Regarded as a simplified and comprehensive car scoring site, released its list of the “Top 10 Best Car Brands” for 2012 today.
This year, razor-thin margins decided the overall winner and subsequently placing companies, even to the point of the 11th and 12th spot companies being less than a point away from those companies that made the top 10 list. Sitting in first place, Infiniti beat the rest this year with an 82.09, a 2.2-point increase over last year. Sitting underneath it, Mercedes-Benz scored an 81.82 with a 1.64-point increase.
In fact, all the top-scoring companies showed improvements over last year with one exception: Lexus. It placed fifth but actually lost points over last year. On the opposite end of that spectrum, Kia had the largest increase of the top companies, rising 3.76 points to take the number 10 spot.
Rankings are decided by taking data from other car ranking sources and calculating it into the single percentage described here.
Buick sits in third place this year, probably a reflection of GM’s effort to bring the brand back into the spotlight with cars like the Verano, an entry-level luxury sedan. With the brand having just announced a 2.0-liter 250-hp turbocharged engine to be offered next year, it just might be able to stand up to the Acura ILX which aims to topple its current monopoly on the market segment.
With a huge chunk of its sales (roughly a third last month) coming from the new JX crossover, Infiniti probably owes its top spot more than anything to its new family carrier. There are still other attractive options in its lineup, like the well-received G sedan also boasting brand-supporting sales numbers.
