Printer Friendly Version
E-mail this ArticleHow do you measure value? By price alone? The highest quality per dollar? Or by the feeling of satisfaction that you get when you buy? Strategic Vision, a San Diego-based research firm, thinks value comprises all that and more. Each year, researchers ask more than 60,000 new-car owners about their buying experience. The questions plumb everything from their relationship with the dealer to price negotiations to the vehicle's reliability during the first 90 days of driving.
In this year's survey, Honda led all other fullline automakers in customer perception of total value. (BMW and Mini actually racked up higher scores, but they don't produce vehicles in every price, size and body style segment.) The Honda Civic, Accord coupe, Pilot and Ridgeline topped their respective classes. Hyundai and Kia showed the biggest surge. Buyers gave Hyundai Azera and Tucson, as well as the Kia Optima and Sedona, the highest value scores for their segments.
With four winners - Corvette coupe, Corvette convertible, Saturn Vue and Chevrolet Silverado -General Motors topped domestic automakers.
Nissan had three models among the leaders: Xterra, Armada and Titan. Toyota also had three: Scion xB, Lexus LS 430 and Lexus RX 330.
