Beyond Basic Transportation - When You Just Want to have Fun
Many new-vehicle buyers, when researching the latest pricing, specifications, and safety and quality ratings, overlook one very important factor: How much fun is the vehicle to drive?
Sure, a large portion of the buying public is just looking for basic transportation - something to get them from Point A to Point B. But what about the rest of us? There's a wealth of information available today on vehicle quality, safety, and residual values, but where do enthusiasts go to get the skinny on which vehicles are fun to drive?
Some models have their own, dedicated enthusiast publications or Web sites, which is great if you want to read about only one model in great detail. You can also check out automotive "buff books" for comparison tests of a few models that are aimed at the same demographic group, as well as in-depth, single-model road tests. But where do you go to get unbiased, independent, third-party information using standardized evaluation criteria on new models available for sale in the U.S.? Each year, J.D. Power and Associates surveys millions of owners about their new vehicles; much of this information is now available to consumers on the J.D. Power Consumer Center (www.jdpower.com) Web site.
One of the studies that J.D. Power and Associates conducts annually - the Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study - measures owners' delight with the performance of their new vehicles, among other things. This study has been conducted since 1996, and for 2006, more than 63,000 new-vehicle buyers in the U.S. were surveyed. So which models, according to these owners, are the most fun to drive?
For the answer, we examined the driving dynamics factor, one of 10 study factors designed to help measure overall vehicle appeal. This factor measures ride smoothness in normal driving, quietness over harsh bumps, responsiveness/effort of the steering system, braking responsiveness and effort, handling/stability on curves or winding roads, and handling/stability in adverse conditions.
Not surprisingly, eight of the top 10 models with regard to driving dynamics are premium brands from European manufacturers - Germany, in particular. Of the top 10, four are from BMW (3, 5, 6, 7 Series), three from Porsche (911, Boxster, Cayman), and one from Mercedes-Benz, the SL-Class. One other premium model - the Lexus LS 430 - also ranks among the top 10. The only non-premium model to crack the top 10? The Chevrolet Corvette.
So, what if you can't afford a premium brand but still want to have some serious fun in your new vehicle? Filtering the results of the driving dynamics factor to only include non-premium brands netted the following results: one European model (VW Touareg), two Japanese models (the Nissan 350Z and the Honda Ridgeline), and seven domestic-branded models (including, you guessed it, the Corvette) - the other domestics in the top 10 are the Dodge Charger and Magnum, Pontiac GTO and Solstice, Chrysler 300, and Chevrolet Monte Carlo.
Not surprised by any of these results? Well, consider the following:
- Toyota, as a nameplate, outperformed Chevrolet with regard to the driving dynamics factor, perhaps due to Chevy's high percentage of truck models
- Lincoln, a domestic brand known more for its understated luxury than its performance, outperformed foreign makes MINI, Acura, and Saab
- And, in perhaps the biggest shocker, Buick outperformed Pontiac and Mazda, a nameplate considered by many to have some of the best-handling vehicles on the market.
For many new-vehicle buyers, there are a multitude of vehicles that will probably meet their basic needs, and the fun factor doesn't figure into the buying process. But if you're willing to dig a little deeper, you can find a vehicle that both satisfies your practical side and lets you have a little fun at the same time.
