Hi Paul;
Although in no way I question the data from the Dutch Consumer Union
(although I do question JD Power’s dubious surveys), don’t you think
that you got this Peugeot 106 rating from some sort of review of a
certain category of automobiles (like "superminis"). It would be just
very strange if they chose to review all cars mixed up: subcompacts,
minis, luxury, minivans, etc., sort of a car soup. There are many
automotive categories where Peugeot is not even represented. There is
one automotive category which is almost Peugeot’s own private domain,
the Grand Duchy of Peugeot, where it has no serious competition in
Europe: electric vehicles and government/municipal sales of electric
vehicles.
Here is a fresh "Best in the UK" review supplement from the Daily
Express (UK) with the World Car Guide (and UK Car Guide) for 1997 that I
picked for 5 pounds at the Victoria Station (I had to spend my sterling
somehow before leaving, so I was buying all sorts of junk: magazines,
canned beer, candy, etc.). Thefore leaving, so I was buying all sorts of junk: magazines,
canned beer, candy, etc.). The review analyzes 87 automotive brands on
the US market. Here are the best in "the UK" judged by reliability,
quality, performance and price.
I. The largest market segment: small family cars:
1. Ford Europe Escort
2. Vauxhall/Opel Astra
3. Peugeot 306 (overall best imported car)
4. Rover 200
5. Volkswagen Golf
____________________
Other market segments:
II. Best Budget Cars
1. Skoda Felicia (you can have your cake and eat it too! Best car
and best imported car in its class )
2. Fiat Cinquecento
3. Rover Mini
4. Renault 5
5. Lada Samara
IV. Superminis
1. Ford Europe Fiesta ("very different from long defunct US Ford’s
Fiesta - ES")
2. Renault Clio (best imported car in its class)
3. Vauxhall/Opel Corsa
4. Fiat Punto
5. Nissan Micra
. Medium Family Cars
1. Ford Europe Mondeo
2. Vauxhall/Opel Vectra
3. Rover 400
4. Renault Laguna (best imported car in its class)
5. Peugeot 406
VI. Junior Executive Cars
1. BMW 3 Series (best car in its class and the best imported car in
its class)
2. Audi A4
3. Rover 600
4. Mercedes Benz C-class
5. Volvo 850
VII. Executive cars
1. Vauxhall/Opel Omega
2. Mercedes-Benz E-class (best imported car in its class)
3. BMW 5 series
4. Rover 800
5. Ford Europe Scorpio
VIII. MPV’s (British for minivan)
1. Ford (Ford Europe/Ford UK) Galaxy
2. Volkswagen Sharan (best imported car in its class)
3. Renault Espace
4. Toyota Previa
5. Nissan Serena
IX. Best diesel cars
1. Peugeot 306 (best car in its class and best imported car in its
class)
2. Ford (Ford Europe/Ford UK) Mondeo
3. Peugeot 106
4. Vauxhall/Opel Astra
5. Ford (Ford Europe/Ford UK) Escort
X. Off roaders (four by four vehicles):
1. Land Rover Discovery
2. Vauxhall/Opel Frontera
3. Suzuki Vitara (best imported car in its class)
4. Range Rover
5. Toyota RAV4
There are also exotic sports and some other subcategories, as well as
ratings of next five vehicles, but I don’t want to type anymore. Just
for information.
Eugene Soukharnikov
Providence, RI