A survey has revealed which Kiwi car owners find their vehicle to be the most reliable and satisfactory.
Conducted by Consumer NZ, the survey reported on 72 different models, and questioned more than 8000 Kiwis on the topic.
It found makers such as Honda, Tesla and BYD stood out for the "right reasons".
Meanwhile, brands such as Ford, Volkswagen, Holden, Chrysler Jeep, Ssangyong, Mitsubishi and Mercedes-Benz all scored "poorly" for reliability and owner satisfaction, according to Consumer NZ product test manager James le Page.
Le Page added: "Obviously, satisfaction is dependent on the owner's needs and expectations. One person might be interested in a comfy ride and a good stereo. Another may value driving performance above all else."
What models do Kiwis say to steer clear of?
In the survey, the Mazda6 had one of the lowest scores for satisfaction and reliability.
Only 30% of respondents reported their Mazda6 was fault-free.
"Mazda6 owners also rated their car poorly for comfort, fuel economy and driving performance," said le Page.
Consumer NZ's James le Page joined Breakfast to talk about the results of its survey. (Source: Breakfast)
Hyundai Santa Fe owners were also among the least satisfied owners.
Le Page said the owners felt their vehicle provided "poor value for money, due to the costs required to maintain and repair it".
Mitsubishi Outlander owners also reported their vehicle's fuel economy and driving performance were "poorer than expected, leaving them to feel dissatisfied".
Electric vehicles rank well
Although only 13% of petrol and diesel owners said they would be likely to buy an EV in the future, EV and hybrid owners were the most satisfied overall.
Le Page said: "non-EV owners are generally reluctant to embrace an EV, but once they do, it's hard to go back to driving a petrol or diesel car again."
He pointed to "range anxiety" as one of the main barriers to EV ownership.
"While the price and lack of range are the obvious barriers, environmental factors, such as how we dispose or recycle of the EV batteries, have crept higher up the list of concerns."
Owners of the Nissan Leaf didn't rate the vehicle's real-world range and battery life. However, they were among the most satisfied of all drivers.
Le Page said the ownership experience of this vehicle "makes up" for its shortcomings, and highlights the importance of the "superficial" attributes, such as a spacious boot or comfortable seats.
Consumer NZ surveyed 8527 people including supporters, members, newsletter and survey subscribers, and social media followers about their experience of owning their current car.
The satisfaction measures included satisfaction attributes such as fuel economy, overall satisfaction, how likely they are to recommend the vehicle, and the likelihood of repurchasing the vehicle.
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