THE Hyundai Amica has proved itself to be in the top rank of satisfying cars to own, finishing seventh out of 209 cars evaluated, in this year's JD Power Survey.

With a score of 83.6 per cent, the Amica equalled the score achieved by the more expensive BMW 3-Series and Mercedes E-Class and finished streets ahead of such cars as the Jaguar S-Type, Audi TT, the entire Volvo and Audi ranges and the rest of the Mercedes-Benz line-up.

The survey said about the Amica: "The respectable Amica nestles proudly alongside some much more expensive and prestigious badges in the overall rankings. In its city car category, it performed extremely well.

"The packaging helped it to an excellent rating for the interior, matching the scores for the dealer service and ownership costs."

The JD Power organisation surveyed around 28,000 people, who collectively drive 209 different models of V and W registered cars (first registered between September 1999 and August 2000).

JD Power then gives different weightings to each category, to reflect how much each section impacts on overall customer satisfaction. Both models are priced from £15,195 on the road.