Eco-car quality lower than other models: survey

According to JD Power’s latest survey, overall initial quality averages 116 PP100 in 2012, compared with 113 PP100 in 2011, showing an increase in the number of buyers' complaints.

Initial quality in the city car segment, which includes hatchbacks produced under the government-sponsored eco-car scheme, averages 132 PP100, the highest number of problems reported among all vehicle segments examined in the study, JD Power said in a release.

The JD Power Asia Pacific 2012 Thailand Initial Quality StudySM measures problems owners experience with their new vehicle during the first two to six months of ownership, examines more than 200 problem symptoms covering eight categories.

“Small hatchback models are gaining popularity in Thailand, boosted by the success of the government-sponsored eco-car programme and the first time new-car-buyer scheme,” said Loic Pean, senior manager at JD Power Asia Pacific, Singapore. “Given the growing sales of compact cars, it is important for manufacturers to deliver the same levels of build quality offered by the other vehicle segments. It is, therefore, essential to quickly identify and fix the core quality issues reported by new owners of small hatchbacks.”

The problems that owners of small hatchbacks most often report include excessive wind noise and noisy brakes, followed by problems relating to the air-conditioning (excessive fan/blower noise and slow cooling time) and transmission system (abnormal transmission noises).

The study found that when a salesperson explained how to operate features in the vehicle before or at the time of purchase, the number of initial quality problems reported by new-vehicle owners was lower than when such explanation was not provided. On average, owners who received an explanation of their vehicle’s features experienced 114 PP100, while those who did not receive an explanation experienced an average of 165 PP100 – a 45-per-cent increase in problems.

“Salespeople play an important role in managing vehicle-owner expectations and reducing owner perceptions of quality issues during the buying process, particularly for first-time buyers,” said Pean. “The test drive provides a good opportunity to demonstrate the key features and innovations of the vehicle, which offers buyers a deeper understanding of the vehicle design and capabilities. It also provides a key opportunity for salespeople to address buyers’ queries and clarify normal and abnormal vehicle behaviour.”

 

MODEL RESULTS BY SEGMENT

 

_ In the compact car segment, the Honda Brio ranks highest with 116 PP100. Suzuki Swift Eco ranks second (118 PP100), followed by Nissan March (129 PP100).

 

_ In the entry midsize car segment, the Honda Jazz ranks highest with 87 PP100. The Mazda2Sports (95PP100) and the Toyota Vios (98 PP100) follow in the segment rankings.

 

_ In the midsize car segment, the Toyota Prius ranks highest with 65 PP100. The Toyota Prius is followed in the segment rankings by the Honda Civic (98 PP100) and the Toyota Corolla Altis (105 PP100).

 

_ In the SUV segment, the Toyota Fortuner ranks highest with 87 PP100. The Chevrolet Captiva (121 PP100) ranks second, while the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport (140 PP100) ranks third.

 

_ In the single cab pickup segment, the Isuzu D-Max Spark ranks highest with 86 PP100. The Mitsubishi Triton S-Cab (103 PP100) ranks second in the segment, followed by the Toyota Hilux Vigo Champ S-Cab (116 PP100).

 

_ In the extended cab pickup segment, the Toyota Hilux Vigo Champ Prerunner Smart Cab ranks highest for a fourth consecutive year, with 89PP100. The Mitsubishi Triton X-Cab comes next with 116 PP100, followed by the Nissan Frontier Navara Calibre X-Cab (117 PP100).

 

_ In the double cab pickup segment, the Toyota Hilux Vigo Champ Prerunner ranks highest with 96 PP100. The Isuzu D-Max Cab-4/ V-Cross 4 door ranks second with 101 PP100, while the Toyota Hilux Vigo Champ D-Cab ranks third with 119 PP100.

 

The 2012 Thailand Initial Quality Study is based on evaluations from 4,674 owners who purchased a new vehicle between October 2011 and July 2012. The study covers 13 different makes that include 77 different passenger car, pickup truck and utility vehicle models. The study was conducted between April and September 2012.