Mercedes M-Class leads AutoPacific Ideal Vehicle Awards

(August 15, 2013) TUSTIN, Calif. — The Mercedes-Benz ML-Class was named the overall winner in AutoPacific's 2013 Ideal Vehicle Awards (IVAs).

"AutoPacific's Ideal Vehicle Awards are very significant because they identify which automotive manufacturers listen best to their buyers when updating and developing their latest vehicles," said George Peterson, president of AutoPacific. "In addition to identifying segment winners, the IVAs also establish numerical Ideal Vehicle Ratings for virtually every passenger car and light truck in the United States market.


"With 38% of car buyers being positively influenced by owner-based awards like the IVAs, these awards can give car shoppers a great head start finding cars and trucks that have best satisfied their friends, neighbors and other buyers like them".

Established in 2006, the IVAs recognize the cars that best meet their owner's expectations and desires abo
ut their automotive purchases.  Based on a model-year survey of automotive owners, the IVAs are designed to help consumers make informed vehicle purchase decisions with a true "peer-to-peer" survey. 

More than 52,000 vehicle owners across all major manufacturers were surveyed to reveal the vehicles that best meet their owners' demands. The survey reflects the views of owners who have driven their 2013 vehicles for 90 days or more. 

Owners were asked what changes they would make to their car or truck.  The Ideal Vehicle Awards recognize vehicles where owners want the least amount of change across 15 key vehicle 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 Ideal Vehicle Awards complement AutoPacific's recently announced Vehicle Satisfaction Awards. We gladly provide car buyers with consumer-to-consumer points-of-view to assist them with their car buying choices. The Ideal Vehicle Awards offer shoppers a unique perspective based on current owners' ratings." Peterson continued, "We are pleased to announce this year's winners and congratulate the manufacturers on their ongoing commitment to listening to their customer and providing the vehicles that come closest to their buyers' desires."

In addition to the Mercedes M-Class, other overall winners were Porsche, Premium Brand; and Ram, Popular Brand.

Highlights in the 2013 IVAs

The top Premium Brand is Porsche.  The top-scoring Popular Brand is Chrysler Group's Ram brand and the top-scoring vehicle overall is the Mercedes-Benz ML-Class Luxury Crossover SUV.

Ford Motor Company vehicles scored the four segment wins. With its 2013 win, the Ford Flex Large Crossover SUV has won the IVA award in each of its four years of existence. The Ford F-150 has won the Light Duty Pickup IVA for the past six years. The Ford Escape won the Mid-Crossover SUV category and the Ford Taurus won the Large Car category.

General Motors vehicles also won in four categories — Chevrolet Silverado, Heavy Duty Pickup; Chevrolet Camaro, Sporty Car; GMC Yukon, Luxury/Large SUV; and Chevrolet Equinox, Premium Mid-Size Crossover.

Toyota Motor Sales had two wins, one for Lexus and one for Toyota.  Both wins were for hybrids, the Toyota Avalon Hybrid and Lexus RX450h.

Chrysler Group vehicles won in two categories with the Jeep Grand Cherokee winning for the third year in a row in the Mid-Size SUV category and the Chrysler Town & Country in the Minivan category.

The Honda Fit has won the IVA in the Economy Car category for the fifth straight year. The Volkswagen Beetle won the Compact Car award; the Nissan Altima won Mid-Size Car; and the Lexus ES won the Luxury Mid-Size Car award. 
The Hyundai Equus won the Luxury Car category, and the Audi A5 won the Aspirational Luxury Car category. The Subaru XV Crosstrek captured the Compact Crossover category.

The Porsche 911 won the IVA 
Sports Car category for the seventh time in the past eight years.

The MINI hardtop has won the award in the Premium Compact Car category for the second straight year.