Hyundai has scored impressive results in the 2006 What Car? J.D. Power Survey of Customer Satisfaction, improving its previously solid performance still further and proving its position as one of the leading brands for quality, reliability and owner satisfaction.
An overall Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) score of 813 points means that this year Hyundai ranks the 10th best brand overall, up from 15th in 2005 and ahead of Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Saab and Volkswagen.
To put the result into further context, Hyundai improved its customer satisfaction reputation by 18 percentage points overall, compared with an industry average improvement of just five points.
In terms of customer satisfaction, the survey concludes that the lengthening of warranty durations witnessed industry-wide in recent years has undoubtedly had a positive effect on ratings; in this respect Hyundai leads the field with its unmatched standard five-year unlimited-mileage warranty.
Achievements by model
Hyundai now has six cars ranking among the top five in their respective categories. Matrix was the outright winner for the Compact MPV category, while the sporty Coupé ranked third in the Coupe/Roadster segment.
It's no secret that the Hyundai Coupé is a remarkable success story, but it now rates higher than the Mazda MX-5 and scores well above the industry average rating for the sector.
In the City Car/Supermini arena the Getz was the fourth highest ranked model, while the Santa Fe took fifth place among the 4x4 off-roaders.
Reliability
In terms of the number of problems reported by make, Hyundai was the sixth most reliable of all 36 marques. In the small-car segment, the Hyundai Getz recorded the second fewest number of reported problems, beaten only by the class-winning Honda Jazz. But the poll-topping Hyundai model for reliability was the Hyundai Matrix - best in the compact MPV class.
And Hyundai scored well above the average for overall quality, with only seven other manufacturers faring better, and 20 rating worse - among them Volvo, Mercedes-Benz, VW, Ford, Vauxhall, Land Rover, Saab, Peugeot and Citroën.
While the average industry score for vehicle quality dropped between 2001 and 2006, Hyundai bucked the trend with a score increasing over the same period by 17 percentage points. The J.D. Power survey also revealed that the seventh least likely make of car to have suffered a breakdown is Hyundai.