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    The Cars People Love Most

    Sports cars, family-friendly SUVs, EVs, and hybrids top our list of the most satisfying vehicles

    photo of BMW X5 with illustrations of 4 people and sports gear standing around the car Illustration: Marcos Montiel

    What makes a car owner satisfied with their purchase, even after owning it for two, three, or five years? It’s simple: The car lives up to their expectations when it comes to performance, comfort, fuel economy, and other important attributes. 

    Consumer Reports’ latest satisfaction survey reveals that all types of cars can rise to the top of the most-loved list. “Depending on the buyer, a satisfying vehicle might be a fun sports car, an efficient electric vehicle [EV], or a roomy SUV,” says Jake Fisher, CR’s senior director of auto testing. 

    The cars with the lowest satisfaction scores are the models that don’t deliver on high gas mileage claims, for example, or “luxury” models that turn out to be loud, cramped, and less elegant than expected. 

    More on Owner Satisfaction for Cars

    How do we determine which cars are the most lovable and which aren’t? Our findings are based on the answers to this key question: Given the opportunity, would you buy or lease this vehicle again? This year we received responses from owners of more than 330,000 cars, SUVs, trucks, and minivans. Our findings include insights on EVs and hybrids, along with the most and least satisfying models in their classes.

    Keep in mind that the cars owners love aren’t necessarily the ones that excel in our testing. “A vehicle could have below-average reliability or not be a standout in our testing and still make owners happy,” says Steven Elek, who oversees auto data analytics at CR.

    If you’re a Consumer Reports member, this article is available to you. CR members have full access to the results of our Annual Auto Surveys; first-drive reviews of the newest cars, SUVs, and trucks; and our full road tests and exclusive ratings for each vehicle we buy. If you’re not a CR member, click below to join. 

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