AutoPacific.com has just released its 2019 Vehicle Satisfaction Award (VSA) winners. Based on responses from over 50,000 new vehicle owners AutoPacific identifies the most satisfying vehicles to own in each segment. Unique in the industry, VSAs included importance ratings in the VSA score calculation, resulting in scores that represent a complete view of the ownership experience. This year FCA brands took the top honors in five categories.
“For 23 years, AutoPacific has been providing true, unbiased insight into which vehicles are giving their owners the most satisfying experience,” says AutoPacific president George Peterson.
This year Ram took the top spot for not only light-duty pickup with the Ram 1500 but the brand as a whole also took the highest owner satisfaction of a popular brand. The all-new 2019 Ram 1500 had top scores in 22 out of 32 categories. Notably, the Ram 1500 took top spots for interior quietness, driver’s seat movement, interior styling, power, and acceleration. “The Ram 1500 is a truly exceptional pickup,” says Peterson, “but what carries Ram to the top as a brand is high satisfaction in areas that can be problems for other brands, particularly 2nd-row seat comfort, interior storage, passenger roominess, and user-friendly gauges and controls.”
The Jeep Grand Cherokee topped the mid-sized SUV category for the third year in a row. Even more impressive is that over the past ten years, the Jeep Grand Cherokee has won nine times. Grand Cherokee boasts best-in-class towing of 7,200 pounds and a crawl ratio of 44.1:1. The Grand Cherokee lineup offers a variety of models, including the Trackhawk, the most powerful and quickest SUV ever, as well as the most capable factory-produced and most luxurious Grand Cherokee models ever with the Trailhawk and Summit.
The Dodge Challenger topped the Sporty Car category for the third year in a row, based on owners responses. After owning (and loving) our 2019 Dodge Challenger R/T Scat Pack 1320 for the past two and a half months, it’s easy for us to see why. Available in a multitude of trims ranging from the 305 horsepower Pentastar V6 powered SXT all the way up to the 797 horsepower Hellcat Redeye Widebody, the Challenger lineup offers something for everybody.
Chrysler’s highly awarded Pacifica took the top spot in the minivan category for this year as well. Since it’s debut for the 2017 model year, the Chrysler Pacifica has racked up a ton of awards. Re-engineered from the ground up on an all-new platform, the Pacifica delivers class-leading gasoline and hybrid powertrains to the minivan segment. The Pacifica Hybrid takes this revolutionary vehicle a step further with its innovative, advanced hybrid powertrain. It’s the first electrified vehicle in the minivan segment and achieves more than 80 miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe) in electric-only mode, has an all-electric range of more than 30 miles and a total range of more than 500 miles.
“FCA has done an outstanding job understanding and delivering vehicles and features that delight consumers,” said George Peterson, president of AutoPacific. “They’ve done this in the face of strong competition and a challenging retail environment.”
