Automotive manufacturers scour their private polls just as fastidiously as politicians do theirs, but the big difference is that there is never a "judgement day" for the car makers because they keep their customer satisfaction information, reliability rates, initial problems rates and other insider information very private.
Accordingly, cars with appalling reliability issues and toilet-bowl-owner satisfaction rates still manage to sell well if they have sexy lines, a catchy TV jingle or a convincing and popular brand ambassador.
That’s why independent customer satisfaction surveys are so critically important and should be the go-to information resource before making any purchasing decision. Simply put, they are the most important predictor as to whether that massive financial investment (how many months/years did you have to work for to pay for your car?) is going to make you happy or aggrieved.
In the United Kingdom, one of the most prominent customer satisfaction surveys is produced by Driver Power, an offshoot of British automotive media company, Autovia.
Autovia’s brands include magazines such as Auto Express, Carbuyer, DrivingElectric, evo and Octane, which have a combined reach of six million monthly website visitors, three million social media subscribers and annual print magazine sales of 1.2 million copies – the lattermost figure is hugely impressive because the internet has significantly reduced the viability of print media and Autovia is fighting a brave and impressive rear guard action.
Hence, with a high reach into a large audience of automotive enthusiasts that buy a lot of new cars each year, Autovia’s Driver Power surveys offer one of the most comprehensive pictures of what owners experience from each new car and the aim in compiling all that data is to predict whether your next car is more or less likely to make you happy.
This year the winning car – the car that new owners are happiest with – is Citroen’s C4, along with the e-C4 electric variant.
The results, published exclusively by Auto Express, saw the C4 come out on top with a sensational score of 93.39%. The highly regarded Citroen hatchback also achieved a remarkable victory in the overall quality category, while scooping podium places for attributes as varied as front-seat comfort, smartphone connectivity and child-friendly features.
With great scores across the board, the Citroen is a clear winner among owners. Champions have to perform well across multiple different Driver Power categories, and the C4 and its electric sibling, the e-C4, bagged top-10 placings in an incredible six out of 10 of them.
As well as raving about its quality, owners especially love the car for its smooth ride and handling, affordable MPG and running costs, strong reliability and impressive roster of easy-to-operate safety features. High ratings for seating flexibility and child-friendly features mean the Citroen is great for families, too
The Citroen C4’s closest rival and Driver Power runner-up was the Kia Sorento SUV, itself a Driver Power champion in 2020. Third place went to the luxurious and practical Lexus RX, ahead of the value-focused but still stylish Dacia Duster in fourth place, and the rugged and dependable Subaru Outback which ranked fifth.
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