Tesla is driving home with a "perceived quality" award for its Model S electric sedan.
Strategic Vision, a research outfit in southern California, has named the Tesla Model S as having the highest score among any vehicle in its latest Total Quality Index.
"Tesla built a vehicle that generated love in attributes that were most important to segment buyers," says Christopher Chaney, a Strategic Vision senior vice president, in a statement. "Tesla isn't an electric vehicle that just has good features, but instead it's a luxurious sports sedan that has true innovation, rocket-like speed and drive feeling, that happens to be an electric vehicle."
He says other automakers need to re-examine whether electrifying their vehicles will "implement a mantra of building super-cool transportation that impresses the heck out of customers."
Strategic Vision says its study involves 38,361 owners who rank what they perceive as the best vehicles in every category. In addition to the categories, the brand named top overall brands. They are Kia among mainstream brands and a virtual tie between Audi and Jaguar among luxury makers.
Here are the results:
- Best small car (tie), Dodge Dart/Mitsubishi Lancer
- Small multi-function Car (tie), Kia Soul/Volkswagen Golf
- Small alternative powertrain car, Ford C-MAX Energi
- Midsize car (tie), Subaru Impreza Sedan/Kia Optima
- Midsize multifunction car, Honda Accord Crosstour
- Midsize alternative powertrain car, Chevrolet Volt
- Full-size car, Dodge Charger
- Near-luxury car, Lexus IS
- Near-luxury alternative powertrain car, Lincoln MKZ Hybrid
- Luxury car, BMW 6-Series Gran Coupe
- Luxury multifunction car, Volvo XC70
- Specialty coupe, Mini Cooper Countryman
- Premium coupe, (tie) Chevrolet Corvette Coupe/Audi A5 Coupe
- Standard convertible, Mini Cooper Roadster
- Premium convertible/roadster, Mercedes SL-Class
- Standard pickup, Honda Ridgeline
- Full-size pickup (tie), Ford F-150, Toyota Tundra, GMC Sierra 1500
- Heavy duty pickup (tie), Ford F-250/350, Chevrolet Silverado 2500/3500, Ram 2500/3500
- Entry-level SUV, Jeep Wrangler Unlimited
- Entry-level CUV, Hyundai Tucson
- Midsize SUV, Dodge Durango
- Midsize CUV, Ford Flex
- Full-size utility, Ford Expedition
- Near-luxury utility, Audi Q5
- Luxury SUV, Lexus GX 460
- Luxury CUV, Audi Q7
- Minivan, Nissan Quest
- Best model, Tesla Model S
- Best mass-market brand, Kia
- Best luxury brand, Audi/Jaguar