Indian car buyers happier with their OE tyres

ERJ staff report (DS)

Singapore -- Indian car buyers are significantly happier with the tyres fitted to their new cars, according to a new report from J D Power. MRF wins bragging rights as the top-rated supplier. However, as the market becomes more sophisticated, the significance of tyre brand has diminished.

According to the J.D. Power Asia Pacific 2011 India Original Equipment Tyre Customer Satisfaction Index (TCSI) Study, overall satisfaction in 2011 averages 822 on a 1,000-point scale, an improvement of 24 points compared with 2010. While satisfaction improved in all four factors from 2010, satisfaction with tyre appearance increased more than any other factor in 2011, with a gain of 25 points.

In addition, the importance of tyre appearance and styling has increased as a consideration factor for why buyers select a particular vehicle model.

“Tyre styling is gaining importance among new-vehicle buyers in India as they decide what brand of vehicle to purchase,” said Mohit Arora, executive director at J.D. Power Asia Pacific, Singapore. “In addition, tyre safety and convenience are also key considerations. Hence, it has become critical for tyre manufacturers to increase customer awareness of the performance aspects of their tyres.”

While importance of tyre styling and appearance has increased as an influencing factor in vehicle purchase decisions, the importance of the tyre brand has declined in 2011, compared with 2010. Overall, the proportion of new-vehicle owners who indicate that tyre brand is the most critical factor influencing a vehicle purchase decision has declined by six percentage points to 51 percent in 2011 from 57 percent in 2010. This difference is particularly notable among buyers of MUV/MPV models. In 2010, 58 percent of MUV/MPV owners indicated that tyre brand was the most impactful factor in their purchase decision. In 2011, this figure has declined by 13 percentage points, to an average of 45 percent.

For a second consecutive year, MRF ranks highest in customer satisfaction with original equipment tyres in India, achieving a score of 833. MRF has improved by 23 points from 2010 and performs particularly well in the appearance factor. Apollo follows MRF in the rankings with a score of 830.

Other suppliers, including JK Tyre, Goodyear and Bridgestone fell below the industry average of 822.

The 2011 India Original Equipment Tyre Customer Satisfaction Index Study is based on responses from 3,533 new-vehicle owners surveyed at 12 and 24 months of ownership, from May 2008 and August 2009. The study was fielded between May and August 2010.

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Press release from J D Power