TOP-100 of Safe Cars According to Drivers Was Made in Europe
Another large-scale
research was conducted by the European branch of J.D. Power agency.
The agency is engaged in global questionnaire surveys of car owners, who
purchased their cars over a year ago and covered about 30 000 km in
average. A huge questionnaire has been filled in by 17 200 motorists, who
bought the cars within the period from January 2007 to December 2008. The
questions that the car owners had to answer were very diverse. They had to do
with operation of the car assemblies, safety, comfort of a cabin,
transportation of luggage, up to simple general impressions from a car, reports
rus.DELFI.ee.
All together ratings for 104 models of 27 manufacturers have been received. As
a result of the questionnaires processing the cars were assessed according to
four parameters, each of which having its weight in final rating, received by
this or that model:
# complaints of owners – 37%;
# quality and safety – 24%;
# ownership and expenses – 22%;
# quality of dealers’ service – 17%.
Parameters “Quality and Safety” as well as “Complaints of Owners” really give
an objective evaluation of a definite car regardless of a country, where the vehicle
operates. But on the other hand cost of ownership and dealers’ service may vary
a lot from country to country, because on each market a supplier may pursue a completely
different policy in terms of choice of dealers and prices for auto parts and
repair.
In whole the poll reflects satisfaction of the car owner with his car – to what
percent this or that model has come to expectations of its owners.
Absolutely best result has been achieved by Lexus crossover. Model Lexus RX showed
the result of customer satisfaction at the level of 86,7% and was quite far – for
3% – from the second place, which is taken by prestigious sedan Jaguar XF. Not
so long ago cars of Jaguar have occupied quite low positions in ratings of
safety, especially if these ratings were issued in Germany or the USA. But now,
firstly, Jaguar really gains less complaints from owners about quality and
safety of its models, secondly, this research has been conducted in the UK, where
people are quite loyal to the domestic car manufacturer – the British pride. The
third place in the global list of satisfaction belongs to one more Lexus – sedan
IS.
By the way, except for the dashed forward Lexus RX, the other 103 models have been
quite near to each other – there are no obvious downfalls: the cars are grouped
densely and a gap in the results of the second and the last place was only
about 10%.
Customer satisfaction does not depend on the car size or body type at all. A
tiny city Toyota hatchback, a Honda compact-van, prestigious Audi and Jaguar sedans,
Lexus and Honda crossovers, a KIA model of C-class climbed up the first TOP-10.
It is noticeable that cars of premium makes, including Audi, BMW and
Mercedes-Benz, have found their places in the first half of the list. Together
with them Honda, Toyota and Volkswagen models have firmly settled down here.
|
City Minicars
| |||
|
¹
|
Model
|
Result
|
General Place
|
|
1
|
Toyota Aygo
|
80.7%
|
31
|
|
2
|
Fiat Panda
|
80.4%
|
43
|
|
3
|
Smart Fortwo
|
80.2%
|
46
|
|
4
|
Fiat 500
|
79.4%
|
52
|
|
5
|
Volkswagen Fox
|
78.3%
|
66
|
|
6
|
Citroen C1
|
76.4%
|
90
|
|
7
|
Chevrolet Matiz
|
76.1%
|
93
|
|
8
|
Kia Picanto
|
75.5%
|
98
|
|
9
|
Peugeot 107
|
75.2%
|
99
|
|
10
|
Ford Ka
|
73.3%
|
104
|
Among city minicars the best ratings for quality
and safety went to FIAT Panda and Citroen C1; and when it touched upon
complaints of owners, least of all complaints was concerning FIAT 500, while
French models and old Ford Ka got it hot from the British. And as for dealers’
work and cost of maintenance, Toyota Aygo and Smart ForTwo got high ratings and
appeared to be the best in the class of city subcompacts. Two FIAT – Panda and
500 – kept their company.
|
City Compact Hatchbacks and Compact-Vans
| |||
|
¹
|
Model
|
Result
|
General Place
|
|
1
|
Honda Jazz
|
83.1%
|
7
|
|
2
|
Toyota Yaris
|
83.1%
|
8
|
|
3
|
Mazda 2
|
81.1%
|
26
|
|
4
|
Mini
|
80.8%
|
30
|
|
5
|
Skoda Fabia
|
80.5%
|
37
|
|
6
|
Nissan Note
|
80.3%
|
45
|
|
7
|
Volkswagen
Polo
|
80.2%
|
46
|
|
8
|
Mitsubishi
Colt
|
79.5%
|
51
|
|
9
|
Ford Fusion
|
78.9%
|
57
|
|
10
|
Citroen C2
|
78.6%
|
63
|
Altogether there are 23 models
represented in this category. The list is headed by Japanese models and small
English MINI. Honda Jazz and Toyota Yaris have been recognized the best in
terms of quality and safety. Besides, the highest score for safety has been
given to Mitsubishi Colt, and for quality of a cabin – to Volkswagen Polo. At
the bottom of the list good results in quality and safety have been shown by Ford
Fiesta, Citroen C3 and Opel Meriva, which is sold in England under the Vauxhall
trademark. Least of all complaints have been gained by the most striking, and
above all, the most English automobile MINI. The highest ratings for service
and cost of maintenance in Great Britain went to Toyota Yaris.
|
Cars of C-Class
| |||
|
¹
|
Model
|
Result
|
General Place
|
|
1
|
Kia Cee’d
|
83.8%
|
4
|
|
2
|
BMW 1 Series
|
82.4%
|
11
|
|
3
|
Skoda Octavia
|
82.4%
|
12
|
|
4
|
Honda Civic
|
82.0%
|
18
|
|
5
|
Volkswagen Jetta
|
81.6%
|
21
|
|
6
|
Volvo C30
|
81.3%
|
23
|
|
7
|
Mercedes-Benz
A-Class
|
81.2%
|
25
|
|
8
|
Volkswagen
Golf
|
80.6%
|
35
|
|
9
|
Audi A3
|
80.5%
|
37
|
|
10
|
Toyota Auris
|
79.3%
|
53
|
Here comes the first absolutely unexpected result: among 19 models of
golf-class an affordable Korean model of Slovakian make was to the consumer’s
taste most of all. Perfect quality and safety, absence of complaints and low
prices for service led KIA Cee’d to the first place in the class and to the fourth
place in the overall ranking of buyers’ satisfaction. KIA Cee’d has overrun not
only the standard of the class VW Golf, but also BMW, Audi and Volvo premium-compacts.
The latter, Volvo C30, obtained the highest scores for quality and safety. High
scores for safety also went to VW Jetta and KIA Cee’d. Quality of a body was
the best by Toyota Auris, and the highest rating for safety has also been
gained by new Mazda3.
|
Cars of D-Class
| |||
|
¹
|
Model
|
Result
|
General Place
|
|
1
|
Honda Accord
|
83.7%
|
5
|
|
2
|
Toyota Prius
|
83.4%
|
6
|
|
3
|
Volvo S40
|
82.4%
|
11
|
|
4
|
Toyota Avensis
|
80.6%
|
35
|
|
5
|
Mazda 6
|
80.4%
|
43
|
|
6
|
Volvo 50
|
80.2%
|
46
|
|
7
|
Ford Mondeo
|
80.1%
|
49
|
|
8
|
Volkswagen
Passat
|
80.0%
|
50
|
|
9
|
Citroen C5
|
78.8%
|
59
|
|
10
|
Vauxhall
Vectra
|
77.3%
|
78
|
A strict division of the consumer’s preferences is traced in scores of 12 cars
of D-class. The highest scores went to Japanese models and Volvo, followed by
German and French models. The highest ratings for quality and safety have been
gained only by Toyota Prius. One more highest score for quality of a body goes
to Honda Accord, and no more models in this class gained the highest scores for
safety and quality. But on the other hand Accord had minimum number of
complaints. Customers were loyal to Volvo S40 as well. The highest score for
cost of ownership of course went to hybrid Prius.
|
Compact-Premium
| |||
|
¹
|
Model
|
Result
|
General Place
|
|
1
|
Lexus IS
|
83.9%
|
2
|
|
2
|
Mercedes-Benz
C-Class
|
82.3%
|
14
|
|
3
|
Audi A5
|
81.7%
|
20
|
|
4
|
Jaguar X-Type
|
81.0%
|
27
|
|
5
|
BMW 3 Series
|
80.7%
|
31
|
|
6
|
Audi A4
|
80.5%
|
37
|
|
7
|
Saab 9-3
|
78.6%
|
63
|
Japanese Lexus can boast of the highest ratings for quality and safety. High
scores for safety have been also gained by Mercedes C-Class. As for small number
of complaints, Audi model was noticeable for high ratings, and in terms of advantageous
cost of ownership consumers of Great Britain have chosen native Jaguar X-Type.
|
Premium
| |||
|
¹
|
Model
|
Result
|
General Place
|
|
1
|
Jaguar XF
|
83.9%
|
2
|
|
2
|
Audi A6 /
Allroad
|
82.7%
|
9
|
|
3
|
Mercedes
E-Class
|
82.2%
|
17
|
|
4
|
Volvo V70
|
80.9%
|
28
|
|
5
|
BMW 5 Series
|
80.5%
|
37
|
Neither Japanese, nor American manufacturers of this class of automobiles were
present in the research. New Jaguar XF has celebrated its victory over German
competitors, though it has obtained the lowest score in its class for safety. But
on the other hand the British relished quality of Jaguar interior. Loyalty to the
native brand slips out in high ratings of Jaguar XF for absence of complaints
as well. The highest score for safety went to BMW 5-Series, which did not
prevent BMW from being at the bottom of its class rating of customer
satisfaction. Consumers considered cars of Audi A6 family to be the best in
terms of safety and quality of production in this class.
|
Sport Cars
| |||
|
¹
|
Model
|
Result
|
General Place
|
|
1
|
Mazda MX-5
|
82.3%
|
14
|
|
2
|
Mercedes-Benz
SLK
|
82.0%
|
18
|
|
3
|
Volkswagen Eos
|
81.3%
|
23
|
|
4
|
Audi TT
|
79.3%
|
53
|
|
5
|
Mercedes-Benz
CLK
|
78.7%
|
61
|
Mazda MX-5 is again unrivalled. The two-seat roadster was considered the safest
and of the highest quality and obtained minimum complaints about its body from
owners as well. The highest rating for safety also went to VW Eos, and the least
of all complaints from consumers was gathered by Mercedes-Benz SLK.
|
Minivans
| |||
|
¹
|
Model
|
Result
|
General Place
|
|
1
|
Mercedes-Benz
C-Class
|
81.4%
|
22
|
|
2
|
Citroen Grand
C-4 Picasso
|
80.9%
|
28
|
|
3
|
Toyota Verso
|
80.7%
|
31
|
|
4
|
Citroen C-4
Picasso
|
80.5%
|
37
|
|
5
|
Volkswagen
Golf Plus
|
80.5%
|
37
|
|
6
|
Volkswagen
Touran
|
78.4%
|
65
|
|
7
|
Renault Scenic
|
78.2%
|
68
|
|
8
|
Ford S-Max
|
77.8%
|
72
|
|
9
|
Ford C-Max
|
77.5%
|
76
|
|
10
|
Renault Grand
Scenic
|
77.4%
|
77
|
In the class of minivans among 15 cars the highest score for safety went only
to Renault Scenic, and the highest rating for quality of interior and body went
only to Mazda5. However high scores for safety and quality did not have any
influence on a general position in the rating. Renault and Mazda appeared to be on the
seventh and eleventh places correspondingly. Low quantity of complaints of Mercedes
B-Class and Citroen Grand C4 Picasso owners allowed these models to become
leaders of the minivan class. Ford S-Max obtained the same ratings for low
quantity of complaints as Mercedes B-Class, but high cost of ownership sent
Ford back to the ninth place.
|
Crossovers
| |||
|
¹
|
Model
|
Result
|
General Place
|
|
1
|
Lexus RX
|
86.7%
|
1
|
|
2
|
Honda CR-V
|
82.7%
|
9
|
|
3
|
Toyota Rav-4
|
82.3%
|
14
|
|
4
|
Nissan Qashqai
|
80.7%
|
31
|
|
5
|
BMW X5
|
79.0%
|
55
|
|
6
|
Nissan X-Trail
|
79.0%
|
55
|
|
7
|
Land Rover
Freelander
|
77.9%
|
71
|
|
8
|
Land Rover
Discovery
|
77.7%
|
74
|
Lexus RX not only became the leader of the crossover class, but also topped by
a head the general list of 104 models. Lexus RX has acquired the highest
ratings for all parameters. In terms of safety and quality Lexus is followed by
Nissan X-Trail, but it had a lot of complaints from owners. The lowest scores
for safety and quality of production went to BMW X5 and Land Rover Discovery.
June 17, 2010
