AUTO BUYERS WANT NEW CARS TO LOOK STYLISH.Byline: Evan Pondel Staff Writer Auto buyers want the next ``new'' car, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. a J.D. Power and Associates survey that shows new cars like the Mini Cooper and redesigned cars like the updated Mazda6 scoring highest in buyer satisfaction. In responses from 102,975 new-vehicle owners, the Mazda6 stands out as the most-improved redesign. Equipped with a sports grille and lower bumper fog lights, the new model beat the Mazda 626 by eight percentage points in the satisfaction ratings that J.D. Power released Tuesday. Other successful redesigns include the Land Rover See LANRover. Range Rover
The Toyota Sienna is a minivan built in the United States for the North American market, and shares its platform and engine with the Toyota Camry. . The study, which focused on the design, content, layout and performance of new vehicles, also found that nonluxury European cars far exceed domestic, Japanese and Korean brands in terms of exterior styling, cockpit layout and overall performance. The Mini Cooper, Volkswagen Beetle This article is about the original Volkswagen Beetle. For the one introduced in 1997, see Volkswagen New Beetle. The Volkswagen Type 1, more commonly known as the Beetle and Golf rank highest in the nonluxury compact category. ``This doesn't surprise me. The Mini has a really clever design. It's like rolling art,'' said Rex Parker, a vice president at Auto Pacific in Tustin. ``These cars (Mini Coopers and Volkswagens) are conversation pieces and create interest beyond their mere function.'' In contrast, Japanese luxury cars beat their domestic and European counterparts by offering superior sound systems, interior design and ventilation and cooling. The Lexus RX The Lexus RX is a mid-size entry-level luxury crossover SUV produced by Toyota Motor Corporation. It is the world's first mid-size crossover SUV. In North America, Europe, Oceania, and parts of Asia, including Singapore as a 2003 introduction and Japan as a 2008 introduction, it is 300 ranks highest in the luxury sport utility vehicle segment, followed by the Lexus GX 470, Land Rover Range Rover and the Infinity FX series, according to Westlake Village-based J.D. Power. ``Millions of satisfied customers can't be wrong,'' car industry consultant Parker said about the popularity of Lexus. Several all-new models jumped to the top of their respective vehicle segments. They include full-size car Mercury Marauder, entry luxury car Acura TSX, premium sports car BMW BMW in full Bayerische Motoren Werke AG German automaker. Founded as an aircraft engine manufacturer in 1916, the company assumed the name Bayerische Motoren Werke and became known for its high-speed motorcycles in the 1920s. Z4, compact pickup Subaru Baja, entry SUV Honda Element and midsize SUV Nissan Murano. Brian Walters, senior director of product research at J.D. Power, said the study's results will serve both prospective car owners and manufacturers. ``It will help consumers decide on which vehicle they should buy ... and manufacturers will benefit by understanding which designs are preferred,'' Walters said. The top five nameplates for appeal were Lexus, Porsche, BMW, Infiniti and Cadillac, according to the rankings. The bottom five were Subaru, Jeep, Kia, Oldsmobile and Suzuki. Evan Pondel, (818) 713-3662 evan.pondel(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): photo, box Photo: (color) no caption (Auto) Box: WHAT THEY LIKE |
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