The survey, which was conducted by the Consumer Reports National Research Center, rated Honda, as well as Ford, Nissan, Chevrolet, Toyota, Hyundai and Chrysler. 1,700 consumers, representing a nationally representative sample of adults with at least one vehicle in their household, were interviewed via phone calls, and asked to share their perceptions of customer service and quality commitment.

Honda scored at the top – overwhelmingly so – in both categories, scoring 71% and 73% respectively, with Ford and Nissan in the second and third positions. In fifth place (surprisingly high, considering the woes the Japanese automaker has been going through) was Toyota, with Hyundai and Chrysler trailing the others by a large margin.

Here’s an image of the actual survey results:

While stranded passengers are beginning to move, both companies are claiming that the volcano, which grounded almost all flights in and out of Europe, has forced reductions in production, even for the American market. Due to the nature of the delays, Nissan isn’t sure how long production will be reduced, but a spokesperson for the automaker said that even one day will cause a 2,000 unit setback.

BMW is facing similar delays, and has halted production at its plants in Dingolfing (which produces 5- and 7-series sedans) and the Munich and Regensburg plants (which produce the 3-series and 1-series and Z4, respectively), but hopes to resume normal workflow by April 23rd. The Bavarian automaker is expecting a 7.000 unit shortage.

The ground-stop of air freight has caused a delay in electronics and interior components, BMW adds.

According to Left Lane News, BMW may also have to idle their plant in Spartanburg, SC plant, though if trans-Atlantic flights resume, they may be able to keep that site open and functioning.

Nissan will begin accepting reservations for purchase of the 2011 Nissan Leaf on April 20th, with those who have signed up at NissanUSA to be first in line. In December, Nissan will make the car available for purchase or lease by consumers in select markets, with nationwide availability to be open in 2011. The reservation fee is $99, and is fully refundable. Reserving a Leaf grants consumers access to a place in line when the company begins taking firm orders for the car in August, and also nets them access to special Leaf-related events.

In California, which is likely to be the Leaf’s biggest market, the combined federal and state tax credits, which include a $5,000 state wide tax credit, will effectively decrease the total purchase price of the new electric car to the low-$20,000s, but consumers are advised to remember that said credits cannot be applied until tax time, and that they still need to pay the entire cost of the car up front, or arrange financing. Other states are also offering tax credits – such as a $1,500 credit in Oregon, and a $5,000 credit in Georgia, as well as allowing the Leaf to have access to the carpool lane, even if the only person inside the vehicle is the driver.

Standard features of the 2011 Nissan Leaf, at the SV trim level, include an advanced navigations system, Internet/smart phone connectivity, Bluetooth, push-buttong start, traction control and six airbags. For an additional $940, buyers can upgrade to the SL trim level, and gain a rearview monitor, automatic headlights, fog lights, and a solar panel spoiler.

As part of the purchase process for the Leaf, Nissan will also be offering personal charging docks, which operate on a 220-volt power supply, as well as their installation. These home-charging stations will be built and installed by AeroVironment, and is part of Nissan’s one-stop shopping process. A home assessment is included with the price.

According to HybridCars:

* The average cost for the charging dock plus installation will be $2,200.
* Charging dock and installation are eligible for a 50 percent federal tax credit up to $2,000.
* Using current national electricity averages, Nissan LEAF will cost less than $3 to “fill up.”
* Nissan LEAF also will be the sole vehicle available as part of The EV Project, which is led by EV infrastructure provider eTec, a division of ECOtality, and will provide free home-charging stations and installation for up to 4,700 Nissan LEAF owners in those markets:Phoenix/Tucson, San Diego, Portland/Salem/Eugene (OR), Seattle, Nashville/Knoxville.

Speaking at an event on February 5 to promote the all-electric Nissan Leaf, Houston mayor Annise Parker said, “We are the Petro Metro, but we are also a car city. To have an electric vehicle that appeals to a car culture will make the real difference for market penetration.”

The Leaf, a five-passenger vehicle that can travel 100-miles on a single charge, hopes it will be that car, not just for Houston, but for other cities like San Francisco, that are actively forging alliances with car makers and power companies. These metropolitan areas don’t just want to bring EVs to their streets, they want to see electric charging stations to their street corners.

In Houston, Nissan has brokered a deal with both the city and Reliant Energy to construct public charging stations. These efforts are key in overcoming the doubts of would-be buyers fearful of being stranded with no juice under the hood.

General Motors will be debuting its much-anticipated Chevrolet Volt later this year, and partnerships like the one Nissan has struck with the city of Houston could be key to the car’s success. The Houston metropolitan area has about 4.5 million cars and trucks ticking off approximately 86 driving miles a day.

Promoting the EVs in tandem with charging stations is a win/win for all concerned. Thanks to the recession, power utilities in the United States have seen demand drop off about 5% over the past two years. Widespread adoption of electric vehicles serves multiple masters:

• It gives the auto industry exciting new products.
• Electric vehicles cater to environmental concerns.
• EVs will help lessen our nation’s dependence on foreign oil.
• Charging stations will generate jobs in cities where they are located.
• Cities like Houston with air-quality problems will gain access to more federal funds if they can cut emissions.
• A new area of electrical use will reclaim some lost profits for the power utilities.

Critics of electrical vehicles have long pointed to the lack of infrastructure as a significant stumbling block to the cars’ practicality. Partnerships with cities and power companies who have their own problems to solve could make that criticism go away, and give products like the Leaf and the Volt the leg up they need to be real contenders in the world of alternative-powered vehicles.

One such story, involves Nissan Motor Co.’s plan to build small cars, with matching small pricetags, in Mexico. The company is currently developing two cars for sale in the United States, each with a pricetag of roughly $10,000. Both cars will be based on Nissan’s global V platform, which is also intended to replace the subcompact Micra, currently being sold in foreign markets. A total of three models will be produced on that platform, and sales are planned for Central and South America, as well. These models have not yet been named, but are likely to smaller than the Versa, which is the smallest Nissan vehicle currently sold in the United States.

In Detroit, Carlos Tavares, Nissan’s chairman for the Americas said, “I think $10,000 is a good price point for Nissan’s coming small cars. As you know, there are very few new cars sold at that price point in the United States.” Tavares went on to state that “The V platform will be sourced in Mexico for the Americas.”

Tavares didn’t provide a timetable for the production of these new cars, but the program calls for production of at least 200,000 vehicles per year, as well as their engines and transmissions, at one of the two plants Nissan operates in Mexico. The company expects to produce at least a million V cars a year, globally, with Mexico the only factory site in the Western hemisphere.

The base Nissan Versa has a sticker price of a bit under $10,000, but be warned: the radio is optional, and the windows are powered by elbow grease. Even so, in December 2009 U.S. sales of the little car totaled 6,809 vehicles, a 33% increase over the same month in 2008, even with overall American sales down 19% over the last year.

When asked how the new Versas will be fitted out, Tavares kept it vague: “It is too early to tell you the (standard) equipment in those cars,” he said. “The only thing that we can tell you is that we will hold that price point.”