Talks About Cars

Hyundai has move toward a long way since first coming to U.S. 20 years ago and for the first tome this Korean Company reaches the pinnacle than other auto carmakers in the number of vehicles obtaining the highest score in their category as consulted from the automotive consulting firm Strategic Vision by the 2007 Total Quality Index Award giving body.

To those who are not familiar with the Total Quality Index, it has 19 product segments; the scores were attained based on the responses from more than 27,000 buyers who bought models in September, October and November last year. Each one of them were asked to rate the entire characteristics of the ownership experience, from buying and owning to driving.

Back to the awardees, three out of 19 segments were led by automobiles from Hyundai. Azera (top at the Large Car segment) is considered to be one of vehicles from Hyundai Motors that ranked top for quality in its vehicle segment, according to Strategic Vision. Then the Entourage in a tie for the Minivan segment and the Santa Fe led the Small SUV segment.

Buyers rated the following vehicles tops in their segments:

Small car Segment: Honda Civic (TQI score 882)

Small Multi-Function Segment: Volkswagen Rabbit (TQI score 880)

Medium Car Segment:
Saturn Aura (TQI score 892)
Nissan Maxima (TQI score 891)

Large car Segment: Hyundai Azera (TQI score 901)

Small Specialty Segment Under $25,000: Mini Cooper (TQI score 911)

Near Luxury car Segment: BMW 3-Series Sedan (TQI score 919)

Luxury Car Segment: Mercedes-Benz S-Class Sedan (TQI score 938)

Convertibles Under $30,000: Mini Cooper Convertible (TQI score 905)

Convertibles Over $30,000: Chevrolet Corvette Convertible (TQI score 930)

Minivan Segment:
Kia Sedona (TQI score 866)
Hyundai Entourage (TQI score 866)
Nissan Quest (TQI score 865)

Small SUV Segment: Hyundai Santa Fe (TQI score 885)

Medium SUV Segment: Kia Sorento (TQI score 889)

Medium Crossover Segment: Dodge Magnum (TQI score 882)

Large SUV Segment: Ford expedition EL (TQI score 918)

Near Luxury SUV Segment: Lexus RX 350 (TQI score 905)

Luxury SUV Segment: Mercedes-Benz ML (TQI score 915)

Standard Pick-Up Segment: Honda Ridgeline (TQI score 879)

Full-Size Pick-up Segment:
Nissan Titan (TQI score 876)
Ford F-150 (TQI score 875)

Heavy Duty Pick-up Segment: Ford F-250/350 (TQI score 876)

Ford had the top spot among local carmakers, leading three out of 19 segments. F-150 tied with Nissan Titan to the Full-size pick-up, Nissan for this year garnered almost three leading vehicles. F-250/F-350 Super Duty ranked first on the Heavy-Duty Pick-ups, while the Expedition ranked first at the Large SUV.

Saturn Aura tied with Maxima for the Medium car while Quest is with the Kia Sedona and Hyundai Entourage in the minivan. Well what a surprised guys Lexus RX 350, the only vehicle from Toyota Company was able to be on top unlike last year that almost 4 from the company got the highest score.