These areas include vehicle styling; engine and powertrain; comfort and convenience; ride and handling; seats; heating, cooling and ventilation; cockpit and instrument panel; and sound system.
In outlining which vehicles people like, Power breaks them down into 15 segments and explains what feature consumers most want in each.
Compact Car: Since consumers wanted unique styling in this segment, it's probably not a surprise that the VW Beetle was ranked the most appealing. The runners-up here were VW Golf and the new Chrysler Neon.
Entry Midsize: According to daCosta, illumination of the instruments was critical to buyers in this segment, and that's why the VW Jetta won. They also liked the visibility Jetta delivered, as well as its rear end styling. The Pontiac Grand Am and the Daewoo Leganza were runners-up here.
Premium Midsize: Instrument illumination was also important in this segment, daCosta explains, so the controls of the VW Passat made it appealing, along with its driver's headroom and unique styling. The other top finishers here were Pontiac Grand Prix and Toyota Avalon.
Sporty Car: Because good visibility for the driver was deemed to be the key ingredient in this category, the VW GTI was judged superior. It was also admired for its comfortable position and lots of headroom for the driver. Honda Prelude and Pontiac Firebird also finished in the top three.