Michelin comes top in JD Power's Japanese winter tyre survey

ERJ staff report (DS)

Tokyo, Japan -- For a fifth consecutive year, Michelin ranks highest in satisfying vehicle owners in Japan with their winter tyres, according to the J.D. Power Asia Pacific 2008 Japan Winter Tire Customer Satisfaction Index Study released yesterday.

The study, now in its fifth year, measures customer satisfaction with winter tires by examining five key factors: tire performance in snow-covered road conditions, icy road conditions and regular road conditions, as well as tyre appearance and tyre quality/durability. The overall index score is calculated based on customer evaluations and is scored on a 1000-point scale.

Overall customer satisfaction averages 592, up 10 points since 2006. Industry-wide, tyre performance in icy road conditions and regular road conditions has improved during the past three years. However, performance on icy road conditions has consistently received low ratings during the past three years, and continues to be an area for improvement for the industry.

Among the seven tyre brands included in the study, Michelin ranks highest for a fifth consecutive year with an overall index score of 646, and performs particularly well in all five factors. Bridgestone follows Michelin in the rankings with a score of 612. Although ranking below the industry average, Yokohama improves by 15 index points and one rank position since 2007.

“Michelin ranks above the industry average by a wide margin for performance on regular road conditions, appearance and quality/durability, which are particular strengths of the brand,” said Hiroaki Endo, manager of the research service group at J.D. Power Asia Pacific, Tokyo. “Each year since the inception of the study in 2004, both Michelin and Bridgestone have demonstrated a strong advantage over their competitors by ranking above the industry average for overall index scores as well as in all five factors.”

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Press release from J D Power