Auto Pacific Announces Vehicle Satisfaction Awards

AutoPacific announced its 13th Annual Vehicle Satisfaction Awards (VSA). The top ranked auto manufacturer for the second year in a row is Cadillac. Cadillac was ranked highest among 25,000 new car owners for 2009. This proves that General Motors is building good cars...with satisfied owners. Much of the public is till under the assumption that American cars are not made as well as the Japanese vehicles. It is simply not true anymore!

This has been a turbulent year for GM with sales down substantialy, and the auto industry in such turmoil. This year has been one of the most dismal sales years for the automobile business in recent history.

The VSA award is coveted among auto manufacturers since earning this award will result in sales in the showroom. Also, friends will ask their friends and co-workers typically ask if they like their new car....the real test is if they would buy this car again.
The manufacturer that has increased their satisfaction with their vehicles the most for 2009 is Hyundai! They have come a long way since 1986 when they started selling cars here in the U.S. They moved up eleven spots in the Overall brand satisfaction ratings earning 2009 Rising Star Award. Outlined below are the passenger cars...if anyone is interested in the light truck category go to Auto Pacific.

• Premium Luxury Car - Lexus LS


• Aspirational Luxury Car - Hyundai Genesis


• Luxury Large Car - Lincoln Town Car


• Luxury Mid Size Car - Lexus ES


• Premium Mid Size Car - Hyundai Sonata


• Mid Size Car - Ford Fusion


• Image Compact Car - Toyota Prius


• Compact Car - Mitsubishi Lancer


• Economy Car - Honda Fit


• Sports Car - Porsche 911

Summary:

The VSA is a factor that everyone buying a new car should consider. If a car earns the top honor in the Auto Pacific VSA, then it should be put on your shopping list and worth a test drive. There are still a number of other factors to consider such as the styling, drive ability, price, deal, rebates etc.

Cadillac CTS

Earlier posts have gone over GM's financial problems. Today, I would like to bring you one of GM's success stories. As I have outlined in a previous post the CTS has chosen by Car And Driver as one of their 10 Best for both 2008 and 2009. Cadillac has not been on the 10 Best List since the Seville won in 1992. See the complete list at Car and Driver 10 Best List.

The CTS is the first Cadillac, in recent memory, to have good driving dynamics, an upscale interior and performance in its optional 302 hp, 3.6 liter direct-injection V-6. It also offers edgy styling, a refined driving experience and offers a manual for automotive enthusiasts. Actually, I could not believe I was driving a Cadillac! I had to take a look at the crest on the steering wheel a couple of times.

On the tech side, the CTS has a voice activated infotainment package featuring intelligent iPod® integration, 40 GB hard drive and an advanced hard-disk navigation system.

The pick of the liter is the CTS-V. This is a SUPER SEDAN! This car is a very refined and extremely capable sedan, handles extremely well, and brakes well.

The CTS-V’s supercharged 6.2-litre V8 engine delivers a heart pounding zero to 60 mph in 3.9 seconds and on to 191 mph where legal and 175 mph for the automatic transmission. These outstanding performance figures enabled the CTS-V to claim the unofficial lap record for a production car (7 mins 59.32 secs) around the Nürburgring’s legendary Nordschleife circuit in October 2008. Click here to see a video of a CTS-V in action, also note the exhaust note - it is even better in person.

The Cadillac CTS-V is fitted with the latest generation of the world’s fastest-reacting suspension technology, Magnetic Ride Control (MRC), which uses shock absorbers controlled by electro-magnets, rather than mechanical valves, accelerating response time. The CTS-V is also equipped with powerful Brembo brakes which account for the excellent stopping distances. These features, along with four-channel ABS, hydraulic brake assist and dynamic rear brake proportioning, ensure that the immense power is kept safely under control.

It’s not all about performance however, as the Cadillac boasts a range of luxury features fitted as standard including new, 14-way adjustable Recaro® performance driving seats, ‘hand cut-and-sewn’ double stitched leather and sueded material, and a high-gloss black Obsidian surface finish. The CTS-V is currently available in left-hand drive only and priced from at $59,995 in the US and in England £56,495 on-the-road (£58,995 for the automatic transmission model).