JD Power Survey 2007 - Introduction

You'll buy a car because you like it. You like the looks, you like the interior and it suits your needs. However, six months down the line, your views may have changed.

The What Car?/JD Power Customer Satisfaction Survey is the largest of its kind in the UK, with 18,187 car owners giving their views on 113 models from 33 car makers. Cars owners were asked to fill out a detailed questionnaire asking them what they liked about their vehicles and whether the service they got at their dealerships was up to scratch.

How it is scored
Eight categories are measured and they contribute to an overall customer satisfaction (CSI) percentage. The eight categories are: mechanical problems, interior problems, exterior problems, vehicle performance, vehicle interior, vehicle exterior, dealer service, and ownership costs.

The overall score is weighted in favour of quality and reliability, followed by vehicle appeal, dealer service and then ownership costs.