The 2005 survey of North American new car
buyers is out, and GM comes out on top – winning five categories, more than any other automaker.
The annual
survey, conducted by market research firm Strategic
Vision, attempts to quantify “customer delight” – a customer’s emotional commitment to their vehicle,
stimulated by the manufacturer’s ability to delight their customers with specific attributes of their vehicle that
resonate with the customer’s needs and values. Customer “satisfaction” looks backward at the ownership
experience, while “delight” captures the initial “honeymoon” period. [I think that means that a
delighted customer really, really likes their car…]
Winners and losers after the jump.
GM’s winners were:
- Chevrolet Malibu Maxx – Medium Multi-function
- Pontiac G6 – Medium
Car - Cadillac DeVille (tied with BMW 3-Series) – Near Luxury Car
- Buick Rainier – Medium
SUV - GMC Sierra 2500/3500 – Heavy Duty Pickup
The car with the most delighted owners:
Audi A8 (Luxury Car category).
Honda won in four categories: Compact Pickup (Ridgeline), Small SUV
(Element), Minivan (Odyssey), Mid-Specialty Car (Accord Coupe).
Despite its enviable reputation for
customer satisfaction, Toyota failed to win any “delight” category, although the Lexus GX 470 topped the
Luxury SUV segment.