Chevrolet Volt Tops Consumer Reports’ Owner Satisfaction Survey For The Second Year

The Chevrolet Volt topped Consumer Reports' Owner Satisfaction survey for the second year in a row, with 92 percent of respondents saying they would buy their cars again.

Apparently, if you buy a Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid, you can get some satisfaction. The Volt topped Consumer Reports’ annual Owner Satisfaction survey for the second year in a row, with 92 percent of Volt owners saying they would buy another.

The survey asked owners the question: “Considering all factors (price, performance, reliability, comfort, enjoyment, etc.), would you get this car if you had it to do all over again?” More Volt owners answered “definitely yes” than the owners of any other car in the survey.

The Owner Satisfaction survey was conducted as part of the Consumer Reports Annual Auto Survey. The magazine received responses regarding 350,000 vehicles from 240 distinct model lines. The survey covered the 2010 through 2013 model years.

The Volt’s win was not the result of jingoism. The top scores were almost evenly split between domestic and foreign manufacturers. The top 44 models included 16 American, 14 European, and 14 Asian nameplates.

Other green cars that scored well included the Toyota Prius, Prius C, and Camry Hybrid, as well as the Nissan Leaf.

While owners are most satisfied with their Volts, the Chevy is not the green car Consumer Reports would recommend. The magazine’s editors noted that owner satisfaction is only one of three critical areas that a car needs to perform well in; the other two are road tests and reliability. Their best pick is the Toyota Camry Hybrid.

The Volt may not have scored as well as the Camry in other areas, but its high owner satisfaction is still remarkable. The car known as General Motors’ moon shot has been in the media spotlight since its launch, garnering both positive and negative press.

The Volt won Motor Trend’s 2011 Car of the Year and Automobile Magazine’s 2011 Automobile of the Year awards. However, it was also criticized for its high, $39,145 base price (before a $7,500 federal tax credit) and spartan four-seat interior.

The Volt’s sales have been equally schizophrenic. Earlier this year, production was stopped due to low demand. In the first ten months into 2012 (November numbers aren’t in yet), Chevy sold 19,309 Volts, compared to 5,003 sold between January and October 2011.

Last year was the Volt’s first full year of sales, but the month-to-month numbers have also been on the rise. Chevy sold 1,108 Volts in October 2011, and 2,961 in October 2012.

Story by Stephen Edelstein at Digital Trends on December 3, 2012