(August 16, 2011) TUSTIN, Calif. — The the 2011 Ideal Vehicle Awards (IVA), announced today by automotive research and consulting firm AutoPacific, reveal the vehicles that most closely match their owners desires.

“Everyone has had the experience of wanting to change something after you’ve bought it and experienced it for awhile. This is especially true of vehicles,” says George Peterson, President of AutoPacific.  “This research recognizes the vehicles that owners want to change the least. In other words, the vehicles that already match their owner’s demands.

Among premium brands, Porsche scored the highest for 2011, giving Porsche its fourth straight IVA win since 2008. Chrysler led the pack among popular brands, followed by Hyundai and Ford.

“Ford Motor Company led the industry with a total of seven segment winners. Like last year, no other manufacturer came even close,” said Peterson. 

Volvo scored three category wins and has a “win and a place” among Luxury Crossover SUVs with the XC70 and XC60. American-branded vehicles performed well in this year’s IVAs. Of the 24 Ideal Vehicle Award (IVA) categories, American brands won 11 segments, European brands seven and Asian brands six.

The IVAs are based on owners’ ratings of their new 2011 model year cars and trucks across 15 key vehicle attributes ranging from power and acceleration to interior roominess. The survey includes responses from more than 72,000 vehicle acquirers. The cars or trucks that owners would change the least are the most ideal.

“Its getting harder and harder to measure quality differences in today’s vehicles, said Peterson. “Consumers need better insights into which vehicles will meet their ideal for comfort, ride and handling, cargo space, and other attributes that are experienced on a daily basis. IVA winners deliver the most of what consumers are really looking for in their vehicles. Shoppers can use the IVAs as a benchmark for vehicles that are designed and built with customers in mind.”

In addition to identifying segment winners, IVA also establishes numerical ideal vehicle ratings for virtually every passenger car and light truck in the United States market.

These results come from calculating owner input across 15 specific areas related to a vehicle's attributes, including: exterior styling, exterior size, passenger roominess, cargo space, driver's seat comfort, driver’s seat visibility, info/entertainment technology, interior lighting, power and acceleration, ease of getting in and out, interior storage compartments, ride, handling, safety features and tires and wheels.

The top-rated product segment is Premium Luxury Car, beating out Large Pickups and last year’s leading category Large Crossover SUV. As in previous years, American buyers continue to value large, comfortable vehicles suitable for suburban driving and highway cruising.

2011 Ideal Vehicle Award Winners:

Premium Brand Award: Porsche
Mainstream/Popular Brand Award: Chrysler
Overall Winner: Porsche 911
Overall Brand Winner: Porsche

Passenger Cars:

Premium Luxury Car — Mercedes-Benz E-Class
Aspirational Luxury Car — Volvo S60
Large Car  — Hyundai Azera
Luxury Mid-Size Car — Lincoln MKZ
Premium Mid-Size Car — Ford Fusion
Mid-Size Car — Subaru Legacy
Premium Compact Car — Volvo C30
Compact Car — Hyundai Elantra
Sports Car — Porsche 911
Sporty Car — Dodge Challenger
Hybrid Car — Ford Fusion Hybrid

Pickup, SUV & Minivans:

Large Light-Duty Pickup — Ford F-150
Large Heavy-Duty Pickup — Ford Super Duty
Compact Pickup — Honda Ridgeline
Luxury Sport Utility  — Cadillac Escalade
Large Sport Utility — Toyota Sequoia
Mid-Size Sport Utility — Jeep Grand Cherokee
Premium Luxury Crossover SUV — Porsche Cayenne
Luxury Crossover SUV — Volvo XC70
Large Crossover SUV — Ford Flex
Premium Mid-Size Crossover SUV — Ford Explorer
Mid-Size Crossover SUV — Toyota RAV4
Compact Crossover SUV — Volkswagen Tiguan
Minivan — Chrysler Town & Country