Hyundai Sonata and Genesis win AUTOPACIFIC 2009 Vehicle Satisfaction Awards

AUTO CENTRAL – May 21, 2009: Hyundai owners in North America placed the Sonata and Genesis at the top of their classes in AutoPacific’s 2009 Vehicle Satisfaction Awards (VSA) research. Both models won in highly competitive segments. The Sonata was the highest ranked Premium Mid-Size Car, beating out the segment-defining Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. Genesis topped the Aspirational Luxury Car category for its affordable operating costs, value and extraordinary warranty.

In addition, Hyundai’s overall brand satisfaction rating among Hyundai purchasers jumped 11 positions earning Hyundai 2009 Rising Star honours. This positive move was more than any other manufacturer in the survey. Hyundai scored higher in 40 of 48 rating categories in 2009 compared with 2008.

“Having conducted this industry research since 1997, we see vehicles that score highest in AutoPacific’s Vehicle Satisfaction Awards have hit the mark delivering value and satisfaction with their buyers,” said George Peterson, president of AutoPacific. “This year’s results made it clear that Hyundai owners are extremely pleased with their new cars.”

AutoPacific's annual VSA is an industry benchmark for objectively measuring how satisfied an owner is with their new car or light truck, and reflects the opinions of consumers nationwide. The awards summarize results from AutoPacific’s 2009 model year vehicle satisfaction research. More than 25,000 consumers around the country participated in the survey.

In addition to identifying category winners, AutoPacific’s VSA establish numerical satisfaction ratings for virtually every passenger car and light truck in the North American market. Owner satisfaction is measured across specific areas related to a vehicle's operation, comfort, safety and the overall purchase/lease experience. The 2009 ratings reflect input from buyers and lessees of new vehicles acquired September through December 2008.