Car owners are more and more satisfied with their vehicles: survey
Customer satisfaction with new vehicles' design and performance has increased for the third consecutive year in Thailand, according to the JD Power Asia-Pacific 2006 Thailand Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) survey released yesterday.
Now in its fourth year, the study measures buyers' satisfaction with the design, features, layout and performance of their new vehicles. Eight performance categories contribute to the overall APEAL score: engine/transmission; cockpit/instrument panel; ride/handing/braking; heating/ventilation/cooling (HVAC); comfort/convenience; sound system; seats, and vehicle styling/exterior. APEAL performance is reported as an index score based on a 1,000-point scale. A higher score indicates greater overall customer satisfaction. This year the industry average APEAL score was 866 index points - nine points higher than 2005. Thailand is currently experiencing a modest, and the company believes short-term, slowdown in new-vehicle sales, said Taku Kimoto, senior research director at JD Power Asia Pacific. In fact, as of October, just two major market players - Honda and Toyota - were on track for positive sales growth in 2006. These two brands produce five of the highest-ranking models in the 2006 APEAL Study, Kimoto added. The Honda City ZX ranked highest in the entry midsize car segment. The City ZX performed above the segment average in all eight APEAL performance categories. The Honda Jazz ranked second in the segment, followed by the Toyota Yaris. The Honda Civic led the rankings among midsize cars, followed by the Chevrolet Optra and Ford Focus. The Toyota Hilux Vigo ranked highest in the pickup single-cab segment for the second year in a row, receiving the highest ratings in all performance categories except ride/handling/braking. The Mitsubishi Triton and Isuzu D-Max Spark complete the three top-ranking pickups in this segment. In the extended-cab segment, Toyota's Hilux Vigo Prerunner ranked highest, receiving ratings above the segment average in every APEAL performance category except ride/handling/braking. Its stablemate, the Hilux Vigo, was ranked second, followed by Ford Ranger and Mazda BT-50. The Toyoto Hilux Vigo Prerunner also ranked highest in the pickup double-cab segment, followed by the Hilux Vigo and Isuzu D-Max Hi-Lander. Kimoto said the survey found that the most satisfied customers had stronger repurchase intentions and were also more likely to say they would definitely recommend their model. "This underlies the importance of designing and producing vehicles that exceed expectations and delight customers," he added.
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