Consumer Perception = fail

[Zytek_Fan]

Toyota and Honda Top Automotive Brands in Consumer Perception - MSN Autos

# Among new-car shoppers, safety (63 percent) is the most important consideration, followed by quality (58 percent).

# Consumers consider friendliness to the environment (35 percent) to be more significant than styling (23 percent).

# The category “technology and innovation” (15 percent) scored as least important to car buyers.


# Consumers overwhelmingly perceive Volvo as the leading safety brand. Its 77-percent score gives it a dominant lead over second-place Toyota’s 20 percent. But other automakers that are consistently on the cutting edge of safety technology—such as BMW, Lexus, and Mercedes-Benz—don’t even make it into the top five.

Audi is considered one of the worst with a "score" of 14. I can't believe that is possible when Audi is one of the best manufacturers when it comes to those above parameters. Not to mention that Audi's are usually on Consumer Reports' recommended luxury car lists...

Also I was rather surprised to see BMW not on the list of best.

Their best list seems to be chosen by mainly price *shakes head*

Ahh, don't you just love the ignorant car types?

[john14]

Honda and Toyota are probably perceived well because the average American income earner can afford a Honda or Toyota and only rich people can buy modern/new Audis and BMWs. Also, Honda and Toyota produce many quality and well built products just like BMW and Audi do so that could be another reason they are perceived so well by the American people.

[syko]

I've long believed that people are moron's

[nota]

Volvos were the first mass-production cars to offer .. antilock brakes

[Ferrer]

Exactly, I find nothing surprising about people believing Volvos are safe...

[MRR]

I thought Mercedes was the first car to have ABS not Volvo?

[coolieman1220]

its retarded cause toyota and honda, their quality isn't that great. as for a BMW and those germans they pack SO mcuh technology something is expected to go wrong but they are better cars until the warranty goes up. besides who drives the crap out of a toyota or a honda?

[baddabang]

its retarded cause toyota and honda, their quality isn't that great. as for a BMW and those germans they pack SO mcuh technology something is expected to go wrong but they are better cars until the warranty goes up. besides who drives the crap out of a toyota or a honda?

Crap as in high performance driving or crap as in high mileage? There are plenty of high mileage Honda's and Toyota's around.

I thought Mercedes was the first car to have ABS not Volvo?

Yeah I did too. Wiki claims it was the S-Class.

[Ferrer]

I thought Mercedes was the first car to have ABS not Volvo?

Actually the first car to have ABS was the Jensen FF in 1966. Then came the Ford Theunderbird, Lincoln Mk III and some big Chrysler in the late 60's and early 70's.

Mercedes-Benz was the first brand to incorporate electronic ABS in 1978 in the S-Class.

[MadMax13]

Unfortunately Americans associate safety with size...

[nota]

Actually the first car to have ABS was the Jensen FF in 1966. Then came the Ford Theunderbird, Lincoln Mk III and some big Chrysler in the late 60's and early 70's.

Mercedes-Benz was the first brand to incorporate electronic ABS in 1978 in the S-Class.

The Jensen doesn't fit within Consumer Reports' quoted proviso of "mass-production" so that's ok, and from memory I think (but am not 100% sure without checking) that the ABS on those American cars was a rear-wheels-only system

Which leaves the question (not the perception) of when did Volvo first get ABS?

[Ferrer]

The Jensen doesn't fit within Consumer Reports' quoted proviso of "mass-production" so that's ok, and from memory I think (but am not 100% sure without checking) that the ABS on those American cars was a rear-wheels-only system

Which leaves the question (not the perception) of when did Volvo first get ABS?

The Bendix ABS used on the 1971 Imperial was a 4-wheel system.

[digitalcraft]

Eh, just remember most consumers aren't (sports)car enthusiasts. The group interviewed just has different values than you. No need to get your trunks in a bunch.

[Zytek_Fan]

Eh, just remember most consumers aren't (sports)car enthusiasts. The group interviewed just has different values than you. No need to get your trunks in a bunch.

I thought Consumer Reports was the source of infinite knowledge for consumers. (/sarcasm)
Pointing people in the direction of not so great cars isn't a good idea.

[Alastor]

I thought Consumer Reports was the source of infinite knowledge for consumers. (/sarcasm)
Pointing people in the direction of not so great cars isn't a good idea.

I don't understand why Honda and Toyota are "not so great"?

If you can get a car that does every thing you need and nothing you want for half the price of car that does everything you need and everything you want then why is it dumb to buy the first? People have different priorities, especially when it is ‘their’ dollar.