New Honda Civic most talked about online

The 2012 Honda Civic is the most talked about car in online conversations, according to a new survey.

The Car Brand Index, by online research firm Spectrum, ranks 41 automotive brands by the amount of online 'chatter' they generate through the social media channels of Facebook and Twitter.

Data for the survey was based on 71,000 online conversations in the final quarter of 2011.

The new Civic took the top spot, followed by the Ford Focus and Honda Accord. UK social media users view Chevrolet as best for comfort, Ford as the most innovative, while Toyota is considered to be most environmentally aware.

Ford was found to be the most family-friendly brand, and generated more mentions on Twitter than any other manufacturer.

At the other end of the index, the least talked about car was the TVR Tamora, while some 'big names' failing to excite the cyber highway included the Audi A7 at 93, the Citroen C4 Picasso at 97 and the Porsche Panamera at 100. Surprisingly, the Range Rover Evoque could manage a lowly ranking of only 69.

The survey is a good indication of individual brands' online marketing strategy as buyers rely less on traditional forms of advertising and move towards peer recommendation.

Mark Westaby from Spectrum, said: 'Our Car Brand Index provides in-depth information about how brands compare in relation to the different criteria that influence our reasons for purchase.

'By benchmarking and tracking changes in online content, conversation and behaviour we lift the bonnet on what brands really mean to us and also show how successful marketing campaigns have been at shaping and changing perceptions.'

Top 10 most talked about online cars

1 Honda Civic
2 Ford Focus
3 Honda Accord
4 Audi A4
5 VW Passat
6 VW Golf
7 Vauxhall Zafira
8 Ford Fiesta
9 Honda CR-V
10 Land Rover Freelander

Pete Barden