J.D. Power and Associates Reports: Honda Ranks Highest in New-Vehicle Owner Satisfaction in New Zealand for a Second
Consecutive Time
AUCKLAND, New Zealand, May 22 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ -- Audi Ranks Highest in Satisfying Owners of Used Vehicles
With top ratings from customers in vehicle appeal, service and ownership costs, Honda ranks highest in satisfying
new-vehicle owners in New Zealand for a second consecutive time, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2006 New
Zealand Vehicle Ownership Satisfaction Study(SM) released today.
The study, conducted in association with the Automobile Association of New Zealand (AANZ), is based on interviews with
2,665 owners of vehicles purchased new and 12,173 owners of used vehicles. Overall satisfaction is based on owner
experiences with new or used vehicles in four areas: vehicle quality and reliability; vehicle appeal (which measures
satisfaction with the design, style, performance and comfort of the vehicle); service and ownership costs. The study was
previously conducted in 2004.
Honda ranks highest in ownership satisfaction in the new-vehicle segment with an index score of 787 points on a 1,000
point scale -- an increase of 13 index points from 2004. Following Honda in the rankings are Toyota, Subaru and Mazda,
respectively.
"Honda remains a strong brand in New Zealand," said Brian Fine, managing director for New Zealand at J.D. Power and
Associates. "Major focus on technology and heavy importation has help build consumer confidence in Honda. Toyota has
also made significant improvements compared to the 2004 results due to new product innovations with hybrids and improved
customer satisfaction scores."
Overall satisfaction among new-vehicle owners in New Zealand has increased to 748 index points in 2006 -- up seven
index points from 2004. Improvements in vehicle quality and reliability satisfaction contribute most significantly to
the rise in overall in ownership satisfaction -- increasing 10 index points from 2004. Overall, the total number of
problems experienced with new vehicles in 2006 declined by 27 problems per 100 (PP100) vehicles from 2004, now averaging
202 PP100 overall.
"Vehicle quality and reliability is the most important driver of new-vehicle owner satisfaction, and it plays a key
role in affecting brand loyalty and advocacy," said Fine. "We consistently find that brands receiving the highest
ratings from owners in quality and reliability also record the highest percentage of owners who say they will purchase
the same brand the next time they are in the market and recommend the brand to others. A brand's reputation for quality
and reliability is one of the most important factors influencing vehicle choice, so manufacturers must remain committed
to continual quality improvements in order to remain competitive in the marketplace."
Among vehicles purchased used, Audi ranks highest in ownership satisfaction, receiving the highest ratings in quality
and reliability and vehicle appeal. Following Audi in the used-vehicle segment are BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota, Hyundai,
Volkswagen and Honda, respectively. Overall satisfaction among used-vehicle owners in New Zealand has increased slightly
to 703 index points -- up from 701 in 2004.
The 2006 New Zealand Vehicle Ownership Satisfaction Study serves as a benchmark in measuring customer attitudes and
expectations in the market. A total of 14,838 vehicle owners from among New Zealand Automobile Association members were
surveyed online and were asked to evaluate their ownership experiences.
Overall Nameplate Ranking-Vehicles Purchased New (Based on a 1,000-point scale)
Honda 787
Toyota 760
Subaru 754
Mazda 750
New-Vehicle Segment Average 748
Nissan 745
Hyundai 737
Holden 727
Ford 718
Mitsubishi 717
Overall Nameplate Ranking-Vehicles Purchased Used
(Based on a 1,000-point scale)
Audi 740
BMW 735
Mercedes Benz 732
Toyota 717
Hyundai 713
Volkswagen 712
Honda 709
Holden 703
Used-Vehicle Segment Average 703
Nissan 702
Subaru 694
Suzuki 694
Isuzu 692
Peugeot 689
Ford 688
Mazda 688
Daihatsu 684
Mitsubishi 682
About J.D. Power and Associates
Headquartered in Westlake Village, Calif., U.S.A., J.D. Power and Associates is an ISO 9001-registered global marketing
information services firm operating in key business sectors including market research, forecasting, consulting, training
and customer satisfaction. The firm's quality and satisfaction measurements are based on responses from millions of
consumers annually. J.D. Power and Associates is a business unit of The McGraw-Hill
Companies.
About The McGraw-Hill Companies
Founded in 1888, The McGraw-Hill Companies is a leading global information services provider meeting worldwide needs in
the financial services, education and business information markets through leading brands such as Standard & Poor's, McGraw-Hill Education, BusinessWeek and J.D. Power and Associates. The Corporation has more than 290 offices in
38 countries. Sales in 2005 were $6.0 billion. Additional information is available at http://www.mcgraw-hill.com.
No advertising or other promotional use can be made of the information in this release without the express prior written
consent of J.D. Power and Associates. www.jdpower.com
SOURCE: J.D. Power and Associates
Web site: http://www.jdpa.com
http://www.mcgraw-hill.com /