Toyota claimed the top spot in TrueCar's October performance ratings, finishing ahead of Subaru for the first time. The ratings grade automakers on pricing, sales, customer loyalty and market share.
Toyota vehicles earned the highest grade of an A+ after a month that saw the manufacturer set a new sales record. Sales for the Japanese manufacturer increased by 16 percent in October, and also posted its highest profits in four years, Marketwatch reports. The company sold more than 155,000 vehicles in the month of October alone, marking a significant rebound over the same month last year, when it was still rebounding from the devastation of the Japanese tsunami. Customers are continuing to be attracted to Toyota vehicles thanks to their affordable prices, low cost vehicle maintenance and high safety standards.
Other top scorers were Subaru and BMW, which tied with a rating of A, and Jaguar Land Rover, which finished in third with an A-. In contrast, the lowest grades went to Suzuki, Mitsubishi and Mazda/Volvo, which were graded as a D+, C- and C, respectively.
The largest improvements for manufacturers from September to October belonged to Ford and Volvo. Ford moved from a C+ to a B, while Volvo saw a moderate increase from a D+ to a C.