What poor-quality cars lack in performance and reliability, they can make up for with style, according to a new study.In the short term, consumers will put up with performance deficiencies if they’re satisfied with the style and appearance of new vehicles, reports A.T. Kearney, a management consultant firm that performed the survey. In recent years, the study notes, consumers have come to expect satisfactory quality in most new vehicles. Now their purchasing decisions are based more on the look of the car than its perceived quality.

“A clear trend indicates that sales generally increase for vehicles with new or freshened styling,” says Paul Carrannanto, co-author of the study and a principal at A.T. Kearney. “In case after case, this has held true even when quality ratings for these vehicles are less than stellar.”

Carrannanto reports that sales for newly stylized vehicles increase for about two years. After that, sales fall off to previous levels and in some cases decline even more. Several nameplates have done particularly well in producing attractive, well-designed cars, says Carrannanto: BMW, Lexus, Acura, Nissan, Volvo, Cadillac and Chrysler.

Styling research also shows that interior design is often more important than exterior styling, and may be, in many instances, the key factor in decisions to buy.

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