AutoPacific, a California-based automotive marketing and product-consulting firm, recently surveyed 33,500 owners of a 2008 car or truck model. Their goal was to find the ideal vehicle -- an excellent or perfect example. Porsche out-scored Jaguar and Buick for the most ideal premium vehicle brand honors. The German automaker enjoys a strong reputation and is envied by many others. Porsche owners are extremely satisfied with their cars; the Boxster, Cayman and 911 all tied for first place in the Premium Sports Car category.
The top-rated mainstream brand is Ford, with 15 vehicles receiving awards. GM is second.For the second year in a row, the people surveyed chose the Mercedes-Benz S-Class not only as the ideal Premium Luxury Car but also as the ideal vehicle overall. Styling, liveability, handling and safety are among its many strengths. AutoPacific also asked consumers to identify the ideal vehicle segment. Despite rising gas prices, large crossovers get the nod this year. The firm came to the conclusion that manufacturers with the best scores are those that do a better job of understanding the needs of their customers. Since they know exactly what their customers are looking for, they can design vehicles that are more customized and attractive.