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5 Ways Subaru’s Forester, Outback and Crosstrek "Hit the Mark"

When it comes to the “Ideal” vehicle, Subaru’s 2016 Forester, Outback and Crosstrek dominate. Who says?
2017 Subaru Forester, 2017 Subaru Outback, 2017 Subaru Crosstrek

According to AutoPacific, Subaru’s 2016 Forester, Outback and Crosstrek are “Best-in-Class” in their 2016 Ideal Vehicle Awards. What did they win? Forester wins Best-in-Class Mid-Size Crossover SUV, Outback wins Best-in-Class for Premium Mid-Size Crossover SUV and Crosstrek wins Best-in-Class Compact Crossover. Subaru’s 2016 Forester and Outback win for second year in a row.

How are winners picked?

The 2016 AutoPacific Ideal Vehicle Awards are based on customer responses. The three all-wheel-drive vehicles best meet the expectations of their owners. How did AutoPacific find this out? It’s the result of surveys from owners of new model 2015 and 2016 vehicles across all major manufacturers after 90 days of ownership.

5 key areas

65,000 owners across the US answered 15 questions on the AP surveys. The owners were asked to recommend changes to their car or truck in five key areas including ride and handling, interior storage, safety features, power and acceleration, and technology. Subaru owners wouldn’t change much.

How Subaru “hits the mark” with owners

George Peterson, president of AutoPacific explains why they ask what changes need to be made. “By asking vehicle owners if they would change various aspects of their vehicle if given the opportunity, we not only identify problem areas and opportunities for improvement, but we also find out which manufacturers are truly hitting the mark with owners.”

The Volvo XC70 is the the highest scoring vehicle overall, Tesla takes the Top Brand from Porsche after 3 years and GMC is the Most Ideal Popular Brand winner. Other notables include the Ford F-150 in the Heavy Duty Pickup category, Chevy Corvette is the top Sports Car and Dodge Challenger takes the Sporty Car award.

Subaru dominates the Premium Mid-Size, Mid-Size and Small Crossover SUV categories. Subaru has carved out a niche market with their all-wheel-drive 2016 Forester SUV, Outback wagon and Crosstrek crossover. Their owners wouldn’t change a whole lot and that says expectations are being met. AP says, “Manufacturers who know their target consumer and design a vehicle that meets or exceeds those consumers’ expectations can come out on top.”

Source: Subaru, AutoPacific

Image source: Subaru

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