The Toyota Prius was rated the highest-ranking model in three of Europe’s most prominent and influential satisfaction surveys conducted by J.D. Power and Associates. The pioneering hybrid vehicle was picked as the most satisfying vehicle in separate surveys conducted in the UK, France and Germany, with most owners rating the car’s quality and reliability as its most satisfying attributes.

Such a result is surprising given Europe’s reluctance to embrace hybrid technology but it shows that consumer tastes are starting to change.

The annual customer satisfaction surveys are based on the evaluations of car owners after an average of two years of ownership of their vehicles. The study includes 28 brands and 100 models. Owners provided detailed evaluations of their vehicles and dealers, and gave feedback on four key measurements of satisfaction. In order of importance, they are: quality and reliability (30%); vehicle appeal (28%), which includes performance, design, comfort and features; dealer service satisfaction (22%); and ownership costs (19%), which includes fuel consumption, insurance and costs of maintenance.

Several other Toyota models also received top place rankings, with the Aygo being voted the most satisfying minicar in the UK and France and the Verso winning the best compact MPV award in the German survey.