Vehicles with the Highest Owner Satisfaction
When it comes to choosing a car, you want to make sure you're going to be happy with the one you choose since you'll be stuck with it for several years.
Most people start by checking out the reviews and rankings from the various publications and consumer review sites.
Reliability, safety, ownership costs, and fuel economy are usually at the top of everyone's list. But what if you buy a vehicle that fits all the criteria, yet you regret it afterwards?
This is where Consumer Reports' Owner Satisfaction survey can help.
Each year, they ask more than 300,000 subscribers the following question: "Considering all factors (price, reliability, comfort, enjoyment, etc.), would you get this car if you had it to do all over again?"
The answers are surprising. The vehicles that ranked the highest in owner satisfaction were mostly fuel-efficient cars with alternative drivetrains (like the Chevy Volt) or sporty cars (like the Dodge Challenger).
The percentage of owners that would definitely buy a Chevy Volt again was an astounding 93% - making it the #1 in owner satisfaction. The Dodge Challenger and Porsche 911 tied for 2nd place with 91% of owners who answered "definitely yes".
It seems that these kinds of cars generate more enthusiasm and loyalty than other types of vehecles - which some view as moving appliances.
Here is a list of vehicles with the highest owner satisfaction ratings (by segment):
| FUEL-EFFICIENT HATCHBACKS | |
| Model | Percentage |
| Chevrolet Volt* | 93 |
| Lexus CT 200h* | 89 |
| Volkswagen Golf TDI* | 89 |
| Toyota Prius | 85 |
| FAMILY CARS | |
| Model | Percentage |
| Ford Fusion Hybrid* | 85 |
| Hyundai Sonata (4-cyl.) Turbo* | 80 |
| WAGONS | |
| Model | Percentage |
| Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen TDI | 81 |
| SPORTY CARS | |
| Model | Percentage |
| Dodge Challenger (V8)* | 91 |
| Porsche 911 non-Turbo* | 91 |
| Chevrolet Corvette (base) | 89 |
| Ford Mustang GT | 87 |
| Audi S4 (V6) supercharged) | 87 |
| Chevrolet Camaro SS* | 86 |
| Mazda MX-5 Miata | 85 |
| Chevrolet Camaro (V6)* | 81 |
| COUPES & CONVERTIBLES | |
| Model | Percentage |
| Audi A5/S5 Coupe (V6/V8)* | 82 |
| Mini Cooper Convertible (base) | 81 |
| Audi A5 Coupe (2.0t)* | 80 |
| Audi A5/S5 Convertible AWD* | 80 |
| UPSCALE SEDANS | |
| Model | Percentage |
| Lincoln MKZ Hybrid* | 89 |
| Acura TL (except Type-S) | 82 |
| LUXURY SEDANS | |
| Model | Percentage |
| Lexus LS non-Hybrid | 84 |
| Mercedes-Benz S-Class (except Hybrid) | 82 |
| LARGE SPORT-UTILITY VEHICLES | |
| Model | Percentage |
| Ford Flex EcoBoost* | 86 |
| LUXURY SPORT-UTILITY VEHICLES | |
| Model | Percentage |
| BMW X5 Xdrive 35d* | 81 |
| Lexus RX Hybrid* | 80 |
| FULL-SIZED PICKUP TRUCKS | |
| Model | Percentage |
| Ford F-150 (V6) AWD EcoBoost* | 84 |
| * Indicates number based on 1 or 2 years of data. | |
My Recommendation for Car Shoppers
TrueCar, Edmunds, and 1-800 Car Show are the quickest way to see the lowest car prices in your area. These sites show you no-haggle prices from dealers closest to you - and the deals are usually really good. This should be the first step you take when negotiating your car price. Follow this up with my checklist to make sure you squeeze out every last bit of savings.California Residents - Important:
There is a new online car buying service called Roadster, available only to California residents, which I highly recommend you try - especially if you hate the stress of haggling with a car salesman. They provide an expert concierge who negotiates the price of the car and delivers it to your home with zero hassle - you never have to interact with a dealership. Here is my in-depth review of Roadster and why I recommend it.- Gregg Fidan
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About: Gregg Fidan
Gregg Fidan + is the founder of RealCarTips. After being ripped off on his first car purchase, he devoted several years to figuring out the best ways to avoid scams and negotiate the best car deals. He has written hundreds of articles on the subject of car buying and taught thousands of car shoppers how to get the best deals.
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