Agency J.D. Power & Associates has published a final ranking of the best crossovers of 2021. Cars of American brands are inferior to Koreans and Europeans in terms of manufacturing quality and ease of use, for more details about the best all-wheel drive vehicles of this year, see the article "Gazeta.Ru". Most of the crossovers recognized as the best by J.D. Power & Associates are also represented on the Russian market. The annual rating includes two assessment criteria, the first assesses the quality of cars based on feedback from real car owners in the first three months of operation. Depending on the presence of problems and breakdowns, the survey participants expose cars to penalty points. The fewer there are, the higher the place of this or that car will be in the ranking.
The second criterion of the rating implies the assessment by the drivers of the overall attractiveness of the cars, the convenience of their use - only 37 parameters, from the feeling of comfort while driving and ending with the emotions from pressing the gas pedal.
Several BMW crossovers - X4, X6 and X7 - were among the best in all respects in 2021.
In the case of the first two models, high marks for design and overall attractiveness helped them gain recognition from motorists. The compact X4 took first place in the list of reliable cars.
The roomy BMW X7 is in 4th place in the ranking. Among the cars that were unconditionally recommended for purchase, there was also a large crossover Kia Telluride, which has not yet been presented on the Russian market.
In addition to Telluride, two other Kia models - Soul and Sportage - were included in the list of top quality cars. In their segment - small crossovers - both of these cars have taken the leading positions.
So, the Korean Soul took third place in this list - while outsiders in the list of ten most worthy were cars of American brands - Chevrolet TrailBlazer, Jeep Cherokee and two modifications of Buick Encore.
At the same time, the Soul is sold in the USA with powerful engines - a 147-horsepower gasoline engine paired with a CVT is considered the youngest for it in this market. And there is also a 201-horsepower 1.6 turbo engine, equipped with a "robot" with a double clutch.
On the Russian market, the set of units for this model is significantly different - the most affordable Soul is equipped with a 123-horsepower 1.6 naturally aspirated engine, and a 150-horsepower 2.0 relies on a classic hydromechanical automatic, not a variator.
Kia Sportage took first place in its segment in the quality rating - but it should also be borne in mind that a more powerful, 240-horsepower turbo engine is available for it in the USA. For this car, the 2.4 atmospheric unit (184 hp) is the oldest in the lineup.
In the list of the highest quality crossovers at the end of 2021, there are two Lexus models. Thus, the RX demonstrated a combination of reliability with a thoughtful design and a spacious interior - for this car, a seven-seater modification is also provided. And the UX model delighted American car owners with premium finishing materials, with which it compares favorably with the Toyota CH-R built on the same platform.
In the Nissan Murano, American car owners appreciated the functional interior, the presence of a V6 engine and all-wheel drive.
At the same time, the outsiders among his classmates were Hyundai Santa Fe and Chevrolet Tahoe.
Land Rover Defender and Volvo XC40 took the leading positions in the rating of attractiveness for customers. The British SUV attracted car owners primarily with its stylish looks, driving performance, a sense of safety and thoughtful interior. Among the weaknesses noted are inefficiency and a complex media system.
The respondents noted the advantages of the Swedish Volvo XC40 - safety, convenience of remote control of machine functions, and the most frequently mentioned disadvantages - a short range, problems with voice control and multimedia.
In 2021, J.D. Power & Associates evaluated vehicles from 32 popular brands and found that 20 had improved vehicle quality scores compared to last year. The main problem noted by American motorists is related to the use of the car's media system and the convenience of connecting a smartphone - car owners are actively demanding the introduction of wireless technologies, including the Apple CarPlay and Android Auto interfaces.
So far, automakers are not responding well to these customer requests, the study notes. At the same time, cars of mass brands cause much less complaints from owners than cars of premium brands, the expectations from which are higher.
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