Based on input from consumers, domestic vehicles are most preferred by consumers, according to the sixth in a series of trend center reports released by Polk direct from the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit. This report details the survey responses Polk captured during the first three days the show was open to the public. In fact, eight out of 10 segments on this year's survey show a domestic vehicle as a number one choice. These segments are Mid-size Car, Large Car, Minivan/Full-Size Van, Compact SUV, Regular SUV, Full-Size SUV, Compact Pickup and Full-Size Pickup. According to Lonnie Miller, a performance consultant at Polk, "When it comes to purchasing a truck, it seems that the number one choice for consumers is usually a domestic brand." Interestingly, however, during the first week of the NAIAS, the media and others in the automotive community did not show such a preference for vehicles manufactured in the United States. Among the "top three" vehicles within each vehicle segment, eight of the 10 vehicle segments had ties among respondents from the media and the automotive community, while only two segments were tied within the consumer responses. "Consumers agree more on their vehicle preference than those who work closely with the industry," Miller said. The Full-Size Pickup Truck segment is the only segment in which the consumers, as well as media and others in the automotive community agreed. Their number one choice is the Ford F-Series Pickup, which received 34.8 percent of the segment's votes among both respondent groups.

Top 3 Leaders Based on Voting at the
Polk Auto Trend Centers January 13-15, 2001

Mid-Size Car 1. Dodge Stratus 10.2 2. Volkswagen Jetta 8.7 3. Ford Taurus 8.2 Large Car 1. Pontiac Bonneville 28.0 2. Chevrolet Impala 22.6 3. Ford Crown Victoria 18.3 Luxury Car 1. Jaguar S-Type 2. Mercedes-Benz CLK 8.4 3. BMW M3/Lexus GS 400 (tie) 5.7 Prestige Luxury Car 1. Rolls Royce Silver Seraph 11.5 2. Bentley Continental 10.9 3. Jaguar XJ8 9.6 Minivan/Full-Size Van 1. Dodge Caravan 17.5 2. Chrysler Town & Country 15.8 3. Dodge Van/Honda Odyssey (tie) 7.5 Compact Pickup Truck 1. Dodge Dakota 31.6 2. Ford Ranger 23.7 3. Chevrolet S-10 14.0 Full-Size Pickup Truck 1. Ford F-Series 34.8 2. Dodge Ram Pickup 26.5 3. Chevrolet Silverado 20.0 Compact SUV 1. Chrysler PT Cruiser 26.7 2. Jeep Wrangler 18.0 3. Ford Escape 12.0 Regular SUV 1. Jeep Grand Cherokee 18.3 2. Ford Explorer 13.9 3. BMW X5 12.2 Full-Size SUV 1. Hummer 4-Door 14.0 2. Cadillac Escalade 12.1 3. Dodge Durango 8.7 About Polk Polk has served the automotive industry for nearly 80 years and is the longest standing curator of automobile records in the United States. Founded in Detroit in 1870, Polk launched its motor vehicle statistical operations in 1922 when the first car registration reports were published. It now provides automotive solutions to nearly every segment of the motor vehicle industry as an analytic consultant and statistician, as a provider of database-marketing services, as a supplier of vehicle histories, and as a data enabler for geographic information systems. Based in Southfield, Mich., Polk is a privately held global firm, currently operating in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Holland, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States.