Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[J.D. Power: Mini, Lexus again offer most satisfying sales experience]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/11/29/j-d-power-mini-lexus-again-offer-most-satisfying-sales-experi/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/11/29/j-d-power-mini-lexus-again-offer-most-satisfying-sales-experi/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/11/29/j-d-power-mini-lexus-again-offer-most-satisfying-sales-experi/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



JD Power has released its annual Sales Satisfaction Index Study, and once again Mini and Lexus have taken top honors. Overall, buyers are more satisfied with the auto-buying sales experience than they were last year, with those surveyed reporting an average score of 664 points on a 1,000-point scale. That's up from 648 in 2011. Dealer satisfaction also increased by five points over last year as well.

All told, Lexus brought home an index score of 737, which was high enough to put it atop the luxury brands for the second year in a row. JD Power says Infiniti came in second in that category with a score of 728 and Cadillac rounded out the podium with it's rating of 725. Speaking of Infiniti, that brand saw the single largest jump in sales satisfaction of any brand on the survey, popping up 52 index points over 2011.

Among mass-market brands, Mini ranked highest with a score of 712, followed closely by Buick with 706 and GMC farther down the line with 683. You can check out the full press release below for more information.

Continue reading J.D. Power: Mini, Lexus again offer most satisfying sales experience

J.D. Power: Mini, Lexus again offer most satisfying sales experience originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 29 Nov 2012 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>buickcadillacgmcinfinitijd powerjd power sales satisfactionlexusminisales satisfactionstudysurveyThu, 29 Nov 2012 11:29:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20390871/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/11/29/j-d-power-mini-lexus-again-offer-most-satisfying-sales-experi/20390871/article-detail.xml 20390871 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/11/mini-dealership_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/11/mini-dealership.jpg <![CDATA[Chevy Volt again tops <em>Consumer Reports</em> Owner-Satisfaction Survey]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/11/29/chevy-volt-again-tops-consumer-reports-owner-satisfacti/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/11/29/chevy-volt-again-tops-consumer-reports-owner-satisfacti/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/11/29/chevy-volt-again-tops-consumer-reports-owner-satisfacti/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



The Chevrolet Volt has done the double, nearly replicating its triumph from last year: For its annual Owner Satisfaction Survey, the Consumer Reports National Research Center asked Consumer Reports readers, "Considering all factors (price, performance, reliability, comfort, enjoyment, etc.), would you get this car if you had it to do all over again?" Ninety-two percent of Volt owners answered "Definitely yes," topping nearly 250 other models for which responses were received. The only difference between this year and last is that in 2011, the Volt won the title thanks to 93 percent of its owners.

Other fuel sippers earning garlands were the Toyota Camry Hybrid, Toyota Prius and Prius C, and the Nissan Leaf. The sports category also had some repeat play in the top spots, last year's twosome of the Porsche 911 and V8 Dodge Challenger were second and third, joined by the Chevrolet Corvette and Ford Mustang. The luxury segment was led by the Audi A7, Lexus GS and Audi A6.

Conversely, those stuck in the dog shed out back were fronted by the Nissan Versa, the only car to register a score lower than 50 percent. It didn't lack for company, sharing its plot of dirt with the V6-powered twins the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups, the Nissan Armada, Suzuki SX4 and Mitsubishi Outlander SUVs.

There's a press release below with more information. Condensed results are available to anyone on the Consumer Reports site, the complete results viewable online for subscribers and in the January issue.

Continue reading Chevy Volt again tops Consumer Reports Owner-Satisfaction Survey

Chevy Volt again tops Consumer Reports Owner-Satisfaction Survey originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 29 Nov 2012 09:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2013 chevrolet voltchevroletconsumer reportsowner satisfactionsurveyvoltThu, 29 Nov 2012 09:58:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20390789/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/11/29/chevy-volt-again-tops-consumer-reports-owner-satisfacti/20390789/article-detail.xml 20390789 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/11/001-2013-chevrolet-volt-opt_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/11/001-2013-chevrolet-volt-opt.jpg <![CDATA[New UK study suggests women better drivers than men]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/11/08/new-uk-study-suggests-women-better-drivers-than-men/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/11/08/new-uk-study-suggests-women-better-drivers-than-men/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/11/08/new-uk-study-suggests-women-better-drivers-than-men/#commentsFiled under: ,

woman driver

Now there's proof that women are the superior drivers.

A new study released recently by Carrentals UK, suggest that women are superior drivers after interviewing more than 700 people.

"While men would like to believe they are better than women behind the steering wheel, it is clear to see that male drivers performed worse in terms of speeding fines and penalty points," said Gareth Robinson, Managing Director of Carrentals UK.

Indeed. Survey results included:
  • 57 percent of men had been involved in one or more accidents compared to 44 percent of women
  • 45 percent of 36- to 45-year-old and men over 65 years old had been caught speeding
  • 60 percent of men over 65 had been involved in an accident, compared to 30 percent of women in the same age group.
However, the survey also notes that while men may be statistically worse off than their female counterparts, they often think they're better drivers.

"(M)en consistently rated their driving skills higher than women when asked," Robinson said. "It seems that, while men performed poorly on the questionnaire and typically had a worse track record on the roads, they believed that they were good drivers."

New UK study suggests women better drivers than men originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 08 Nov 2012 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carrentals ukenglandstudysurveyunited kingdomwomen driversThu, 08 Nov 2012 17:30:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20372369/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/11/08/new-uk-study-suggests-women-better-drivers-than-men/20372369/article-detail.xml 20372369 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/11/woman-driver_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/11/woman-driver.jpg <![CDATA[Honda tops Ford as America's favorite auto brand in new survey]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/06/25/honda-tops-ford-as-americas-favorite-auto-brand-in-new-survey/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/06/25/honda-tops-ford-as-americas-favorite-auto-brand-in-new-survey/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/06/25/honda-tops-ford-as-americas-favorite-auto-brand-in-new-survey/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Harris Interactive favorite car brand survey barchart
Market research firm Harris Interactive has revealed that Mercedes-Benz and Honda are the two strongest auto brands in America according to its survey of more than 38,000 people.

The survey, known as the 2012 Harris EquiTrend study, puts a number to all of those warm and fuzzy feelings people have toward a particular brand as a way to measure its equity. Broken down a different way, the survey points out that American's favorite automotive brands are German and Japanese.

Mercedes took top honors in the Luxury Automotive Brand of the Year for the second year in a row. It was followed by BMW, Lexus, Cadillac and Acura.

In the Full Line Automotive Brand of the Year category, Honda grabbed the top spot, beating out Toyota, Ford (last year's winner), Chevrolet and Nissan. (Apparently Harris' definition of "full line" differs a bit from ours, as brands like Subaru and Hyundai were also included).

Harris doesn't provide much guidance about what sort of questions it asked to survey takers, but the final results seems to closely resemble America's sales totals as well. This suggests people tend to like what they buy, or at least like what they've bought. Scroll down to read the press release to see what Harris says are America's favorite in-car audio brands, motorcycle marques, tire companies and so on.

Continue reading Honda tops Ford as America's favorite auto brand in new survey

Honda tops Ford as America's favorite auto brand in new survey originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 25 Jun 2012 19:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>equitrendfavorite brandfavorite carfordharrisharris interactivehondamercedes-benzsurveytoyotaMon, 25 Jun 2012 19:15:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20265760/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/06/25/honda-tops-ford-as-americas-favorite-auto-brand-in-new-survey/20265760/article-detail.xml 20265760 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/06/06252012-harris-poll_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/06/06252012-harris-poll.jpg <![CDATA[Toyota, Honda top supplier survey with lower results, GM and Chrysler improve]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/15/toyota-honda-top-supplier-survey-with-lower-results-gm-and-chr/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/15/toyota-honda-top-supplier-survey-with-lower-results-gm-and-chr/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/15/toyota-honda-top-supplier-survey-with-lower-results-gm-and-chr/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

Toyota and Honda auto show signs overlapping

Before financial Stargate opened in September of 2008 and transported us to an entirely new economic dimension, it was oh so common to read about domestic automakers hammering Tier One suppliers to lower their prices. Of course, suppliers are still asked to find efficiencies, but pre-2008, it seemed a point of honor to hold a supplier's feet to the fire. No more: in the latest Working Relations Index survey of suppliers by Detroit firm Planning Perspectives Inc., General Motors and Chrysler rocketed up the charts to bring the bunch much closer together.

Admittedly, the two companies are still in last place, with GM just ahead of Chrysler and Toyota and Honda still up top. But perspective and improvement is the issue here: in 2005, Toyota scored 415 and GM scored 114. In this year's survey, Toyota scored 296 and Chrysler scored 248. It is the first time in the 12 years of the survey that the six automakers covered have been separated by less than 50 points. Chrysler's jump was led by the efforts of the the late Dan Knott, whle GM's improvement has been led by Bob Socia.

And yes, this is also a matter of the perennial leaders, Toyota and Honda, suffering a dip: in 2010 Toyota scored 327 and Honda 309, two years later, Toyota has dropped 31 points. Every automaker, however, from top to bottom acknowledged that they still have work to do with supplier relations. The benefits of good feelings are that suppliers tend to present their newest tech to, and make better parts for, the automakers with whom they have the best relationships. Naturally, it has been found that the reverse is true as well.

Nissan and Ford make up the middle two spots, where they've been for years. BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen and Hyundai aren't on the list yet; PPI feels it doesn't have enough data on the Germans to yet to officially include them, and it doesn't have enough data on Hyundai to rank it at all. If the data gathered on the Germans was included, though, they would sandwich the rest of the field: BMW and Mercedes at the top, Volkswagen at the bottom a point shy of Chrysler.

Toyota, Honda top supplier survey with lower results, GM and Chrysler improve originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 15 May 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bmwchryslerfordgeneral motorshondamercedes-benznissanplanning perspectivessuppliersupplier relationssupplierssurveytier 1toyotavolkswagenworking relations indexTue, 15 May 2012 18:30:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20238179/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/05/15/toyota-honda-top-supplier-survey-with-lower-results-gm-and-chr/20238179/article-detail.xml 20238179 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/toyota-honda-sign-overlap_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/toyota-honda-sign-overlap.jpg <![CDATA[Jeremy Clarkson voted worst off-road trip partner in UK survey]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/02/02/jeremy-clarkson-voted-worst-off-road-trip-partner-in-uk-survey/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/02/02/jeremy-clarkson-voted-worst-off-road-trip-partner-in-uk-survey/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/02/02/jeremy-clarkson-voted-worst-off-road-trip-partner-in-uk-survey/#commentsFiled under: , ,



If you're about to embark on an off-road driving expedition, you're going to need the right co-pilot. Someone with good knowledge of how a car works, good survival skills and - most important of all - a good sense of humor.

This according to a recent study carried out in the UK by Continental Tires ahead of the launch of the Conti 4x4 Trophy, in which respondents ranked humor as an over-arching qualifying trait for the right person to ride shotgun.

So who did the British respondents choose? The blokes went with a pretty face in glamor model Kelly Brook, while the ladies elected Robert Pattinson of Twilight fame. But it's the least favorite picks that caught our attention.

According to the study, the worst person to have riding shotgun on such an off-road trip would be Jeremy Clarkson. Joining Jezza in the top ten least favorite co-pilots in the study were Katie Price (another "glamor model" like the aforementioned Kelly Brook who goes by the name Jordan), Prime Minister David Cameron, fashion model Kate Moss, TV show hostesses Carol Vorderman and Christine Bleakley, parliamentarian Nick Clegg, pop idol Madonna, Idol host Simon Cowell and F1 driver Lewis Hamilton.

For our part, we're not sure the Top Gear host (or for that matter the McLaren driver) would be at the very top of our list, but he certainly wouldn't be at the bottom. This after a similar study placed Jezza as the top choice for a house-sitter, one of the top five Brits that men would like to have a date with, and, most contradictingly, the country's top pick for a passenger on an on-road trip.

Continue reading Jeremy Clarkson voted worst off-road trip partner in UK survey

Jeremy Clarkson voted worst off-road trip partner in UK survey originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Feb 2012 10:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>britainclarksonconti 4x4 trophycontinentaljeremy clarksonpollstudysurveyThu, 02 Feb 2012 10:29:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20162165/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/02/02/jeremy-clarkson-voted-worst-off-road-trip-partner-in-uk-survey/20162165/article-detail.xml 20162165 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/02/clarkson1_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/02/clarkson1.jpg <![CDATA[<i>Consumer Reports</i>: Large majority favor stronger fuel economy standards]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/11/14/consumer-reports-large-majority-favor-stronger-fuel-econ/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/11/14/consumer-reports-large-majority-favor-stronger-fuel-econ/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/11/14/consumer-reports-large-majority-favor-stronger-fuel-econ/#commentsFiled under:

Chevrolet Volt

In advance of eagerly awaited details regarding proposed Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards, Consumer Reports has released results of a new survey, and - no surprise here - 93 percent of respondents "support increased fuel efficiency." Further revelations include 77 percent in favor of car manufacturers producing more fuel-efficient vehicles, and 80 percent agreeing with fuel economy standards requiring fleet averages to top 55 miles per gallon by 2025. Mark Cooper, Director of Research at the Consumer Federation of America, said in a statement,

"These results reflect the strongest support for higher fuel economy standards and willingness to adopt new fuel savings technologies we have seen to date."

If there's anything truly interesting to be gleaned from the results, it's that 56 percent of those surveyed claim to be considering a hybrid or EV, with fuel costs cited as a primary motivation. Correspondingly, 81 percent of consumers indicate that they would be willing to pay extra for a vehicle if it was cheaper to operate.

And these weren't just readers of Consumer Reports who were being polled. The Consumer Reports National Research Center conducted telephone interviews with 1,008 people over the age of 18 who were chosen as a "nationally representative probability sample."

While automakers have long decried Americans' willingness to put their money where their mouths are when it comes to fuel economy, if this survey is indeed reflective of consumer trends, that could be changing.

To read the full press release, continue past the jump.

Continue reading Consumer Reports: Large majority favor stronger fuel economy standards

Consumer Reports: Large majority favor stronger fuel economy standards originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 14 Nov 2011 17:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cafeconsumer reportscorporate average fuel economyepafuel economynhtsasurveyMon, 14 Nov 2011 17:28:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20105723/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/11/14/consumer-reports-large-majority-favor-stronger-fuel-econ/20105723/article-detail.xml 20105723 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/11/volteconomy02-opt_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/11/volteconomy02-opt.jpg <![CDATA[Survey: 66% believe drivers rely too much on technology]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/09/23/survey-66-believe-drivers-rely-too-much-on-technology/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/09/23/survey-66-believe-drivers-rely-too-much-on-technology/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/09/23/survey-66-believe-drivers-rely-too-much-on-technology/#commentsFiled under: ,



According to a new study released by MetLife, around 66 percent of those surveyed believe that drivers rely too heavily on technology while behind the wheel, and that reliance may contribute to unsafe driving. MetLife also found that drivers are more familiar with convenience tech than safety-oriented advancements.

Of those polled, 85 percent believe that cars are safer today than they used to be, and a whopping 90 percent are either very or somewhat familiar with GPS devices that can take attention from the road. In addition, 77 percent of those surveyed said that they were familiar with Bluetooth hands-free calling, despite the fact that a hands-free conversation can be just as distracting as driving while speaking on a cell phone.

In comparison, only 42 percent of those polled said they were somewhat familiar with electronic stability control while 31 percent of respondents said that they'd never heard of the system. Yes, these people are sharing the road with you. Hit the jump for a look at the full survey results.

Continue reading Survey: 66% believe drivers rely too much on technology

Survey: 66% believe drivers rely too much on technology originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 23 Sep 2011 14:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>metlifestudysurveytechnologytechnology studytechnology surveyFri, 23 Sep 2011 14:31:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20050518/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/09/23/survey-66-believe-drivers-rely-too-much-on-technology/20050518/article-detail.xml 20050518 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/09/myford-touch-630_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/09/myford-touch-630.jpg <![CDATA[Survey says U.S. drivers want red light cameras]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/07/07/survey-says-u-s-drivers-want-red-light-cameras/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/07/07/survey-says-u-s-drivers-want-red-light-cameras/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/07/07/survey-says-u-s-drivers-want-red-light-cameras/#commentsFiled under:

red light photoHaving written a number of pieces on red light cameras, we have come across surveys that showed a group of people being in favor of the intersection sentinels, but we have never come across a survey in which a majority of people in a particular city actually lobbied for the automated ticket generators. A poll taken by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety changes that. In a survey of people in 14 cities that have had "long-standing" red-light cameras, it found that a majority of people in all but one city were in favor of them. Only Long Beach, CA came in below the cut, at 48 percent. Washington, D.C. topped the 'yea'-ers with 78 percent.

The IIHS characterizes the results as "Two-thirds of drivers in 14 big cities with longstanding red light camera programs support their use." Now, we're not saying they're wrong, but we would like to see a larger sampling. The release states that "More than 3,000 people in the 14 study cities were interviewed by cellphone and landline between Feb. 19 and March 29," including folks in Chicago, Phoenix and San Diego. Those three hamlets boast 5,488,632 people, meaning that the survey includes less than a tenth of a percent of the population of those three cities alone, much less the entire 14.

Follow the link for the particulars. But, as Consumer Reports notes, with the IIHS saying 56 percent of Houstonians are in favor of cameras, but 53 percent of Houstonians rejecting red light cameras, we'll go with the voters and not the respondents for now.

Survey says U.S. drivers want red light cameras originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 07 Jul 2011 09:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>iihsInsurance Institute for Highway Safetypollred light camerared light photosurveyThu, 07 Jul 2011 09:28:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19983037/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/07/07/survey-says-u-s-drivers-want-red-light-cameras/19983037/article-detail.xml 19983037 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/07/red-light-photo_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/07/red-light-photo.jpg <![CDATA[You're Doing it Wrong: UK survey shows favorite summer driving song is... <i>Sweet Home Alabama</i>?!]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/08/18/youre-doing-it-wrong-uk-survey-shows-favorite-summer-driving-s/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/08/18/youre-doing-it-wrong-uk-survey-shows-favorite-summer-driving-s/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/08/18/youre-doing-it-wrong-uk-survey-shows-favorite-summer-driving-s/#commentsFiled under: ,

Lynyrd Skynyrd concert

UK firm HPI has some of the most intriguing customers in the business. The firm, akin to CarFax, provides a vetted history of a used car so buyers know what they're really getting. It has just concluded a survey of its customers to find out what they like most for road trip jams, and out of all the classic rock tracks being laid down in 1974, Lynyrd Skynyrd's distinctly non-British Sweet Home Alabama took the top spot.

Right behind Skynyrd came hometown favorite Katrina and the Waves with Walking on Sunshine, one of only three English acts on a list that zooms through genres and has only one song from the last twenty years: The Killers' Mr. Brightsides. Follow the jump for the rest of the songs, and if you take a trip with an HPI user, get ready for anything...

[Source: HPI | Image: Astrid Stawiarz/Getty]

Continue reading You're Doing it Wrong: UK survey shows favorite summer driving song is... Sweet Home Alabama?!

You're Doing it Wrong: UK survey shows favorite summer driving song is... Sweet Home Alabama?! originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 18 Aug 2010 17:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>beach boysBeachBoysdriving musicdriving songDrivingMusicDrivingSongfavorite driving songsFavoriteDrivingSongshpikatrina and the wavesKatrinaAndTheWaveslynyrd skynyrdLynyrdSkynyrdmr. brightsidesMr.Brightsidesmusicskynyrd nationSkynyrdNationsurveysweet home alabamaSweetHomeAlabamathe killersTheKillerswalkin on sunshinewalking on sunshineWalkingOnSunshineWalkinOnSunshineWed, 18 Aug 2010 17:32:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19597942/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/08/18/youre-doing-it-wrong-uk-survey-shows-favorite-summer-driving-s/19597942/article-detail.xml 19597942 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/08/skynyrd-nation-630-getty_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/08/skynyrd-nation-630-getty.jpg <![CDATA[Domestics surpass imports as a whole in 2010 J.D. Power APEAL study]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/07/15/domestics-surpass-imports-as-a-whole-in-j-d-power-2010-apeal-st/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/07/15/domestics-surpass-imports-as-a-whole-in-j-d-power-2010-apeal-st/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/07/15/domestics-surpass-imports-as-a-whole-in-j-d-power-2010-apeal-st/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

Click above for gallery of the graphics from J.D. Power and Associates

Porsche once again grabs the top spot (for the sixth time in a row) in the J.D. Power and Associates 2010 Automotive Performance, Execution, and Layout (APEAL) Study. This year's study asked 76,000 owners 90 days after purchasing their 2010 model-year cars "how gratifying their new vehicle is to own and drive." The answer, for the first time since 1997, was that the domestic brands were more "appealing" as a whole than the imports (the domestics earned a score of 787 on a 1,000-point scale - 13 points greater than the imports).

When it comes down to specific awards (as shown in the segment-level graphics), Ford leads with five. The automaker earned one each for the Expedition, Explorer Sport Trac, Flex, Fusion and Taurus. Audi, BMW, Chevrolet, Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen each garner two awards. The Ford Taurus and Chevrolet Avalanche, both segment leaders, are the only two models that ranked highest in the 2010 APEAL study and in the 2010 Initial Quality Study (IQS) announced in June. Suzuki is credited with the greatest improvement this year, while Jeep drops one slot from last year's 2009 APEAL Study and falls to the bottom of the list for 2010. Check out the gallery for the graphics, and read the full press release after the break.


Gallery: J.D. Power 2010 APEAL Awards


[Source: JDPower.com]

Continue reading Domestics surpass imports as a whole in 2010 J.D. Power APEAL study

Domestics surpass imports as a whole in 2010 J.D. Power APEAL study originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 15 Jul 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2009 APEAL2009 IQS2009Apeal2009Iqs2010 APEAL2010 Study2010Apeal2010StudyAPEALAPEAL StudyApealStudyAwardExecutionIQSj.d. powerJ.D. Power and AssociatesJ.d.PowerJ.d.PowerAndAssociatesjd powerJDPAJdPowerLayoutPerformanceRecipientSurveyThu, 15 Jul 2010 13:00:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19555001/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/07/15/domestics-surpass-imports-as-a-whole-in-j-d-power-2010-apeal-st/19555001/article-detail.xml 19555001 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/07/apealpage_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/07/apealpage.jpg <![CDATA[Jeremy Clarkson voted top UK housesitter. Seriously?]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/15/jeremy-clarkson-voted-top-uk-housesitter/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/15/jeremy-clarkson-voted-top-uk-housesitter/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/15/jeremy-clarkson-voted-top-uk-housesitter/#commentsFiled under: , ,



As much as we enjoy Jeremy Clarkson and Top Gear, we do occasionally marvel at how thoroughly the man seems to have gripped the attention of Brits. When 1,182 residents of the Sceptered Isle were polled about who they'd like to have most as a celebrity housesitter, Clarkson was the top choice. Jeremy Clarkson, the host of a car show, beat BBC presenter Christine Bleakley, home improvement guru Sarah Beeny and singer Cheryl Cole in the top four, then a Lord at number five and some unknown soccer player named Rooney at number six.

The fact that a notoriously fiery soccer football superstar and tabloid staple made the list at all as someone you'd want tending your valuables while you're out of town does put respondents' mindsets into a new perspective. But still, Jeremy Clarkson? Full details in the press release after the jump.

[Source: Money Supermarket]

Continue reading Jeremy Clarkson voted top UK housesitter. Seriously?

Jeremy Clarkson voted top UK housesitter. Seriously? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 15 Jun 2010 07:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cheryl coleCherylColeChristine BleakleyChristineBleakleyhouse sitterhouse sittingHouseSitterhousesittingjeremy clarksonJeremyClarksonsarah beenySarahBeenysurveywayne rooneyWayneRooneyTue, 15 Jun 2010 07:59:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19514530/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/06/15/jeremy-clarkson-voted-top-uk-housesitter/19514530/article-detail.xml 19514530 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/06/jeremy-clarkson_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/06/jeremy-clarkson.jpg <![CDATA[Survey: Aston Martin DB9 is UK's favorite car of last 25 years]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/04/18/survey-aston-martin-db9-is-uks-favorite-car-of-last-25-years/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/04/18/survey-aston-martin-db9-is-uks-favorite-car-of-last-25-years/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/04/18/survey-aston-martin-db9-is-uks-favorite-car-of-last-25-years/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



It's just six years old, but Britons have lived with it long enough to declare the Aston Martin DB9 their favorite car of the past 25 years. Great Britain's drivers were asked to choose their favorite car from a list of 30 rides going back to 1985 and fully ten percent of them chose Aston's middle-child coupe, said to be "synonymous with James Bond" even though he never drove one. Germany rounded out the podium spots with the Volkswagen Golf at number two, and the (Anglo-SaxonGerman) Mini at number three.

You can follow the jump for the press release on the survey. Or you can have a look at the DB9 Volante in the high-res gallery below and see if you can figure out why its hardtop sibling took home the trophy.


Gallery: Review: 2009 Aston Martin DB9 Volante


[Source: Direct Line]

Continue reading Survey: Aston Martin DB9 is UK's favorite car of last 25 years

Survey: Aston Martin DB9 is UK's favorite car of last 25 years originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 18 Apr 2010 18:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aston martin db9AstonMartinDb9awardbritaindb9surveySun, 18 Apr 2010 18:33:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19444127/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/04/18/survey-aston-martin-db9-is-uks-favorite-car-of-last-25-years/19444127/article-detail.xml 19444127 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/04/astondb9favuk_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/04/astondb9favuk.jpg <![CDATA[<i>Top Gear</i> brings the firepower, named UK's favorite show of the decade]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/28/top-gear-brings-the-firepower-named-uks-favorite-show-o/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/28/top-gear-brings-the-firepower-named-uks-favorite-show-o/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/28/top-gear-brings-the-firepower-named-uks-favorite-show-o/#commentsFiled under: , ,



As fellow car fanatics, it's often hard for us Statesiders to get a clear picture as to how big of a phenomenon Top Gear really is over in the UK. After all, we hardly have a proper frame of reference - the only car shows that really draw significant audience shares in America are the 500s (your choice of Daytona or Indianapolis), and everything else is comparatively minor - from failed series attempts like NBC's Night Rider redux to the Speed network and stalwarts like MotorWeek.So... just how big are Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond in Blighty? The Great Britains have just been named heads of the biggest show of the decade.

According to the Daily Mail, a new survey conducted by YouGov (commissioned for a Channel4 tv special), The Greatest TV Show of the Noughties, the forty-something boys and their fabulous toys topped all comers from all genres. The BBC program beat out such programs as the UK's homegrown version of The Apprentice, Doctor Who, The Office, The Simpsons, and Britain's Got Talent.

[Source: Daily Mail | Image: Shaun Curry/AFP/Getty]

Top Gear brings the firepower, named UK's favorite show of the decade originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 28 Dec 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BBCChannel4James MayJamesMayJeremy ClarksonJeremyClarksonRichard HammondRichardHammondsurveyTop GearTopGearMon, 28 Dec 2009 11:00:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19295556/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2009/12/28/top-gear-brings-the-firepower-named-uks-favorite-show-o/19295556/article-detail.xml 19295556 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/12/bbc-top-gear-boys-tank-bridge-getty-630_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/12/bbc-top-gear-boys-tank-bridge-getty-630.jpg <![CDATA[Hyundai Genesis wins inaugural J.D. Power Vehicle Launch Index study]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/22/hyundai-genesis-wins-inaugural-j-d-power-vehicle-launch-index/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/22/hyundai-genesis-wins-inaugural-j-d-power-vehicle-launch-index/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/22/hyundai-genesis-wins-inaugural-j-d-power-vehicle-launch-index/#commentsFiled under: , ,


2009 Hyundai Genesis sedan - Click above for high-res gallery

The metric-meisters over at J.D. Power and Associates have announced that they have added yet another automotive study to their arsenal. This time out, JDP has launched its inaugural Vehicle Launch Index, which seeks to measure how new vehicles perform within their first eight months on the market.

J.D. Power says that its VLI integrates such factors as "turn rate, vehicle revenue, dealer gross profit, incentive spend, credit quality and residual value." In addition, the study also makes use of automaker provided figures on model mix, incentive spend, supply levels, as well as utilizing some of the company's other survey results to add vehicle quality and design elements into the results.

So... which model is tops in meeting this balancing act? The 2009 Hyundai Genesis with a score of 689 (out of 1,000 possible points), beating out Ford's F-150 (673) and Volkswagen's Tiguan (663). For reference, the study ranks the industry's average score as 582. At the other end of the spectrum, vehicles like the Toyota Matrix, Dodge Ram, Pontiac Vibe, and Dodge Journey all scored poorly. Check out the full results in the press release after the jump.


Gallery: Review: 2009 Hyundai Genesis


Photos copyright (C)2009 Michael Harley/ Weblogs, Inc.

[Source: J.D. Power]

Continue reading Hyundai Genesis wins inaugural J.D. Power Vehicle Launch Index study

Hyundai Genesis wins inaugural J.D. Power Vehicle Launch Index study originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 22 Jul 2009 15:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>car qualityCarQualityHyundaiHyundai GenesisHyundaiGenesisJ.D. PowerJ.d.PowerJD POwerJDPJDPowerstudysurveyVehicle qualityVehicleQualityWed, 22 Jul 2009 15:29:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19106202/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2009/07/22/hyundai-genesis-wins-inaugural-j-d-power-vehicle-launch-index/19106202/article-detail.xml 19106202 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/07/genesis_sed_1280_31_opta_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/07/genesis_sed_1280_31_opta.jpg <![CDATA[STUDY: More Americans planning to keep their cars longer... are you? [w/POLL]]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/16/study-more-americans-plan-to-keep-their-cars-longer-are-you/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/16/study-more-americans-plan-to-keep-their-cars-longer-are-you/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/16/study-more-americans-plan-to-keep-their-cars-longer-are-you/#commentsFiled under: ,



Automakers looking for a relatively quick turnaround in the auto market probably aren't going to like a new survey from AutoPacific. The annual survey of over 32,000 consumers gauges public interest in new car buying, and the 2009 survey shows that a lot fewer people are looking for a new car these days.

Back in 2005, only 46% of those queried said they were waiting more than four years to buy a new car, and this year that number rose to 59%; a whopping 13% increase. The survey asks if car buyers are looking to buy in six months to a year, one to two years, two to three years, three to four years, or four or more years, and the numbers are down across the board verses last year. A paltry 1.49% of those surveyed said they were looking to buy in the next year, down 1.05% from last year, and 2.12% as compared to 2005. The number of survey participants looking to buy in the next one to two years has been cut in half to only 5.68%, which doesn't bode well for the short-term future of car sales.

These survey numbers could foreshadow more troubles for the auto industry, and AutoPacific president George Peterson sees this as a long-term issue:
"We'll not be seeing the frequent replacement pattern brought about by strong incentives and financing programs that made it easy and financially reasonable over the last decade for consumers to get into a new car frequently. This may also tell us that consumers will be putting a higher priority on vehicles with a reputation for quality and durability that meets not only their short-term needs, but also their long-term expected needs."
As bad as these numbers look, we're guessing that they're more a reflection of the state of the economy than a long-term assessment of the auto industry, although they could also have something to do with improving vehicle reliability and the increasing commonality of longer warranties. Still, AutoPacific's numbers changed drastically from 2008, meaning many that said they would buy a vehicle in a certain time frame only last year have changed their minds a year later. If the economy picks up, we suspect some will change their minds again. If the nation's financial picture remains mired in a depression, though, sales will continue to be slow. Either way, we've got the feeling that the days of 16-17 million annual new car sales in the U.S. are behind us.

Are you planning on keeping your car longer these days? Take our survey (and check out the official press release and chart) after the jump, then drop your fellow reader a line in 'Comments.'

[Source: AutoPacific | Image: George Marks/Getty]

Continue reading STUDY: More Americans planning to keep their cars longer... are you? [w/POLL]

STUDY: More Americans planning to keep their cars longer... are you? [w/POLL] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 16 Jul 2009 12:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>auto pacificAutoPacificcar buyingCarBuyingsurveyThu, 16 Jul 2009 12:57:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19099776/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2009/07/16/study-more-americans-plan-to-keep-their-cars-longer-are-you/19099776/article-detail.xml 19099776 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/07/vintage-mechanic-photo-getty-580_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/07/vintage-mechanic-photo-getty-580.jpg <![CDATA[STUDY: Toyota and Honda supplier relations suffer while Ford, GM improve]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/05/26/report-japanese-automakers-supplier-relations-suffer-ford-mak/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/05/26/report-japanese-automakers-supplier-relations-suffer-ford-mak/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/05/26/report-japanese-automakers-supplier-relations-suffer-ford-mak/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,



In the latest installment of an annual supplier relations survey put together by Planning Perspectives, Honda and Toyota have upheld their top positions in spite of suppliers describing downgrading them to merely "adequate." Still above average in supplier relations rankings (along with Nissan), previously Japan's two largest automakers were ranked "good to very good." Honda is still gets top marks for involving suppliers in product development and for helping suppliers lower costs and increase quality, while Toyota's decline was attributed to "less experienced staff in Toyota's purchasing group for whom the 'Toyota Way' is not yet the way of doing things."

Domestically, the big winner was Ford. All three domestic makers still rank below average in supplier relations, but six years ago, Ford was dead last among the top six carmakers. This year, Ford takes the U.S. crown, with just 19% of surveyed suppliers saying they'd rather not do business with the company (or that they are ambivalent about it). For its part, General Motors has also improved, but Chrysler has, not surprisingly, remained on the bottom: Fully 54% of surveyed suppliers said they would rather not do business with the Pentastar. Thank you for the tip, Leonard!

[Source: Auto News, sub req'd]

STUDY: Toyota and Honda supplier relations suffer while Ford, GM improve originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 26 May 2009 17:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chryslerfordgmhondanissansuppliersupplierssurveytier-1toyotaTue, 26 May 2009 17:27:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/1555600/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2009/05/26/report-japanese-automakers-supplier-relations-suffer-ford-mak/1555600/article-detail.xml 1555600 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/05/ford_suppliers_rel_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/05/ford_suppliers_rel.jpg <![CDATA[STUDY: 88% of Americans believe hybrid leadership is crucial to U.S. - Do you? [w/POLL]]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/05/13/study-88-of-americans-believe-hybrid-leadership-is-crucial-to/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/05/13/study-88-of-americans-believe-hybrid-leadership-is-crucial-to/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/05/13/study-88-of-americans-believe-hybrid-leadership-is-crucial-to/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



We Americans want hybrid leadership. We want to reduce our dependence on foreign oil. Trouble is, most of us aren't willing to pay for it. Johnson Controls surveyed 2309 adults on all matters hybrid, and it found that 84% of Americans believe the government should support the advancement of hybrid technology and fully 88% believe hybrid leadership is crucial to America's future. But the devil is in the details, and few things bring out the worst in people more than money.

The survey asked whether car buyers would expect to pay more, less, or about the same amount as a comparable gasoline-powered vehicle. 23% of the adults surveyed said they were willing to pay more for a hybrid, while 35% would only purchase a car with battery assistance if it cost the same as a comparable non-hybrid. 33% actually think they should pay less for a hybrid than a conventional vehicle. And the other 11%? They wouldn't purchase a hybrid at any price. Click through to the jump for more on the study, the official press release, and the chance to participate in our poll.

[Source: Johnson Controls]

Continue reading STUDY: 88% of Americans believe hybrid leadership is crucial to U.S. - Do you? [w/POLL]

STUDY: 88% of Americans believe hybrid leadership is crucial to U.S. - Do you? [w/POLL] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 13 May 2009 12:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>emissionsgas-electricgreen carGreenCarhybridjohnson controlsJohnsonControlspriussurveyWed, 13 May 2009 12:29:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/1544219/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2009/05/13/study-88-of-americans-believe-hybrid-leadership-is-crucial-to/1544219/article-detail.xml 1544219 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/05/prius-hybrid-badge-580x_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/05/prius-hybrid-badge-580x.jpg <![CDATA[STUDY: 76% of Americans believe economy can survive without GM]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/04/02/study-76-of-americans-believe-economy-can-survive-without-gm/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/04/02/study-76-of-americans-believe-economy-can-survive-without-gm/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/04/02/study-76-of-americans-believe-economy-can-survive-without-gm/#commentsFiled under: , ,



According to The Detroit Free Press, Rasmussen Reports called 1,000 people and asked them if they believed "the economy could recover without General Motors in business." The results were clear: 76% of respondents said "Yes, it can." The sentiment against any more taxpayer money being used to assist automakers was clear as well: 62% said neither GM nor Chrysler should receive any more loans.

Just as interestingly, the public appears to expect failure from one of the two companies: Fully 59% said that it was "very likely" or "somewhat likely" that GM or Chrysler will go out of business in the next few years.

Yet while the results of this survey are clear, it could be that the first question itself is slightly misleading: The economy could recover without a lot of companies, including AIG and Citibank. After all, you can't really kill an economy as long as there are people left to exchange goods and services, right? The real issue is whether people are prepared and willing to deal with the fallout from such companies going out of business.

[Source: Detroit Free Press]

STUDY: 76% of Americans believe economy can survive without GM originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Apr 2009 12:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>earningsfinancialsgmgm bailoutgm bankruptcygm bridge loanGmBailoutGmBankruptcyGmBridgeLoanpollsurveyThu, 02 Apr 2009 12:59:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/1505413/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2009/04/02/study-76-of-americans-believe-economy-can-survive-without-gm/1505413/article-detail.xml 1505413 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/04/gm_bk_ok_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/04/gm_bk_ok.jpg <![CDATA[Survey: One in ten Brits have gotten romantic as a result of the car someone drives]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/02/18/survey-one-in-ten-brits-have-gotten-romantic-as-a-result-of-the/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/02/18/survey-one-in-ten-brits-have-gotten-romantic-as-a-result-of-the/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/02/18/survey-one-in-ten-brits-have-gotten-romantic-as-a-result-of-the/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,



Now that another Valentine's Day has passed, we can offer a little advice to those of you who might have avoided Cupid's arrows another year. If you're struggling to find that special someone, maybe you should stop searching on eHarmony and start looking in your garage. A new survey by British insurance specialist Diamond puts some numbers to what we've known all along, namely that people are more attracted to others who drive nice cars. The company polled 3,000 people and 36% admitted that they judge someone's attractiveness based on the car he or she drives. Even more to the point, one in ten admitted they would date someone with a nice car, even if they found the driver unattractive, and 20% said that the more expensive the car, the better looking the driver.

It should come as no surprise that men are more superficial than women from these results, with men twice as likely to date an "ugly" woman because of her car, and 50% admitting the car's price makes the driver more attractive. The makes of cars that bring the most positive reaction are, unsurprisingly, Aston Martin, Ferrari, and Lamborghini, although men chose a Ferrari-driving lady as tops. Unless you're extremely attractive, the report says its best to avoid being seen in a SEAT, Chevrolet, or Skoda, which were the lowest rated brands in the survey. And God forbid your ride is brown, as that hue was voted the least attractive colo(u)r. If you're stuck with a brown SEAT, at least consider painting it black, the sexiest color on the list. Maybe by next Valentine's Day, you'll be lucky enough to be James Bond in a black DBS, or Christie Brinkley in a red 308.

[Source: Easier.com]

Survey: One in ten Brits have gotten romantic as a result of the car someone drives originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 18 Feb 2009 09:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>attractivenessbest looking carBestLookingCardriver attractivenessDriverAttractivenessmotoristsexiest carSexiestCarsexy carSexyCarsurveyWed, 18 Feb 2009 09:58:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/1460109/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2009/02/18/survey-one-in-ten-brits-have-gotten-romantic-as-a-result-of-the/1460109/article-detail.xml 1460109 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/02/bonddbs_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/02/bonddbs.jpg -1 2