Would you buy it again?

The Chevrolet Volt is a plug-in hybrid that seats only four people, has an advanced but unproven powertrain, and carries a sticker price of about $40,000. And it's now the top-scoring model in our latest owner-satisfaction survey results (PDF). Ninety-three percent of respondents who own the car say they would definitely buy it again. That edged out the V8-powered Dodge Challenger and the Porsche 911, each with owner-satisfaction scores of 91 percent.

Those models reflect a larger trend we've seen in recent years: Sporty cars and fuel-efficient cars with alternative drivetrains tend to generate more enthusiasm and loyalty than most other types of vehicles. Of the 27 models that got our top owner-satisfaction rating—at least 80 percent of respondents said they'd definitely buy the car again—12 were sporty cars or convertibles and nine were hybrids or diesels.

Our owner-satisfaction scores are based on the results from our latest Annual Auto Survey, which was conducted by the Consumer Reports National Research Center. Scores are based on the percentage of respondents who answered "definitely yes" to the following question: "Considering all factors (price, reliability, comfort, enjoyment, etc.), would you get this car if you had it to do all over again?" The survey drew responses from more than 314,000 subscribers on 2009 through 2012 model-year vehicles. (Visit our special section for in-depth information on owner satisfaction and car reliability.)

Though the Volt's high score reflects the excitement surrounding GM's new electric/gasoline drivetrain, it comes with a caveat. The model had been in showrooms for only a few months when our survey was conducted, and the rating is based on a relatively small sample of owners. Early adopters of a new technology tend to be among the most enthusiastic buyers. We've also found that many newly introduced models get higher owner-satisfaction scores in their first year than in their second and third years. For example, the Smart ForTwo scored a high 84 in 2008, but by 2010 it had dropped to a mediocre 67. Next year, we'll see whether the Volt has been able to maintain its owners' loyalty.

Other fuel-efficient models that earned our top rating include a number of hybrids, such as the Ford Fusion Hybrid, Lincoln MKZ Hybrid, Lexus CT 200h and RX 450h, and Toyota Prius, as well as diesel versions of the BMW X5 xDrive and Volkswagen Golf and Jetta SportWagen.

Sporty models that did well include the supercharged Audi S4, Audi A5 and S5, Chevrolet Camaro and Corvette, Ford Mustang GT, Mazda MX-5 Miata, and Mini Cooper Convertible. The appeal of power also extends into mainstream models, as owners of turbocharged versions are often more satisfied than owners of conventional versions of the same car. Although the Ford Flex and Hyundai Sonata, for example, are generally well liked by owners, only their turbocharged versions earned our top rating.

Other vehicle types that received relatively high satisfaction scores are family cars, higher-end sedans and SUVs, and full-sized pickup trucks.

Small cars, lower-priced small and midsized SUVs, minivans, and compact pickup trucks tended to score much lower as a group. This year, only three models received our lowest rating, which means that fewer than half of the respondents said they would definitely buy the car again. They are the Chevrolet Aveo, all-wheel-drive Toyota Matrix, and Chevrolet Colorado pickup.

Brand nationality doesn't seem to be a factor among the top-rated models. The 27 models with the highest rating include 10 American, 10 European, and seven Asian models. Audi, Chevrolet, and Ford tied with four models each on the top list.