Search

SEDAN BUYING GUIDE

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.

Pagination

(2 Pages) | Read all
 

1,658 comments

  • Shellback  •  10 months ago
    Not long ago yahoo had an article that said some of these cars on the list like the Charger, Golf , Tahoe, Explorer, and 3 Series were among some of the most unreliable and least bought cars in the Us also they failed on fuel economy, now in this article they are among the best? Who gets paid to post this crap I am beginning to not believe a word yahoo posts or at the very least am confused, to the writers of these articles do some research first and quit posting whatever you want that is not true. And to think they actually pay you guys to write things like this.
    • Q 10 months ago
      The Volkswagen Golf received the highest reliability rating possible according to Consumer Reports, and the BMW 3 Series is one of the highest in sales volume for luxury cars. They're both fuel efficient to boot. I don't know where you're getting your information.
    • A Yahoo! User 10 months ago
      It says "The most loved" not most reliable. Read the article.
    • rhino 10 months ago
      if your looking for good MPG out of a Tahoe or Explorer your looking at the wrong kind of car. your not going to get good MPG out of something that was built to be able to tow a boat or trailer along with 6 to 8 people riding along.
  • KennethH  •  10 months ago
    Who makes these survey's anyway?
    • Mark Nick 10 months ago
      obviosly the asian car manufacturers did not pay enough to yahoo
    • CaptainCaution 10 months ago
      I KNOW RIGHT? THE CAR I DRIVE IS NOT ON THIS LIST, SO IT MUST BE POORLY WRITTEN!!!
    • me 10 months ago
      Who makes these surveys? Someone who wants to part you from your money.
  • Daijizaiten  •  10 months ago
    Next week each and everyone of these cars will be on the worst car list. That is until the following week. It is the same with where to live, and a career to get into. Contradiction after contradiction.
    • Kwasi Gyimah 10 months ago
      Good philosopher.
    • A Yahoo! User 10 months ago
      YAHOO IS A JOKE!!!!
  • Ryan  •  10 months ago
    HAHAHAHA This article is a Joke
    • me 10 months ago
      agreed-- i would rather push a chevy than drive a ford
    • Ronald 10 months ago
      so true
    • Ronald 10 months ago
      YOU MUST PUSH ALOT
  • Larry Stack  •  10 months ago
    Who the hell has a Chevy Volt? Did they survey the 4 people that own one? What a load of crap.
    • CD's 10 months ago
      Barry has one !
    • BILL 10 months ago
      Thank you for pointing this out . Thought I was only one that noticed the pathetic volt
    • Antonio Hodges 10 months ago
      the what?????????????
  • BOOK'EM DANO'  •  10 months ago
    funny,not to long ago I read an article posted on yahoo about the autos that posted the worsed retail sale and the charger was one of them.The article referred to poor workmanship,cheap plastic and how the vehicle loses about one third or more of it's value with in 3 years.............
  • John  •  10 months ago
    Some people keep talking about the the old day and cars of then like 1970, The cars mite of cost between $2500 to 4500 in 1970 and you made $12000 and year now the car is between $40000 to $60000 and the so called average pay is $35000 to $43000 Hmmm something seems off, what do you think?
  • Steve  •  10 months ago
    I see Dodge paid off this artical Because the 2010 Camaro Out Sold 2010 Dodge Challenger, and they didn't Even put the Ford Mustang up there and the 2010 Mustang Out sold Both the 2010 Camaro and 2010 Challenger. Lets get the facts right Idiot!!
  • javier  •  10 months ago
    So if Americans LOVE American made cars.. Why dont Americans buy American made cars?
  • Benito G  •  10 months ago
    I live in California where we buy the most new cars and I have never seen a Suzuki Ka-whatever or Hyundai Equus on the road. Who is stupid enough to pay $64K for a Hyundai?
  • Bob  •  10 months ago
    i like my 58 byscane 2 door post chevy 283
  • kruzadr  •  10 months ago
    Bogus! Chryslers start falling apart within a year or two, and tank on resale. Mitsubishi is becoming a joke. GM? Really? And Volkswagen has the worst downstream ratings of all. This list is a joke.
  • CaptainHook  •  10 months ago
    How come so many people on here can't spell CAMARO ? - Jeez, the car's been around since 1967 -
  • DennisB  •  10 months ago
    This is a stupid study done by an idiot reporter. Mustang outsell most of these models and is consistantly picked by all auto magazines as the best buy overall--- and you are telling me it didn't even place .----Right !!
  • John Lucas  •  10 months ago
    I have to laugh at the list of cars Americans like best. It shows the author knows nothing about this subject.
  • john  •  10 months ago
    suzuki lmao the worst thing to come out of japan in 1st place no less lol how many have you seen on the road
  • BX  •  10 months ago
    no kidding? where is the mustang?
  • dee  •  10 months ago
    What a joke.
  • The Prophecy Center  •  10 months ago
    I own a Horse, it doesn't get any better...
  • A Yahoo! User  •  10 months ago
    Check the first digit of your vin #. If it starts with a 1 or a 4 you are buying from the USA, not "Made in (North) America" as in Canada and Mexico. What's your first digit and what type of vehicle.

    mine: 2007 Toyota Tacoma vin starts with "1"
    assembled in the USA

    wifes: 009 Honda Pilot vin starts with "1"
    assembled in the USA.

    whats yours??

Top Rated

Category: Sedans

RESEARCH A CAR