The new Hyundai Equus leaves customers more satisfied than any other large premium cars in the American market, even outdistancing luxury German brands such as BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz, according to a recent survey.

The Equus received 904 points out of a maximum 1,000 in this year's U.S. automotive performance, execution and layout (APEAL) survey, which was published on Thursday by J.D. Power and Associates, an influential U.S. agency that conducts surveys to determine customer satisfaction levels.

The Equus' score was the highest among all 234 car models evaluated in the 10 car segments. In the large premium car segment, the BMW 7 series was the second-most popular choice, followed by the Audi A8, which netted 880 points, and the Benz S-class (876).

To find out what design, performance and features customers are looking for, the APEAL survey focused only on those who had purchased a new car within three months. It asked them a total of 95 questions in 10 categories.

"The Equus has the distinction of being the highest-performing model in the 2011 APEAL Study," said J.D. Power. "[It] has achieved an impressive introduction into the marketplace from a performance, execution and layout perspective."

Customers gave especially high marks to the Equus for its front and rear design elements, its spacious trunk and interior space, and the ease of getting in and out of the car, J.D. Power added. However the agency also quoted customers as pointing out the Equus' low acceleration and poor fuel efficiency as its shortcomings.

Shortly after it was rolled out last October, the Equus was chosen as one of the U.S. Consumer Guide's "Best Buy and Recommended" cars. In April, it was named "best car" by the NADA Guide and "safest car" by the U.S. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

In terms of brand rankings, Hyundai Motor ranked third in the survey with 793 points among 20 non-premium nameplates, up 13 places on-year.

Meanwhile, Hyundai Motor achieved sales of W38.32 trillion (US$1=W1,052), operating profits of W3.95 trillion and net profits of W4.18 trillion during the first half of this year, according to its filing under the International Financial Reporting Standards.

Its sales were up 20.2 percent, operating profits increased 31.6 percent, and net profits grew 41.3 percent on-year as it sold 1,958,218 cars during this period.