Ford came out on top of the IVAs along with Chrysler and Porsche. 08/17/2011
When drivers buy cars, they would ideally like something that will meet their every desire and expectation, and some cars will do exactly that while others will disappoint their drivers. The Ideal Vehicle Awards (IVAs) were designed to help motorists discern which cars have warranted the most customer satisfaction, and the 2011 report found Ford, Chrysler and Hyundai at the top with Porsche.
"It's getting harder and hard to measure quality differences in today's vehicles," said George Peterson, the president of consulting firm AutoPacific. "Consumers need better insights into which vehicles will meet their ideal for comfort, ride and handling, cargo space and other attributes that are experienced on a daily basis. Shoppers can use the IVAs as a benchmark for vehicles that are designed and built with customers in mind."
To determine the winners of the IVAs, AutoPacific surveyed more than 72,000 car buyers about their 2011 model year vehicles. They examined consumer responses across 15 different categories - including exterior style, roominess, interior lighting, power and acceleration, ease of getting in and out, safety features, driver comfort and visibility, information and entertainment technology, and storage compartments.
Porsche may have been the overall winner, but domestic car companies made their presence known this year. Ford walked away with the most awards, with seven different new cars and trucks coming out on top in categories, such as large crossover SUV (Flex), premium mid-size crossover (Explorer), and hybrid (Fusion Hybrid). Chrysler won the popular brand award, and its Town and Country took the prize in the minivan category.