Consumer reports has just released its list of the most liked and least liked car brands, based on its owner satisfaction survey. They asked 369,000 owners if they would buy the same car again if they had the chance and extrapolated the data to the results. Tesla, Lincoln and Ram top the list, and Cadillac, Nissan and Infiniti complete the ending.
What’s interesting here, specialist in automotive content for Consumer reports Mike Quincy told me that some brands with a high level of owner satisfaction – like Tesla and Lincoln – have many models with below average reliability. Therefore, even with their shortcomings, many car owners are still satisfied with their choices.
This year, Tesla scored the highest in the survey, with owners rating their cars four or five out of five for steering, comfort and electronics in the cabin. No matter how you feel about Tesla, you should know that Tesla owners are completely in love with their cars. Lincoln and Ram, the second and third place brands in the survey, may not generate the same level of adoration, but the owners are showing great satisfaction with their purchases. This, in turn, translates into repeat sales and positive word of mouth.
Quincy noted that it is not the expensive brands that are accumulating points. BMW is ranked 13th, Lexus 19th and Mercedes-Benz 23rd.
“Just because a manufacturer has many expensive models, like Mercedes-Benz and Cadillac, Consumer reports“The owner’s satisfaction survey shows that even when they spend a lot of money, many people are not satisfied with the purchase,” said Quincy.
Think about the reasons why people choose a vehicle: maybe they grew up with Ford trucks and that’s what they like best. It’s familiar. Or maybe they’ve had a bad experience with a lemon from a brand and just drive their closest competitor. The “halo effect” (in other words, a lasting positive impression that spreads over other aspects of a brand or person) is a real bias and, therefore, the reverse of that. Consumer reports says that Jeep is a good example; Jeep Wranglers tend to score low in annual reliability surveys. Ask any Wrangler owner how he feels about the vehicle, and you will see a dazzling devotion to the Jeep experience.
“Of course, we understand the impulse: some of Consumer Reports’ testers themselves have unreliable vehicles because they are passionate about their other qualities, such as acceleration and handling, ” Consumer Reports’
Jon Linkov says.
Also interesting is the high rating of Chrysler, which I suppose is driven by the popularity of the Pacifica minivan, which I can guarantee as a great ride. Hate minivans all you want, but if you’re traveling by car, Pacifica is extremely practical and comfortable. Likewise, I drove some Buicks and they scored high on the Consumer Reports reliability graph, but the level of satisfaction is low.
What are you driving and are you satisfied with it?
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