Toyota and Honda top Consumer Reports’ brand perception study

[PanterroR]

Influential magazine Consumer Reports has come out with its annual list of the top rated car brands and once again Japanese makes have dominated the field. First and second places were taken up by Toyota and Honda but this year’s result also saw U.S. automakers improve their standings, with three of the top five spots going to one of the Detroit 3 brands.

The survey focuses on how consumers perceive and rank car brands in seven crucial areas, including safety, quality, value, performance, environmental friendliness, design, and technological innovation. It also looks at which of those factors are most important to consumers when buying a vehicle.

The survey data was collected from 1,720 adults whose households own at least one car. The most important aspects consumers looked for in brand were safety, which was considered most important by 63% of those in the study, followed by quality on 58%.

The field of worst performers shows just how mediocre some brands are considered in the U.S. despite being popular overseas. Audi, which scored just 14 points, will have to work extremely hard to overcome its poor image if it has any hope of trying to compete with the likes of Mercedes and BMW.

The results of the study are as follows.

Best:

Toyota - 189
Honda - 146
Ford - 112
Chevrolet - 110
GMC - 102

Worst:

Buick - 25
Mercury - 22
Mitsubishi - 21
Audi - 14


Source: Motor Authority >> Toyota and Honda top Consumer Reports' brand perception study

 

[Merc1]

Perception my arse. What I really wanna say about how lame Consumer Reports and their readers are might get me banned so I'll just leave it at that. 8 out of 10 American consumers are just so damn clueless. A crying shame really.

M

 

[PanterroR]

I promise you won't be banned!

Now, let us hear...

 

[coolraoul]

How can Audi possibly be at the bottom?n Can't undertstand that. I know they have no great success in the US, but...???

 

[Mr. Mercedes]

What a bunch of BS! Like hell people think Toyota tops BMW, Audi and Merc in safety, quality, performance, environmental friendliness, design, and technological innovation.

 

[cawimmer430]

Consumer Reports...

Pretty weird how Audi and Mitsubishi are at the bottom. In Europe Audi and Mitsubishi are ranked pretty high. Mitsubishi especially does well in quality and service friendliness. So how come Mitsubishi is always bashed in America?

It's also pretty sad that some Consumer Reportists see Lexus as being "more prestigeous than BMW and equal to Mercedes-Benz". That's total BS. The history and achievements of BMW and Mercedes totally destroy Lexus a million times over. I don't care if Lexus makes superior cars, because when it comes to brand prestige they can't compete here, especially since they've had it easy with all the funding from Toyota.

 

[Benzboi_inoz]

Christian said:

That's total BS

Ahem... *cough* um, personal opinion... which will always differ depending upon who's doing the thinking... not objective fact as you appear to state it to be.

The history and achievements of BMW and Mercedes totally destroy Lexus a million times over.

If history and achievements from an engineering or 'trail-blazing' perspective are the critique, I'd be inclined to agree. As far as business success at selling cars, and money in the Bank, let alone bad management decisions, (Daimler/Chrysler and BMW/Rover) I think Lexus/Toyota could probably buy out both BMW and Mercedes if it were inclined to do so.

Certainly it is arguably by far the more successful car manufacturing corporation IMHO.

I don't care if Lexus makes superior cars, because when it comes to brand prestige they can't compete here, especially since they've had it easy with all the funding from Toyota.

Possibly true, but this is planet earth, and not fortress Europe Christian.

Brand prestige matters to car snobs, fan boys and the marketing companies who create those perspectives and brand 'image'.

The realist looks at pragmatic reality, and here the Germans often come up rather short when compared objectively to the Japanese opposition, where things like quality and reliability matter in the buying equation.

Just being the devils advocate here, and not making an attack of any kind BTW.

But I think an dispassionate viewpoint will reveal that the Japanese are typically rather good at what they do, and they don't need marketing hubris to convey that.

You have a marked talent for photography and car reviews Christian, but i do think it is time for you to travel further afield than reviewing Mercs my friend. I look forward to a forthcoming objective and unbiased Lexus review from you... heheh... c'mon, you know you want to......:

All the best for 2008..

John....

 

[bum-man]

How can Audi possibly be at the bottom?

Because of that 60 Minutes show that aired many years ago.