America's Most Loved Cars

America's Best Loved Cars

One of the benefits of a competitive market is that things should keep getting better. Well, it seems to be working for cars. According to J.D. Power and Associates' latest APEAL survey — which stands for Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout — new cars are more satisfying than ever.

The survey essentially boils down how much owners of new cars like the cars they bought. Every new model is scored on a 1,000 point scale and this year's average score of 781 is higher than any time since the survey was first done in 1996.

Here are the cars that ranked the highest in 13 different categories.


SUBCOMPACTS:

1st place: Ford Fiesta
2nd place: Mazda2
3rd place: Honda Fit

The new Ford Fiesta subcompact ranked highest in its category. The Mazda2 and Fit had the second- and third-highest scores. Differences in scores may not always be statistically significant, J.D. Power said.


COMPACTS:

1st place: Chevrolet Volt
2nd place: Volkswagen Golf
3rd place: Mitsubishi Lancer

It may not sell in huge numbers, but General Motors' plug-in Chevrolet Volt topped all compact cars, hybrid, electric or whatever, in owner appeal.


MIDSIZE:

1st place: Suzuki Kizashi
2nd place: Hyundai Sonata
3rd place: Kia Optima

The Kizashi is available with all-wheel-drive, something you won't find on most sedans its size and price.

LARGE:

1st place: Dodge Charger
2nd place: Ford Taurus
3rd place: Nissan Maxima

The Charger was completely redesigned for the 2011 model year. It's still available with 5.7-liter V-8 or a new V6 engine.


COMPACT SPORTY:

1st place: Volkswagen GTI
2nd place: Mini Cooper

The GTI is a sport-tuned version of the popular Golf hatchback. These two cars were the only ones to score above average in this category.


MIDSIZE SPORTY:

1st place: Dodge Challenger
2nd place: Chevrolet Camaro

Chrysler Group's Dodge brand tied BMW for the highest number category-winning models. Each had three. The Challenger and Camaro were the only two models to earn an above-average score in this category.


ENTRY PREMIUM:

1st place: Lexus IS
2nd place: BMW 3-series / Volkswagen CC

The 3-series and CC — a highly styled VW sedan — tied for second place behind Lexus's popular IS model.


MIDSIZE PREMIUM:

1st place: BMW 5-series

The 5-series was the only car to earn an above-average score in this category.


LARGE PREMIUM:

1st place: Hyundai Equus
2nd place: BMW 7-series
3rd place: Audi A8

The Equus is the costliest Hyundai model you can buy, with prices starting at nearly $60,000, but it boasts
features typically found on far more expensive cars.


MIDSIZE SUV/CROSSOVER:

1st place: Dodge Durango
2nd place: Ford Flex
3rd place: Ford Explorer

The newly redesigned Durango shares most of its engineering with the new Jeep Grand Cherokee but the Durango is available with a third-row seat and has sportier driving dynamics.


LARGE SUV/CROSSOVER:

1st place: Nissan Armada
2nd place: Chevrolet Tahoe
3rd place: Ford Expedition


All three top-ranked vehicles in this category are SUVs with classic truck-based engineering, not car-based crossovers.

LARGE PICKUP:

1st place: Ford F-150
2nd place: Chevrolet Avalanche
3rd place: Ford F-250/350

Ford's F-series trucks are the best-selling vehicles in America and have been for decades.



MINIVAN:

1st place: Honda Odyssey

The Honda Odyssey was the only minivan to score above average.

Nice!!! I know I still love my Charger

Xenon and I were just talking about this last night...go dodge!

Yeah saw this and of course dodge rocked it.

Sweet!!!!

I love my big, fast, growling, American sedan.

Iguanaman wrote:

I love my big, fast, growling, American sedan.

Yes sir. Im about to go drive mine just cause I can.

Love mine so much it's off to the track tomorrow for mine!

i too gotta say, I love my muscle car full size sedan. and it makes me happy the Mustang never made the list... another thing i get to smear in my roommates face hahah...

Interesting is that some catagories do not have a 2nd or 3rd place..

Reason given is car had to score above average....

So if only one in that catagory placed above average,, then only one place issued..

firestartr420 wrote:

i too gotta say, I love my muscle car full size sedan. and it makes me happy the Mustang never made the list... another thing i get to smear in my roommates face hahah...

I still say I like the '05 Mustang redesign. I like the old school treatment. IMO, It's Chevy that screwed up with the Camaro design. How's it going, Transformer?

Iguanaman wrote:

firestartr420 wrote:

i too gotta say, I love my muscle car full size sedan. and it makes me happy the Mustang never made the list... another thing i get to smear in my roommates face hahah...

I still say I like the '05 Mustang redesign. I like the old school treatment. IMO, It's Chevy that screwed up with the Camaro design. How's it going, Transformer?

ok, i will agree, the new camaro is a turd in a bucket... and my roommate's mustang is an 09, so it is the nicer body style, but i have to give him crap just cuz its a ford, and i drive a mopar...

firestartr420 wrote:

Iguanaman wrote:

firestartr420 wrote:

i too gotta say, I love my muscle car full size sedan. and it makes me happy the Mustang never made the list... another thing i get to smear in my roommates face hahah...

I still say I like the '05 Mustang redesign. I like the old school treatment. IMO, It's Chevy that screwed up with the Camaro design. How's it going, Transformer?

ok, i will agree, the new camaro is a turd in a bucket... and my roommate's mustang is an 09, so it is the nicer body style, but i have to give him crap just cuz its a ford, and i drive a mopar...

Understood.