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Consumer Reports survey shows which cars make their owners happiest

Ultimately, owner satisfaction is an individual thing, but Consumer Reports found some interesting trends. Women were most satisfied by the Kia Telluride, Mazda MX-5 Miata and Ford Expedition. Men preferred the Tesla Model S and the Hyundai Santa Fe.

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By
Monica Laliberte
, WRAL executive producer/5 on Your Side reporter

Want a sporty style or maybe you need more space? Prefer a car or an SUV?

To help you figure it out which vehicle might suit you best, Consumer Reports broke down the options.

They used survey data on more than 420,000 vehicles, not just gas mileage and reliability, but what makes drivers happy.

“We know this because we ask Consumer Reports members whether they would buy the same car again. We then look at how owners rate their cars on satisfaction in five categories: driving experience, comfort, value, styling and dashboard controls," said Jon Linkov, Consumer Reports auto editor.

Ultimately, owner satisfaction is an individual thing, but Consumer Reports found some interesting trends.

Women were most satisfied by the Kia Telluride, Mazda MX-5 Miata and Ford Expedition.

Men preferred the Tesla Model S and the Hyundai Santa Fe.

As for car preferences by age, millennials like the Subaru Ascent; GenX, the Tesla Model S. Boomers like the Ford Expedition. The silent generation, those in their mid-70s and older, like the Genesis G90.

Finally, the overall favorite car for driver happiness: the Tesla Model 3.

“Cars that inspire the strongest loyalty are fun to drive, reliable, deliver great fuel economy or can be driven solely on electricity, or provide a high-tech, luxurious driving environment,” said Linkov.

Price also matters when considering happiness.

Consumer Reports says the higher priced the car, the more likely you are to be satisfied with it, perhaps because it has more bells and whistles.

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