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New-car owners give autos higher marks
By Shao Shijie |
December 21, 2011, Wednesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
CHINESE owners of new vehicles are increasingly satisfied with their purchases as intense competition among brands and models has led to numerous redesigns and new models.
J.D. Power Asia Pacific reported the satisfaction and new-vehicle appeal after surveying 17,479 owners of new passenger cars, during their first two to six months of ownership.
On a 1,000-point scale, China's overall new-vehicle appeal score averaged 825, a 17-point increase over last year. Owners were asked about performance, design and comfort.
The study covers 82 aspects in 10 vehicle categories including exterior, interior, room, storage space, engine performance and safety.
Satisfaction in 2011 increased in all 10 vehicle categories; the biggest improvements were seen in two categories: audio, entertainment and navigation; and heating, ventilation and air-conditioning. Both increased by 20 points over 2010, the report said.
"Indicative of an emerging and dynamic automotive market, the tastes and preferences of new-vehicle owners in China are constantly evolving and becoming increasingly sophisticated. This drives both international and domestic automakers to keep refreshing their designs and layouts to meet and exceed customer expectations," said Liza Wang, research manager at J.D. Power Asia Pacific, Shanghai.
Chinese tastes
Of the 155 models examined in the study, 54 are new and redesigned models from the past two years. The increasingly fierce level of competition has helped push overall new vehicle performance to a new high, she said.
In 2011, 93 brands and 481 models vie for consumer attention.
Korean brands showed the biggest increase in 2011, improving by 47 points from last year, the study said. Satisfaction with American brands rose 16 points and with European brands it rose 11 points. Japanese brands rose by five points in consumer satisfaction.
German models ranked highest in four of 11 surveyed segments.
Domestic brands improved by 12 points.
With passenger vehicle sales projected to total 12.9 million units in 2011, China will continue to be the powerhouse of global sales growth for most automakers, said Mei Songlin, general manager of research at J.D. Power Asia Pacific, Shanghai.
"While admirable efforts have been made by individual international brands in localizing their design and layout, more focused investments are called for in order to appeal to the unique and increasingly sophisticated tastes of Chinese consumers," Mei added.
Key areas for improvement are seating, vehicle interior and fuel economy.
The study found that five of the top 10 areas needing improvement relate to seat problems. Vehicle interior accounts for two out of the 10 problems. Fuel economy has been among the top concerns since the study began in China eight years ago.
J.D. Power Asia Pacific reported the satisfaction and new-vehicle appeal after surveying 17,479 owners of new passenger cars, during their first two to six months of ownership.
On a 1,000-point scale, China's overall new-vehicle appeal score averaged 825, a 17-point increase over last year. Owners were asked about performance, design and comfort.
The study covers 82 aspects in 10 vehicle categories including exterior, interior, room, storage space, engine performance and safety.
Satisfaction in 2011 increased in all 10 vehicle categories; the biggest improvements were seen in two categories: audio, entertainment and navigation; and heating, ventilation and air-conditioning. Both increased by 20 points over 2010, the report said.
"Indicative of an emerging and dynamic automotive market, the tastes and preferences of new-vehicle owners in China are constantly evolving and becoming increasingly sophisticated. This drives both international and domestic automakers to keep refreshing their designs and layouts to meet and exceed customer expectations," said Liza Wang, research manager at J.D. Power Asia Pacific, Shanghai.
Chinese tastes
Of the 155 models examined in the study, 54 are new and redesigned models from the past two years. The increasingly fierce level of competition has helped push overall new vehicle performance to a new high, she said.
In 2011, 93 brands and 481 models vie for consumer attention.
Korean brands showed the biggest increase in 2011, improving by 47 points from last year, the study said. Satisfaction with American brands rose 16 points and with European brands it rose 11 points. Japanese brands rose by five points in consumer satisfaction.
German models ranked highest in four of 11 surveyed segments.
Domestic brands improved by 12 points.
With passenger vehicle sales projected to total 12.9 million units in 2011, China will continue to be the powerhouse of global sales growth for most automakers, said Mei Songlin, general manager of research at J.D. Power Asia Pacific, Shanghai.
"While admirable efforts have been made by individual international brands in localizing their design and layout, more focused investments are called for in order to appeal to the unique and increasingly sophisticated tastes of Chinese consumers," Mei added.
Key areas for improvement are seating, vehicle interior and fuel economy.
The study found that five of the top 10 areas needing improvement relate to seat problems. Vehicle interior accounts for two out of the 10 problems. Fuel economy has been among the top concerns since the study began in China eight years ago.
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