Chevrolet Volt Owners Most Satisfied, According to Consumer Reports

Of course, as Consumer Reports points out, Chevrolet Volts said how satisfied they were before all the news broke about to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announcement that it would conduct a safety investigation into plug-in hybrid sedans following an incident with a Chevrolet Volt catching fire after being crash tested and GM offering to buy back Chevrolet Volts from owners.

There's also the issue that the Chevrolet Volt is relatively new (and has only been available nationally for a short time). Its numbers could drop as owners spend more time with them. As Consumer Reports points out in the announcement, " early adopters of a new technology tend to be among the most enthusiastic buyers."

Ninety-three percent of respondents who own the Volt said they would definitely buy it again, making it the highest-rated car in the nationally representative survey. The Volt narrowly edged out the V8-powered Dodge Challenger and the Porsche 911, each with owner-satisfaction scores of 91 percent.

"These models reflect a larger trend we've seen in recent years: Sporty cars and fuel efficient cars with alternative drivetrains tend to generate more enthusiasm and loyalty than most other types of vehicles," said Rik Paul, Consumer Reports automotive editor.
For each of the 27 models that got Consumer Reports top owner-satisfaction rating—at least 80 percent of respondents said they'd definitely buy the car again—12 were sporty cars or convertibles and nine were hybrids or diesels.

Other fuel-efficient models that earned Consumer Reports top ratings include a number of hybrids, such as the Ford Fusion Hybrid, Lincoln MKZ Hybrid, Lexus CT 200h and RX 450h, and Toyota Prius, as well as diesel versions of the BMW X5 xDrive and Volkswagen Golf and Jetta SportWagen.

Sporty models that did well include the supercharged Audi S4, Audi A5 and S5, Chevrolet Camaro and Corvette, Ford Mustang GT, Mazda MX-5 Miata, and Mini Cooper Convertible.

Curious what cars owners want next to nothing to do with next time out? That would be the the Chevrolet Aveo (37%), all-wheel-drive Toyota Matrix (43%), and Chevrolet Colorado pickup (47%). They received Consumer Reports lowest rating, which means that fewer than half of the respondents said they would definitely buy the car again.

Scores are based on the percentage of respondents who answered "definitely yes" to 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?"

Full Consumer Reports' owner satisfaction survey findings are available online at www.ConsumerReports.org now. Findings will also be in the January issue of Consumer Reports magazine, which goes on sale December 6.

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