Vehicle quality in Thailand improves

The study, which measures problems customers experience with their new vehicle during the first two to six months of ownership, examines more than 200 problem symptoms covering eight categories. The most frequently reported problem is an aspect of the vehicle exterior—excessive wind noise—which is reported by 11 percent of owners.

"Considering Thailand's position as a major automotive production and export hub, manufacturers in Thailand are serious and meticulous in their efforts aimed at improving vehicle quality," said Loic Pean, country manager at JD Power Asia Pacific, Bangkok.

"This is reflected in overall initial quality, which has been continuously and considerably improving for several years. However, further improvements can still be made, particularly with vehicle exteriors, which tends to be an area with recurrent quality problems."

By segment, among entry midsize cars, Toyota Yaris has least problems, with 117 problems per 100 vehicles. Mazda3 is the best in the midsize segment with 115 problems, compared to 135 of Honda Civic and 152 of Toyota Corolla Altis.

In the SUV segment, the Honda CR-V ranks highest for a third consecutive year with 102 problems. The Isuzu MU-7 (105) and the Toyota Fortuner (112) follow in the segment rankings.

Among extended cab pickup models, the new Toyota Hilux Vigo Prerunner Smart Cab ranks highest with 124 PP100, followed by the Isuzu D-Max Hi-Lander (127 PP100) and the Nissan Frontier Navara (130 PP100).

In the double cab pickup segment, the Toyota Hilux Vigo Prerunner (117 PP100) ranks highest for a third consecutive year, closely followed by the Toyota Hilux Vigo (127 PP100) and the Isuzu D-Max Hi-Lander (150 PP100).

The study finds the rate of problems experienced by new vehicle owners has a strong impact on owner delight with their vehicle, as well as on repurchase intent. Among customers who report experiencing no problems, 46 percent say they are "delighted" (providing a rating of 10 out of 10) with their vehicle. However, among customers who report experiencing one or more problems, only 17 percent indicate they are "delighted" with their vehicle.

In addition, approximately two-thirds of "delighted" customers said they "definitely would" repurchase the same make. This figure is 2.5 times higher than that of customers who indicate they are "disappointed" or "indifferent" (providing a rating ranging between one and seven out of 10) about their vehicles.

"The initial product experience is particularly critical, as it not only shapes customer perceptions in the short-term, but also has long-term impact on customer satisfaction and brand loyalty," said Pean.

The 2009 Thailand IQS Study is based on evaluations from 3,460 owners who purchased their new vehicle between October 2008 and July 2009. The study includes 58 different passenger car, pickup truck and utility vehicle models covering 11 different makes. The study was fielded between April and September 2009.