Article
German automaker BMW took top honors as "best brand" in the 2005 Total Quality Study, with Nissan, Hyundai, and General Motors also scoring well in the annual survey, which is designed to focus on both things-gone-right, as well as things-gone-wrong with new vehicles.
The latest TQS shows Japanese automakers resonating best with U.S. consumers, but it also delivers some unexpected and potentially contentious results. In one example, Ford's Five Hundred sedan, though derided as bland, nudged ahead of the stylish Chrysler 300 in the Large Car category. Meanwhile, troubled GM took more top honors than either of its domestic rivals, despite the poor reception rewarded many of its newest products.
Perhaps the most significant finding of the new study is the fact that SUVs are losing the emotional luster that had driven them to become the hottest product on the U.S. market over the past decade.
BMW on top
BMW has had a consistently strong showing, over the years, in the Total Quality Study, reflecting its strong brand image and distinctive products. Yet its 3-Series comes as a somewhat unexpected victor in the Near Luxury class, because the luxury car was in its final year of production when the study was conducted.
German automaker BMW took top honors as "best brand" in the 2005 Total Quality Study, with Nissan, Hyundai, and General Motors also scoring well in the annual survey, which is designed to focus on both things-gone-right, as well as things-gone-wrong with new vehicles.
The latest TQS shows Japanese automakers resonating best with U.S. consumers, but it also delivers some unexpected and potentially contentious results. In one example, Ford's Five Hundred sedan, though derided as bland, nudged ahead of the stylish Chrysler 300 in the Large Car category. Meanwhile, troubled GM took more top honors than either of its domestic rivals, despite the poor reception rewarded many of its newest products.
Perhaps the most significant finding of the new study is the fact that SUVs are losing the emotional luster that had driven them to become the hottest product on the U.S. market over the past decade.
BMW on top
BMW has had a consistently strong showing, over the years, in the Total Quality Study, reflecting its strong brand image and distinctive products. Yet its 3-Series comes as a somewhat unexpected victor in the Near Luxury class, because the luxury car was in its final year of production when the study was conducted.
