Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, October 5, 1995 TAG: 9510050046
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: B-8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: DETROIT LENGTH: Medium
J.D. Power and Associates, which made itself famous by ranking cars based on driver irritation with flaws, has concocted a measurement that gauges driver happiness - things gone right instead of wrong.
``Some people will be willing to put up with a defect here and there if they get a payoff in some other way,'' Chance Parker, group director J.D. Power's Troy, Mich. office, said Wednesday.
Its Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout Study ranked new cars and trucks in seven categories based on a survey that measured 100 different ``emotional'' attributes of 196 models.
The idea was to gauge the attitudes of owners - what they really like - in categories such as styling, engine and transmission, comfort and convenience, ride and handling, seats, sound system, climate controls, cockpit layout and instrument panels.
The top vehicle score was in the luxury category - German automaker BMW's 7-Series models. Chevrolet Corvette led among sporty cars, BMW's 325 sedan was the top midsize car, and Volkswagen's Golf was best among small cars in the survey.
Chevrolet Tahoe was the top-ranking sport utility vehicle, Dodge Ram led the pickups, and Honda Odyssey the vans.
The BMW 7-Series score on the survey's 1,000-point index was 841 - ``a nice, solid B,'' Parker said. The average for all vehicles in the survey was 682; the lowest score was 544.
``The message is that there is considerable opportunity for product enhancements to make cars and trucks more appealing to own and operate,'' said J.D. Power III, president of the research firm.
The study surveyed 28,000 owners who registered new 1995 cars or trucks in January and February.
J.D. Power and Associates, based in Agoura Hills, Calif., is known for its annual surveys of vehicle quality and owner satisfaction, which it sells to automakers and others in the industry.
The carmakers use Power surveys in their advertising and to compare with their own research on product quality and customer satisfaction.
THE MOST APPEALING CARS
Luxury Cars
1. BMW 7-Series
2. Lexus LS 400
3. Lexus SC 300/400
Sports/Sporty Cars
1. Chevrolet Corvette
2. Chevrolet Monte Carlo
3. Ford Mustang Convertible
Midsize Cars
1. BMW 325 sedan
2. Toyota Avalon
3. Volvo 850 wagon
Sport Utility Vehicles
1. Chevrolet Tahoe
2. GMC Yukon
3. Ford Explorer
Pickups
1. Dodge Ram
2. Toyota T100
3. GMC Sierra
Vans
1. Honda Odyssey
2. Chrysler Town & Country
3. Oldsmobile Silhouette
Small Cars
1. Volkswagen Golf 2-Door/GTI
2. Dodge Neon sedan
3. Saturn sedan
by CNB