Audi shines with eight gold awards in Ipsos Passenger Car Product Quality Survey
Audi was once again the shining star brand in the annual Ipsos Passenger Car Product Survey with seven Gold awards. Next best in this survey, based on results collected in 2015, was Toyota on five Gold. Then followed Volkswagen, Mercedes Benz and Nissan (two Golds each) and Volvo (one Gold).
More than one Gold award was made in some of the categories when two or more vehicles qualified for the Gold rating in terms of the points scored.
Audi won Gold as the Best Luxury Car Brand Overall, as well as Best Top Hatch (A1 and A3 Sportback), Best Medium Sedan (A4 and A5 Sportback), Best Top Sedan (A3) and Best Sports Coupe (A5 coupe).
Toyota won its five Passenger Car Gold awards for the Best Small Hatch (Yaris), Best Top Hatch (Auris), Best Small Sedan (Corolla Quest), Best New Volume Passenger Car (Corolla Quest) and Best Volume Passenger Car Brand.
Volkswagen won two Golds for Best Small Sedan (Polo) and Best New Volume Passenger Car model (up). Nissan's two Golds came from the Best Entry Level Car (Micra) and Best Volume Passenger Car Brand overall. In addition, the Nissan Micra, with an index of 49, was also the highest-rated passenger car overall in the extensive survey.
Mercedes Benz collected Gold for the Best Top Executive (E-Class) and Best Multi-Purpose Vehicle (B-Class). Volvo earned Gold for the Best New Luxury Passenger Car (V40), while the General Motors SA plant in Port Elizabeth won Gold for the Best Passenger Car Plant in the country in terms of the quality of the products that it manufactures there.
Recreational vehicle category – Two Golds for Volvo
Volvo also won two Gold awards in the Recreational Vehicle Category, being for Best Small Recreational Vehicle (XC60) and Best New Recreational Vehicle (XC60), while Audi won Gold in the Small RV category (Q5). Volkswagen took Gold for the Best Large Recreational Vehicle (Touareg). The Touareg, with an index score of 22, was also the vehicle with the highest product quality rating overall.
Light commercial vehicle category – Toyota shines with seven Golds
Toyota made a virtual clean sweep of Gold awards in the Light Commercial Vehicle Category with seven including the Best Light Commercial Vehicle Plant Gold award for its facility in Prospecton. Next best was Nissan with two Golds. General Motors won one Gold in this category.
Toyota's Hilux collected Golds for the Best Petrol Single Cab, Best Diesel Single Cab and Best Diesel Double Cab. The Hilux was also the best One-Ton Single Cab Commercial Vehicle Brand and the Best Double Cab Commercial Vehicle Brand, while Toyota was the Best Light Commercial Vehicle Brand overall.
The best quality rating for LCVs overall was achieved by the Hilux single cab petrol with an index figure of 37.
Nissan won Gold for the Best ¾-ton Pick-up (NP200) and the Best New Light Commercial Vehicle (Hardbody petrol single cab). GMSA took Gold for the Best Diesel Single Cab with its Isuzu KB.
