest Satisfaction Popular Brand
Ram is the top-rated popular brand reflecting the excellence of its Ram 1500 pickup. Ram owners rate the brand highly in performance attributes: fun to drive, braking, handling, ride, power and acceleration. Ram also scores highly in styling and package-related factors: driver’s seat visibility, exterior styling, interior styling, front seat comfort, passenger roominess, and safety features and ratings. The strength of the Ram 1500, which accounts for the vast majority of Ram brand sales, carries the brand to a win.
Genesis G90: Premium Luxury Car and Most Satisfying Passenger Car
The Genesis G90 outperforms its competition and wins the Premium Luxury Car segment. It scored highest in 22 out of 27 attributes. Compared to owners of other Premium Luxury Cars, G90 owners are more satisfied in braking, exterior styling, driver’s seat movement/positioning, passenger roominess, power & acceleration, ride and warranty. The recently facelifted G90 does indeed impress in so many areas, and the fact that it is the least expensive in its class makes its owners feel like they’ve made a truly smart purchase.
Mercedes-Benz E-Class: Executive Luxury Car
The Mercedes E-Class edged out the Audi A6 as the top satisfying Executive Luxury Car. The E-Class is rated highest for brand reputation (tied with the Tesla Model S in this category). It is tops in satisfaction in its segment in several comfort categories: overall comfort, front seats overall comfort, driver’s seat positioning, quietness inside the vehicle. In terms of performance, it is rated highest in braking, handling, ride and fuel economy. Its owners rate it highest in exterior and interior styling as well.
Alfa Romeo Giulia: Standard Luxury Car
Alfa’s Giulia is a driver’s favorite due to its incredible handling and performance, but, in the past, substandard infotainment systems have hurt owner satisfaction with this car. For 2020, after a getting a significant revision to its infotainment, the Giulia sedan becomes the most satisfying model in its class. As befitting an Alfa Romeo, it rates highest in fun to drive, braking, and handling. Its price is seen as a solid virtue thanks to attractive pricing and leases. Furthermore, increased ADAS feature content for 2020 no doubt contributes to its best-in-class satisfaction for safety features and ratings.
Mercedes-Benz A-Class: Compact Luxury Car
The Mercedes A-Class wins in the compact luxury car segment with class-leading satisfaction scores in the areas of safety features & ratings and vehicle’s ride, both attributes that rank near the top for importance to shoppers in the segment. Owners in this segment also look for a “fun to drive” vehicle and the A-Class delivers with best in class ratings thanks to its peppy and responsive standard turbo powertrain, precise steering, and well-tuned chassis.
Chrysler 300: Large Car
The Chrysler 300 stands as the flagship model for the Chrysler brand and is the most satisfying model in the Large Car segment. The Chrysler 300 scores highest in satisfaction for cargo access & capacity, cargo area lighting, easy in & out of the driver’s seat, exterior styling, quietness inside the vehicle, range, and wheel size and style. While the product is later in its life cycle, it has aged extraordinarily well thanks to regular powertrain and technology updates, which are effective due to the fundamental excellence of the basic product.
Hyundai Sonata: Premium Mid-Size Car
The all-new 2020 Hyundai Sonata wins the Premium Mid-Size Car segment for satisfaction – a big accomplishment given the segment’s high stakes and well-established competitors. It takes top satisfaction scores in its segment in 11 of 27 attributes. Sonata owners are more satisfied compared to other owners in the segment with its striking exterior styling, very upscale interior styling, driver’s seat visibility, cargo access & capacity, exterior size, fun to drive road manners, handling, safety features & ratings, warranty, and wheel size and style. Indeed, the Sonata’s redesign has left AutoPacific’s analysts very impressed, and owners agree.
Kia Soul: Compact Car
The all-new 2020 Kia Soul wins the Compact Car segment in satisfaction, winning this category over 13 other vehicles. Compared with owners of competing cars, 2020 Soul drivers are more satisfied with its easy ingress and egress thanks to its high roof and large door openings, fun to drive road manners, passenger roominess afforded by the car’s boxy profile, and generous. AutoPacific’s analysts have similarly found the Soul to be one of the most fun and easy-to-live-with compacts out there, and the 2020 redesign only amplifies the Soul’s traditional strengths.
Nissan Versa: Subcompact Car
The all-new 2020 Nissan Versa got a very slick redesign that results in a product that seems like it should cost more than it should with its sporty styling and impressive safety technology content. Consequently, it wins highest satisfaction from owners in the Subcompact Car segment. Owners satisfaction was highest for passenger roominess (a longstanding Versa strength), front seat comfort, safety features & ratings thanks to its standard ADAS technology suite, cargo access & capacity, cargo area lighting, and vehicle ride quality.
Dodge Challenger: Sports/Sporty Car
For the 4th straight row the Dodge Challenger wins the Sport/Sporty Car segment in satisfaction. Very few vehicles have consistently taken the top spot in satisfaction over and over in their segments, but the Challenger has received constant updates and exciting new variants that keep it relevant and aspirational year after year. The Challenger scores highest in 17 out of 27 satisfaction attributes. Among these include its power & acceleration, fun to drive character, braking, and its iconic exterior styling. Also of note is its top satisfaction score in passenger roominess; the Challenger is one of the few coupes out there that can accommodate four adults in real comfort.
Ram 1500: Full-Size Pickup
The Ram 1500 wins the Full-Size Pickup segment for the second year in a row. Ram 1500 owners place high importance on their vehicle’s interior styling and this truck delivers, receiving the highest satisfaction score in the segment for this attribute. Owners also appreciate their vehicle’s driver’s seat ingress and egress and interior storage. Ram has long been a leader in innovative storage solutions, and this truck shows how well those efforts pay off with high owner satisfaction.
Honda Ridgeline: Compact Pickup
The Honda Ridgeline outperforms its competition in 17 of 27 satisfaction attributes, including overall durability, quality and reliability, the top-ranking importance attribute for compact pickup owners. Top satisfaction scores range from ride and handling (thanks to its crossover unit-body platform) to the comfort and adjustability of the driver’s seat. Ridgeline also scores highest in satisfaction for interior storage/compartments, with its highly functional storage areas and in-bed trunk adding much to the owner experience.
Lincoln Navigator: Luxury SUV
The top scoring vehicle in the Luxury SUV segment for the 2nd year in a row, the Lincoln Navigator receives top satisfaction scores from owners for its ample power and acceleration, afforded by its standard 450 HP turbo powertrain, and ample range, thanks to its sizable fuel tank and reasonably good highway fuel economy. Owners also appreciate the vehicle’s simple to understand gauges and controls, which are a model of simplicity in a segment where button overload due to high feature content is often a problem.
Nissan Armada: Large SUV
Nissan’s full-size Armada wins over the hearts of owners in the Large SUV segment for the 2nd year in a row, beating its competition in multiple areas including exterior styling, handling, and braking. With a strong 5.6L V8 that smoothly delivers 390 HP and burly amounts of torque perfect for towing up to 8,500 pounds, the Armada also receives the top satisfaction score in its segment for power & acceleration.
Toyota 4Runner: Mid-Size SUV
The storied Toyota 4Runner dominates the Mid-Size SUV segment, receiving top satisfaction scores for 23 of the 27 attributes including for driver’s seat visibility, front seat overall comfort, passenger roominess, and safety features & ratings. With an appealing reputation, every single trim of the 4Runner comes standard with Toyota’s Safety Sense comprehensive suite of ADAS features which includes lane departure warning and a forward pre-collision system with pedestrian detection.
Tesla Model X: Premium Luxury Crossover SUV
Winning the Premium Luxury Crossover SUV segment, Tesla’s Model X is the clear winner in its class with the best satisfaction scores for 22 of the 27 attributes. Premium Luxury Crossover SUV segment owners place high importance on key safety features, driver’s seat visibility, exterior styling, and front seat comfort- all of which the Model X delivers in those areas with top ranking satisfaction scores. Though more electrified crossover SUVs are on the horizon, Tesla’s Model X will no doubt continue to break the norm with its future-focused styling highlighted by aerodynamic bodywork and futuristic Falcon Wing doors.
BMW X6: Executive Luxury Crossover SUV, Most Satisfying Vehicle Overall and Most Satisfying Truck
The all-new BMW X6 is the overall winner for the 2020 VSAs with the highest satisfaction score of any vehicle and wins highest satisfaction in the Executive Luxury Crossover SUV segment. BMW X6 owners also appreciate its fuel economy thanks to its impressive standard turbocharged inline six-cylinder, a powerful yet efficient engine that aids in returning up to an EPA-estimated 26 mpg on the highway. Owners are also more satisfied compared to segment with X6’s monthly payments and well-illuminated cargo area.
Alfa Romeo Stelvio: Standard Luxury Crossover SUV
The Alfa Romeo Stelvio ties the Cadillac XT5 crossover SUV as the most satisfying in its class. Like the Alfa Romeo’s Giulia sedan, the Stelvio earns top marks for two key attributes: It’s fun to drive and handles well. The Stelvio also received top scores for ingress/egress to the driver’s seat, exterior size, and exterior styling. Owners are also the most satisfied in the segment with Stelvio’s price. Emotional driving dynamics are hallmarks of all Alfa Romeo products and the Stelvio commits to making that happen thanks to a pair of healthy turbocharged engines, a near-perfect weight balance, and the high-performance Quadrifoglio trim’s grandioso exhaust sound.
Cadillac XT5: Standard Luxury Crossover SUV
Cadillac’s XT5 ties in satisfaction with the Alfa Romeo Stelvio, despite the two having vastly different personalities. Owners of both are equally satisfied with their styling. While Alfa Romeo’s Italian athlete, the Stelvio, is arguably the sportier of the two, the more stately XT5 confidently carries Cadillac’s new design language with vertical LED light pipes emphasizing the brand’s identity and classy chrome lines to guide eager eyes. The popular XT5 also earns top marks in fuel economy, quietness, interior storage, and passenger roominess. The XT5’s cabin is generously spacious for taller occupants and drivers, giving them a chance to feel at home amidst a collection of carbon fiber, plush leather, and gorgeous wood trimming.
Audi Q3: Compact Luxury Crossover SUV
The second-generation Audi Q3 wins the Compact Luxury Crossover SUV segment by satisfying owners in the high importance areas of ride, braking, handling, and overall front seat comfort. It also ranked top in satisfaction for driver’s seat visibility and ingress/egress too. While luxury crossovers may be filled with a rather daunting assortment of technology, Q3 owners appreciate its array of simple-to-understand gauges and controls, which helps the Q3 collect the most top satisfaction ratings in its class. There are a lot of cutting-edge multimedia systems and in-car tech on the market, but Audi takes the crown for its standard MMI multimedia system and available Virtual Cockpit, both of which feature razor-sharp graphics, a fast and responsive user interface, and plenty of opportunity for on-screen customization.
Kia Telluride: Large Crossover SUV
Since launch, the Telluride has been a great success and a breakthrough vehicle for Kia Motors America. Built here in the U.S.A., the Telluride’s adventurous and bold exterior styling is on-point for owners who express high levels satisfaction. In addition, its passenger roominess, cavernous cargo area, ride, overall durability/quality/reliability, and quietness scored segment-leading marks. All trims of the Telluride offer a full suite of standard ADAS features to safeguard families but there’s even more top-tier tech like a Kia’s Highway Driving Assist for near-autonomy on long stretches of interstate.
Hyundai Palisade: Large Crossover SUV
Like its sibling, the Kia Telluride, Hyundai’s Palisade has been equally as successful and a great addition to Hyundai’s lineup. With strong sales in its first year, owners especially appreciate the Palisade’s driver’s seat visibility, braking, easy-to-use controls and readable gauges, and interior storage compartments, the latter being a key benefit that’s often overlooked in some vehicles. The Palisade also earned high praise for both its interior and exterior styling, as well as cargo access and capacity. Side-by-side against the Kia Telluride, the Palisade’s appearance is elegant and classy, thanks to its commanding front fascia, signature lighting assemblies, and bold upright stance.
Hyundai Santa Fe: Premium Mid-Size Crossover SUV
The Hyundai Santa Fe has had a long history of success in AutoPacific’s Vehicle Satisfaction Awards. A year after the fourth-generation Santa Fe’s 2019 debut, it once again earns high marks from owners for its handling, braking, cargo access & capacity, price, and safety features. In addition to these segment-leading attributes, the Santa Fe wins praise for its generous factory warranty. Families will feel safe and sound with standard ADAS features like lane keeping assist, forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking and pedestrian detection, and driver attention warning.
Subaru Forester: Mid-Size Crossover SUV
Subaru’s Forester seems to keep getting better and better, year after year. It’s become an icon and go-to mid-size crossover for those who enjoy recreating in the great outdoors. With the Forester, Subaru has captured the continual support of owners who give high marks of satisfaction for brand reputation and overall durability/quality/reliability. The Forester also earned the top satisfaction score for driver’s seat visibility thanks to its superbly tall and upright windows, low belt-line, and minimal blind-spots found at all corners. Add in high marks for passenger roominess with notable praise for cargo access & capacity, and the Forester is a well-qualified winner.
Nissan Rogue: Mid-Size Crossover SUV
The Rogue remains one of the segment’s top sellers and has proven to be the exact “hit” Nissan had banked on for success in the U.S. market. Instead of betting on single attributes to pull in satisfied buyers, the Rogue delivers on several. New owners gave high praise and satisfaction marks for its exterior styling, interior styling, handling, cargo access & capacity, and driver’s seat ingress/egress. The Rogue’s price is also a strong appealing point as is its unexpected list of standard and optional safety equipment. Nissan was a pioneer in bringing cutting-edge, semi-autonomy to such an accessible and affordable segment, by offering its ProPILOT Assist tech on the Rogue for brief stints of hands-off highway driving.
Kia Sportage: Compact Crossover SUV
The Kia Sportage rewards owners with satisfaction inside and out, with class-leading praise for its exterior styling, wheel size, and cabin design. With an available 240 HP turbocharged four-cylinder, the Sportage received high marks from owners for its power & acceleration, abundance of interior storage/compartments, and cargo area lighting. The Sportage’s 2020 facelift amplified its already-sharp sporty styling with revised headlight clusters and optional LED lighting, more muscular front fascia with a fresh grille design, and a host of new wheel designs ranging from 17 inches to 19 inches.
Hyundai Kona: Subcompact Crossover SUV
The subcompact Kona is a hip and fun member of Hyundai’s growing crossover lineup. Owners give class-leading praise for its exterior size, wheel size and design, and exterior styling. The Kona successfully blends together the best of youthful looks with a dash of off-road ruggedness thanks to its upright stance and plastic side cladding, making it an attractive ride to drive just about everywhere. Once behind the wheel, owners aren’t only treated to a purposeful and well-appointed cabin with a surprising amount of top-tier tech, but greeted with snappy, highly-ranked handling and an available peppy turbocharged engine.
Kia Sedona: Minivan
While the Minivan segment is a small one, the players in it are quite good. For 2020, Kia’s Sedona takes the top honors as the most satisfying after stealing the throne from last year’s victor, the Chrysler Pacifica. Winning with segment-leading satisfaction scores in 9 of the 27 attributes, the Sedona outperforms its competition in the top-ranking importance areas of driver’s seat visibility and passenger roominess, as well as braking and handling, interior storage/compartments, and cargo area lighting. Kia’s Sedona also stands behind its family buyers with an impressive factory warranty that trumps its competition and as a result, earns the highest ranking from owners.