J.D. Power announce results of APEAL study for India and Thailand

J.D. Power announce results of APEAL study for India and Thailand

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J.D. Power Asia Pacific has announced the results of its 2011 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) studies in India and Thailand markets. In a scale of 1,000 points, India reported an improvement from 817 to 829 points in terms of overall satisfaction, whilst a two point decline was reported in Thailand to 884.

The study is an owner-reported measure of factors that gratify them with with regards to the design and performance of their new vehicles. Some 100 attributes of the vehicle are measured covering 10 categories, namely exterior; interior; storage and space; audio/ entertainment/ navigation; seats; HVAC; driving dynamics; engine/ transmission; visibility and driving safety; and fuel economy.

Vehicles in India are categorized into seven market segments, which are Compact Car, Premium Compact Car, Entry Midsize Car, Midsize Car, Premium Midsize Car, MUV / MPV, and SUV. Findings of the study show more than half of Indian repeat car buyers upsizing from their previous purchase. Benefiting most from this trend are vehicles in the Premium Compact Car segment, as many buyers were moving up from Compact Car models that are smaller and less expensive.

According to Mohit Arora, executive director, J.D. Power Asia Pacific, “The growing demand for a larger or more expensive vehicle amongst Indian owners reflects their rising aspirations. Currently, those owners who aspire to upgrade their vehicles have more options available to them, with new makes and models launching in all vehicle segments. This growth further fuels consumer demand.”

Newly launched models naturally attract higher levels of interest, and this is reflected in the study’s results. Average scores of new models is 836, seven points clear of existing models. Some 8,000 owners from 20 Indian cities had participated in the 2011 India APEAL study fielded between May and September 2011. These owners had purchased their cars between November 2010 and July 2011.

Over in Thailand, the market is separated into six categories, two of them belonging to pick-up trucks, and three to midsize cars. There are the Entry Midsize Car, Midsize Car, Premium Midsize Car, SUV, Extended Cab Pickup, and Double Cab Pickup. Interestingly, it was found that overall liking for passenger cars and SUVs are on the up while the venerable pickup truck is losing its appeal.

“While pickup trucks remain widely sought after, the satisfaction gap between passenger cars and pickup trucks—in which pickup trucks have historically had higher levels of satisfaction—has decreased. This shift toward passenger cars is also reflected in new-vehicle sales; The units of passenger cars and pickups sold in Thailand in 2011 are nearly equal,” said Loic Pean, senior manager at J.D. Power Asia Pacific, Thailand.

Additionally, it was found that the importance of fuel economy to overall satisfaction has increased considerably, particularly among owners of passenger cars and utility vehicles. However, the visibility and driving safety category continues to have the greatest influence on overall vehicle appeal, with a relative importance weight of approximately 20 percent.

“Passenger cars that are powered by alternative energy sources or new fuel technologies—such as eco-car, hybrid or CNG vehicles—are quickly gaining popularity in Thailand,” Pean added.

KON

Charts: Official J.D. Power release.

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