Honda, the Japanese multinational auto maker, has topped the list of 12 automotive brands in customer satisfaction with the New-Vehicle Sales Experience in the country, according to a study by J. D. Power and Associates.
According to J.D. Power Asia Pacific Reports, Honda leads the list with 835 points out of a possible 850 points and is followed closely by Hyundai and Maruti Suzuki with points 829 and 824 respectively. Toyota and Skoda were handed fourth and fifth places respectively at 823 and 821 points. Mahindra surprisingly rounded off the top six positions with 820 points following a 17 point surge from last year ratings and is the most improved brand among the listed 12.
Mohit Arora, Executive Director, J.D. Power Asia Pacific, Singapore said that Mahindra customers were most pleased with the company's improved initiatives towards ensuring quick deliveries and overall customer satisfaction. He added that the enhanced focus on increasing delivery time by the company has helped it to provide an excellent buying experience for its customers.
J.D. Power Asia Pacific 2012 India Sales Satisfaction Index (SSI) StudySM also pointed out that the average amount of monthly income suitable to buy a small car in India has not changed in the last five years, with the number of months still standing at ten months. Arora further added that Indian auto makers have been labouring to provide best customer services which has rendered the public with plenty of options to choose from.
The study also revealed that ever growing petrol prices has steered the public sentiments towards diesel fuelled vehicles with about 43 per cent customers opting for diesel instead of petrol. The shift has witnessed a 11 per cent increase since 2011.
As per the study, industry average was recorded at 820 points. The seventh to twelfth positions were captured by Chevrolet, Volkswagen, Nissan, Fiat, Ford and Tata Motors. Tata Motors was awarded the lowest position with 800 points.
J.D. Power and Associates is a global marketing information services company which conducts surveys of customer satisfaction, quality assurance and consumer behaviour for various industries including automobile, marketing and advertising firms among others. The company has established itself as a benchmark in customer satisfaction, study on new-car and long-term certainty.
