TUSTIN, Calif. -

AutoPacific unveiled its 2011 Ideal Vehicle Awards on Tuesday, and while a usual suspect took top honors on the luxury side, the mainstream side was topped by a brand that is finally getting new products rolling after years of challenges.

The mainstream brand earning the IVA? Chrysler. Coming in second was Hyundai, with Ford at No. 3.

Meanwhile, on the luxury side, Porsche won for the fourth straight year. Porsche was also recognized as the overall brand winner, and its Porsche 911 model was the top vehicle.

AutoPacific also doled out winners in 24 vehicle categories. Among all OEMs, Ford was a landslide winner, taking seven spots.

“Ford Motor Co. leads the industry with a total of seven segment winners. Like last year, no other manufacturer came even close,” said AutoPacific president George Peterson

Chrysler and Volvo were next on the list with three models each.

Hyundai, Porsche and Toyota were each represented by two vehicles on the list. General Motors, Honda, Subaru and Volkswagen, meanwhile, each had one of their respective models win a segment.

“Everyone has had the experience of wanting to change something after you’ve bought it and experienced it for awhile. This is especially true of vehicles,” Peterson noted. “This research recognizes the vehicles that owners want to change the least. In other words, the vehicles that already match their owner’s demands.”

AutoPacific considered the survey responses of more than 72,000 purchasers of 2011 model-year vehicles who evaluate the models in 15 wide-ranging categories that include things like power, acceleration and interior spaciousness.

The less the owners would change a vehicle, the more ideal a vehicle is, the firm explained.

"It’s getting harder and harder to measure quality differences in today’s vehicles,” Peterson noted.

"Consumers need better insights into which vehicles will meet their ideal for comfort, ride and handling, cargo space and other attributes that are experienced on a daily basis,” he added. “IVA winners deliver the most of what consumers are really looking for in their vehicles. Shoppers can use the IVAs as a benchmark for vehicles that are designed and built with customers in mind.”

The complete list of winners is as follows:

Premium Brand Award: Porsche
Mainstream/Popular Brand Award: Chrysler

Overall Winner: Porsche 911
Overall Brand Winner: Porsche

Passenger Cars
Premium Luxury Car: Mercedes-Benz E-Class
Aspirational Luxury Car: Volvo S60
Large Car: Hyundai Azera
Luxury Midsize Car: Lincoln MKZ
Premium Midsize Car: Ford Fusion
Midsize Car: Subaru Legacy
Premium Compact Car: Volvo C30
Compact Car: Hyundai Elantra
Sports Car: Porsche 911
Sporty Car: Dodge Challenger
Hybrid Car: Ford Fusion Hybrid

Pickup, SUV & Minivans
Large Light-Duty Pickup: Ford F-150
Large Heavy-Duty Pickup: Ford Super Duty
Compact Pickup: Honda Ridgeline
Luxury Sport Utility: Cadillac Escalade
Large Sport Utility: Toyota Sequoia
Midsize Sport Utility: Jeep Grand Cherokee
Premium Luxury Crossover SUV: Porsche Cayenne
Luxury Crossover SUV: Volvo XC70
Large Crossover SUV: Ford Flex
Premium Midsize Crossover SUV: Ford Explorer
Mid-Size Crossover SUV: Toyota RAV4
Compact Crossover SUV: Volkswagen Tiguan
Minivan: Chrysler Town & Country