Category: Japan

2018 Japan Initial Quality Study (IQS)

2018-08-22

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TOKYO: 22 Aug. 2018 — Problems improve year over year in all categories except ACEN, according to the JD Power 2018 Japan Initial Quality Study^SM (IQS), released today.

 

JD Power initial quality studies are conducted globally and serve as the industry benchmark for new-vehicle quality. In Japan, overall initial quality averages 67 problems per 100 vehicles (PP100) in 2018, compared with 76 PP100 in 2017 and 75 PP100 in 2016, indicating a significant improvement.

 

“The improvement in overall initial quality suggests that auto manufacturers have worked hard on vehicle quality, while more functions and features are being offered for new vehicles,” said Atsushi Kawahashi, Senior Director of the Automotive Division at JD Power. “Considering the progression toward autonomous driving, it is expected that consumers’ interest in safety features and new technologies will grow. With more vehicle owners using such safety features and new technologies, how auto manufacturers should maintain the current car quality could become an industry-wide challenge.”

 

Following are some of the key findings of the 2018 study:

 

·         Overall, problems reported decline: Problems improve year over year in nearly all categories, particularly in vehicle interior (14.1 PP100, a year-over-year decrease of 2.4 PP100) and engine/ transmission (6.6 PP100, a decrease of 1.6 PP100). Vehicle interior problems continue to be the most frequently reported problems among the eight categories, but some problem areas, including unpleasant interior smell/ odor (1.3 PP100, a decrease of 0.5 PP100), have improved. Vehicle interior is followed by features/ controls/ displays (10.9 PP100) and ACEN (10.2 PP100) in the number of reported problems.

 

·         Technology comes with its issues: More problems are reported in the ACEN category, compared with last year, including entertainment systems, voice recognition and Bluetooth, and particularly navigation systems—difficult to understand or operate, or installed in a poor location. However, problems related to failures and the accuracy of navigation systems are less frequently reported in 2018 than last year.

 

·         The demand for new technologies and safety features is on the rise: The number of new vehicles on which safety features and new technologies are installed has steadily risen, particularly for lane departure warning systems (lane keep assist systems) (up to 62.4% in 2018, 13.9% more than 2017), followed by collision avoidance/ alert systems (up to 71.6%, 9.9% higher than 2017). The increased consumer interest in safety features and new technologies is reflected in the reasons for selecting a new vehicle. The percentage of customers who cite “safety” as a reason for selecting a new vehicle has increased to 31.3% in 2018 up 3.1% from 2017 and the percentage of those citing “advanced technology” has increased by 2.4% to 18.9%.

 

Quality by Segment

   Mini-car segment

Overall initial quality averages 62 PP100, an 8 PP100 improvement from 2017. The number of problems has decreased from 2017 in seven categories, including vehicle interior (-1.9 PP100), HVAC (-1.5 PP100) and engine/ transmission (-1.5 PP100) while it remains the same in FCD as in 2017.

   Compact segment

Overall initial quality averages 67 PP100, a 9 PP100 improvement from 2017. Problems in six categories improve year over year, including vehicle exterior (-2.6 PP100) and engine/ transmission (-1.9 PP100), while the number of reported problems have increased slightly in features/ controls/ displays (+0.3 PP100) and HVAC (+0.2 PP100).

   Midsize segment

Overall initial quality averages 79 PP100, a 5 PP100 improvement from 2017. While six categories—including seats (-2.0 PP10) and vehicle interior (-1.9 PP100)—improve year over year, the number of reported problems has increased in ACEN (+1.9 PP100) and vehicle exterior (+0.9 PP100).

   Minivan segment

Overall initial quality averages 64 PP100, a 12 PP100 improvement from 2017. Problems in six categories—including vehicle interior (-5.0 PP100), features/ controls/ displays (-2.4 PP100) and engine/ transmission (-2.4 PP100)—improve year over year, while the number of reported problems has slightly increased in ACEN (+1.0 PP100) and seats (+0.1 PP100).

Ÿ   Large segment[1]

Overall initial quality averages 63 PP100, an improvement of 13 PP100 from 2017. Problems improve in all categories, including driving experience (-3.8 PP100) and vehicle exterior (-3.3 PP100).

 

Highest-Ranked Brands and Models

 

Daihatsu ranks highest among brands, averaging 57 PP100. Daihatsu is followed by Honda (61 PP100) and Mercedes-Benz (62 PP100). Mercedes-Benz ranks highest in the luxury segment.

 

Segment-Leading Models

Ÿ   Mini-car segment: Honda N-WGN ranks highest, followed by Daihatsu Cast and Daihatsu Wake.

Ÿ   Compact segment: Daihatsu Thor ranks highest, followed by Toyota Roomy and Toyota Aqua.

Ÿ   Midsize segment: Nissan Leaf ranks highest, followed by Honda Shuttle and Toyota Prius.

Ÿ   Minivan segment: Toyota Noah ranks highest, followed by Toyota Sienta and Honda Stepwgn.

 

The 2018 Japan Initial Quality Study is based on responses from 22,387 purchasers of new vehicles in the first two to nine months of ownership. The online survey was fielded from May through June 2018. The study, now in its eighth year, measures new-vehicle quality in the first two to nine months of ownership. Vehicle quality is evaluated by owners across 233 problem areas in eight categories: vehicle exterior; driving experience; features/ controls/ displays; audio/ communication/ entertainment/ navigation (ACEN); seats; heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC); vehicle interior; and engine/ transmission. All problems are summarized as the number of reported problems per 100 vehicles (PP100), with lower scores reflecting a higher quality performance.

 

Overall Sales Satisfaction Has Improved across the Board, JD Power Finds

2018-08-22

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TOKYO: 23 Aug. 2018 — Customer satisfaction has improved overall, specifically with salespersons in the mass market segment and delivery in the luxury segment, according to the JD Power 2018 Japan Sales Satisfaction Index (SSI) Study.^SM.

On average, overall sales satisfaction has improved by 6 points from 2017 to 671 (on a 1,000-point scale) in 2018. By segment, satisfaction with mass market brands averages 668 points in 2018, up 6 points from 2017, while satisfaction with luxury brands averages 717, up 7 points.

“It has always been important to hire charismatic salespersons and follow the sale through to the end and based on this years’ results, customers are putting more of the weight of their satisfaction on their experience with the salesperson,” said Koichi Urayama, Director of the Automotive Division at JD Power. “Not only do salespersons need to be personable, but they also need to have adequate knowledge of the vehicle and pay attention to the customer’s needs and continue that through the entire purchase experience past delivery to deliver a satisfying customer experience.”

 Following are some of the key findings of the study:

• Salesperson personality boosts satisfaction: In the mass market segment, customer satisfaction has improved in the salesperson factor by a significant 10 points to 712 (714 for the industry average). This improvement is caused by higher satisfaction with the salesperson’s attitudes and responses, including courtesy/ friendliness (0.12 points up from 2017) and responsiveness (0.11 points up from 2017).  
• Fuel economy falls in importance: Only 31% of customers cite good gas mileage (fuel economy) as the key reason for purchasing a new vehicle—which was the most frequently cited reason in 2014— decreasing 11 percentage points from 2014.
• Financing/ Leasing and utilization of loans increases: The percentage of customers who purchased outright has decreased by 7 percentage points from 2014 to 62% this year, while the number of customers who use financing/ leasing through their dealer or outside source has increased by 7 percentage points from 2014 to 38%. Customers who use residual value financing rose by 19 percentage points from 2014 to 62% in 2018.

Study Rankings

Mass Market

Among the 10 mass market brands included in the study, Volkswagen ranks highest for the second consecutive year, with a score of 715. Volkswagen performs particularly well in all four factors. Volkswagen is followed by Toyota (682), Nissan (675) and Mazda (672).

Luxury

Among the five luxury brands included in the study, Lexus ranks highest for the 12th consecutive year, with a score of 756. Lexus performs particularly well in all four factors. Lexus is followed by Audi (715), Volvo (712) and Mercedes-Benz (707).

The 2018 Japan Sales Satisfaction Index (SSI) Study, now in its 17th year, measures customer satisfaction with the sales process at automotive dealerships based on four factors that are comprised of 20 attributes (in order of importance): salesperson (34%); working out the deal (26%); facility (21%); and delivery (20%). The study measures customer satisfaction with the dealer where they purchased their new passenger vehicle between April 2017 and March 2018. The study is based on responses from 7,220 domestic and import vehicle owners after two to 12 months of ownership. The online survey was fielded in May and June 2018.

 

Satisfaction with Customer Treatment Has Considerably Improved from 2017, JD Power Finds

2018-08-24

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TOKYO: 31 August 2018 — Overall satisfaction in all five factors has improved since 2017, according to the JD Power 2018 Japan Customer Service Index (CSI) Study,^SM released today. Overall customer satisfaction has improved by 13 points to 671 points in 2018. Satisfaction in the mass market segment has improved by 14 points to 668, while satisfaction in the luxury segment has increased by 4 points to 732. Customer satisfaction is measured on a 1,000-point scale.

The study, now in its 17th year, measures overall satisfaction with after-sales service among new-vehicle owners after 15 to 50 months of ownership. The study surveys owners who visit an authorized service center for maintenance or repair work and is based on five factors (in order of importance): vehicle pick-up (21%); service representative (21%); service quality (21%); facility (19%); and service initiation (18%).

Following are some of the key findings of the study:

• Satisfaction on the rise: Satisfaction has improved by 10 points or more in all factors since last year: vehicle pick-up (up 12 points to 647); service representative (up 14 points to 703); service quality (up 16 points to 667); facility (up 16 points to 668); and service initiation (up 11 points to 666).

• Initial customer service experience substantially increases: The percentage of service representatives who provided the customer with a quotation and explained the service fees before beginning the work has increased to 70% in 2018 from 64% in 2014 and has resulted in a 17-point increase in satisfaction from 2014 to 694 points.

• Offering services beyond initial reason for visit boosts satisfaction: Since 2014, the number of customers who were given suggestions about products, maintenance, or repairs other than what they ordered has increased by 6 percentage points from 34% in 2014 to 40% in 2018, and satisfaction has improved to 691 points (up 16 points from 2014).

“Customers are now more likely to make an appointment in advance for after-sales service.” said Koichi Urayama, Director of the Automotive Division at JD Power. “The percentage of customers who make an appointment within a week in advance has decreased to 52% from 67% in 2014. On the other hand, the percentage of customers who make an appointment more than 14 days in advance has increased to 48% from 33% in 2014. Taking countermeasures for earlier appointment for after-sales service will be one of kay lead to further improvements in customer satisfaction.”

Study Rankings

Mass Market
Volkswagen ranks highest with a score of 699. Volkswagen performs particularly well in all five factors. Volkswagen is followed by MINI (693) and Nissan (682).

Luxury
Lexus ranks highest with a score of 772, which is 40 points higher than the segment average. Lexus performs particularly well in all five factors. Lexus is followed by Mercedes-Benz (725) and BMW (724).

The 2018 Japan Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) Study measures passenger-vehicle owner satisfaction with after-sales service obtained during the most recent one-year period at an authorized dealership. The study is based on data collected from 9,161 respondents who registered their new domestic and import vehicles between April 2014 and March 2017. The online survey was fielded from May through June 2018.

Media Relations Contacts
Kumi Kitami; JD Power; Tokyo; 81-3-4570-8410; [email protected]
Geno Effler; JD Power; Costa Mesa, Calif., USA; 001-714-621-6224; [email protected]

JD Power is a global leader in consumer insights, advisory services and data and analytics. Those capabilities enable JD Power to help its clients drive customer satisfaction, growth and profitability. Established in 1968, JD Power is headquartered in Costa Mesa, California, and has offices in Tokyo, Shanghai, Beijing, Tokyo, Singapore and Bangkok serving the Asia Pacific region. JD Power is a portfolio company of XIO Group, a global alternative investments firm headquartered in London, and is led by its four founders: Athene Li, Joseph Pacini, Murphy Qiao and Carsten Geyer.

For more information, please visit http://japan.jdpower.com

About JD Power and Advertising/Promotional Rules www.jdpower.com/about-us/press-release-info

 

JD Power to Introduce Bain Certified Net Promoter Score® in its Industry Studies

2017-12-18

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TOKYO: 21 December 2017 — JD Power Asia Pacific (hereinafter, “JD Power”), a global leader in consumer insights, data, analytics, and advisory services, today announced that in 2018, Net Promoter Score^® will be available on JD Power industry studies in Japan.

Net Promoter Score^® is an international metric to be used to gauge customer loyalty, designed by Fred Reicchled, Bain & Company which is a top management consulting firm. Net Promoter Score^® has been widely adopted with many companies as an effective measurement of customer loyalty. However, until now, companies wanting to compare their net promoter scores against competitors have had no reliable, objective benchmark data.

To meet these circumstances, JD Power and Bain & Company signed an agreement last December to benchmark the Net Promoter Score in a series of industry studies in North America. This enables us to offer the accurate independent benchmark, using a methodology certified by Bain & Company. Following North America market, the Bain certified Net Promoter Score^® will be available in select upcoming 2018 studies in Asia Pacific including Japan. These studies will be for telecommunication, insurance, financial, hotel and automobile industries in Japan.

With a new benchmark using the certified Net Promoter Score^® in addition to JD Power’s “Voice of the Customer” information and extensive knowledge, we will play a greater role in the improvement of customer experience with brands and loyalty.

Kazuki Okoshi, partner, Bain & Company, Inc. says, “Introducing and developing reliable and trusted Net Promoter Score^® benchmarking will help our clients to focus on taking the actions required to earn deeper loyalty from their customers. We look forward to working with JD Power as a global leading provider of customer satisfaction research, to introduce this competitive benchmark in Asia Pacific markets.  Such collaboration will offer companies the highest-level measure customer engagement which can be relied upon when making important decisions.”

Kaoru Suzuki, representative director at JD Power Asia Pacific says, “Through combining Net Promoter Score with the depth of data JD Power captures, we will be able to offer auto makers and other industries a significantly enhanced capability to not only see where they stand relative to competitors, but to more precisely identify and prioritize improvement opportunities.  This benchmarking will enable clients to evaluate their performance versus customer expectations conveniently and effectively, instead of relying on costly custom market research studies, which survey customers of both the company and its competitors and too often fall short of correct certified Net Promoter Score methodology.  In addition, this combined offering will provide directly actionable information to help improve loyalty.”

Media Relations Contacts
Kumi Kitami; JD Power; Tokyo; 81-3-4570-8400; [email protected]            

About Bain & Company
Bain & Company is the management consulting firm that the world’s business leaders come to when they want results. Bain advises clients on strategy, operations, information technology, organization, private equity, digital transformation and strategy, and mergers and acquisition, developing practical insights that clients act on and transferring skills that make change stick.  The firm aligns its incentives with clients by linking its fees to their results.  Bain clients have outperformed the stock market 4 to 1. Founded in 1973, Bain has 55 offices in 36 countries, and its deep expertise and client roster cross every industry and economic sector. www.bain.com.

About JD Power
JD Power is a global leader in consumer insights, advisory services and data and analytics. JD Power measures quality and satisfaction based on responses from millions of consumers and business customers worldwide annually. JD Power is headquartered in Costa Mesa, California and has 17 offices in North America, South America, Europe and Asia. In the Asia Pacific region, JD Power has offices in Tokyo, Singapore, Beijing, Shanghai, Bangkok and Malaysia. These offices bring the language of customer satisfaction to consumers and businesses in Japan, Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. JD Power is a portfolio company of XIO Group, a global alternative investments and private equity firm headquartered in London, and is led by its four founders: Athene Li, Joseph Pacini, Murphy Qiao and Carsten Geyer. Information regarding JD Power and its products can be accessed through the internet at japan.jdpower.com.

Net Promoter®, Net Promoter System®, Net Promoter Score® and NPS® are registered trademarks of Bain & Company, Inc., Fred Reichheld and Satmetrix Systems, Inc.

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Truck Owners with Automatic Transmissions More Satisfied, Despite Increased Instance of Problems, JD Power Finds

2018-01-05

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TOKYO: 17 Jan. 2018 — In the heavy-duty segment, overall truck owner satisfaction with automatic transmission(AMT) is higher than those who own trucks with manual transmission despite increased instants of problems, according to the JD Power 2018 Japan Heavy-Duty Truck Ownership Satisfaction Study^SM and the JD Power 2018 Japan Light-Duty Truck Ownership Satisfaction Study.^SM

The annual studies measure overall satisfaction with heavy- and light-duty truck manufacturers and their respective authorized truck dealers among commercial fleet owners, including managers of truck freight companies. Satisfaction is determined by examining owners’ evaluations of 10 attributes grouped into four factors (listed in order of importance): vehicle (44%); service (23%); sales (21%); and cost (12%). Satisfaction is calculated on a 1,000-point scale.

Nowadays, more heavy-duty trucks come equipped with AMT. This study finds that 26% of trucks registered during or before 2014 are equipped with AMT, while this percentage rises to 40% for trucks registered between January and October in 2017. Owners are more satisfied with their trucks with AMT, averaging 597 points, compared with 575 points for trucks with manual transmissions.

However, heavy-duty trucks with an AMT are more likely to have transmission problems than trucks with a manual transmission (30% vs. 24%, respectively). For trucks with an AMT, satisfaction averages 637 points among owners who did not experience transmission problems, while the score drops to 515 points among owners who did experience problems—a 100-point gap.

“It has been made clear that despite the increase in problems associated with owning a truck with an AMT, the value of the feature outweighs the need for repairs for owners,” said Yuji Sasaki, Director of Automotive Division at JD Power. “As this feature becomes more standard in trucks, it will become increasingly important for dealers to account for the increase in servicing needs to ensure satisfaction remains high among these customers.”

Following are some of the key findings of the study:

• Satisfaction by the numbers: Of the owners with AMT, customer satisfaction averages 597 points vs. 575 points among owners of trucks with manual transmissions.

• An increase in trucks with AMT on the horizon: A shortage of truck drivers is becoming an issue in the industry, and this will likely lead to an increase in trucks with AMTs, which make it easier for drivers to operate the vehicle. Quality improvement in trucks with an AMT is one of the critical points for truck manufacturers in gaining an advantage over competitors.

• OEM telematics preventive maintenance will be key: Trucks with OEM telematics systems have fewer quality problems than trucks without such systems (54% vs. 60%, respectively). This suggests that vehicle quality management or preventive maintenance could be an effective way of providing stable vehicle quality and increasing owner satisfaction.

Study Rankings

Hino ranks highest in truck ownership satisfaction for the ninth consecutive year for heavy-duty trucks (583) and for the fourth consecutive year for light-duty trucks (571). Isuzu ranks second (575 for heavy-duty trucks and 560 for light-duty trucks).

The 2018 Japan Heavy-Duty Truck Ownership Satisfaction Study is based on 3,336 responses from 2,184 truck owners, and the 2018 Japan Light-Duty Truck Ownership Satisfaction Study is based on 2,709 responses from 1,888 truck owners. Fleet owners in each segment evaluated up to two manufacturers. The mail survey was conducted from September through October 2017.

Media Relations Contacts
Kumi Kitami; JD Power; Tokyo; 81-3-4570-8410; [email protected]            
Geno Effler; JD Power; Costa Mesa, Calif., USA; 001-714-621-6224; [email protected]

About JD Power in the Asia Pacific Region
JD Power has offices in Tokyo, Singapore, Beijing, Shanghai, Malaysia and Bangkok that conduct customer satisfaction research and provide consulting services in the automotive, information technology and finance industries in the Asia Pacific region. Together, the six offices bring the language of customer satisfaction to consumers and businesses in Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. JD Power is a portfolio company of XIO Group, a global alternative investments and private equity firm headquartered in London, and is led by its four founders: Athene Li, Joseph Pacini, Murphy Qiao and Carsten Geyer. Information regarding JD Power and its products can be accessed through the internet at japan.jdpower.com.

 

About JD Power and Advertising/Promotional Rules www.jdpower.com/business/about-us/press-release-info

 

Vehicle Dependability in Japan Declines, JD Power Finds

2017-10-10

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TOKYO: 19 Oct. 2017 — Owners of 3- to 5-year-old vehicles report more problems with their cars in 2017 than in 2016, indicating that vehicle dependability in Japan has declined, according to the JD Power 2017 Japan Vehicle Dependability Study^SM (VDS).

The VDS is conducted globally and serves as the industry benchmark for vehicle dependability. The Japan study, now in its third year, measures problems experienced during the past 12 months by original owners of vehicles after 3-5 years of ownership. The study examines 177 problem symptoms across eight categories: vehicle exterior; driving experience; features/ controls/ displays (FCD); audio/ communication/ entertainment/ navigation (ACEN); seats; heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC); vehicle interior; and engine/ transmission. Overall dependability is determined by the number of problems reported per 100 vehicles (PP100), with a lower score reflecting higher quality.

“In the 2017 study, the number of reported problem in the ACEN category has increased more than in any other category, compared with 2016,” said Atsushi Kawahashi, Senior Director of the Automotive Division at JD Power, Tokyo. “ACEN devices are becoming increasingly essential for drivers to be comfortable while driving. The study suggests that auto manufacturers need to understand that dissatisfaction with vehicles after 3 years of ownership also exists with the ACEN devices. With an increase in the number of vehicles equipped with navigation systems and Bluetooth, there is likely going to be a rise in the number of ACEN-related problems over the next few years.”

Following are some key findings of the study:

•  Seat dependability improves: Vehicle dependability deteriorates in all categories except seats,  which improves by 0.4 PP100.

• Exterior, interior and engine/ transmission remain problematic: The vehicle exterior (14.1 PP100), vehicle interior (12.7 PP100) and engine/ transmission (12.5 PP100) categories remain the most problematic areas, accounting for 53% of all problems reported in this study. The most frequently reported problem symptoms are Air vents smells unpleasant (3.5 PP100); Brakes are noisy (1.9 PP100); and Navigation system—difficult to operate (1.8 PP100).

• ACEN-related problems have been more frequently reported since 2016: Top three problem issues that have been more frequently reported since 2016 are Built-in Bluetooth mobile phone/ device has frequent pairing/ connectivity issues; Navigation system—difficult to operate; and Radio has poor or no reception. Overall, these ACEN problems have increased by 0.6 PP100 from 2016.

• Loyalty and advocacy directly related to vehicle dependability: Among owners who do not experience any problems with their vehicles, 70% say they “definitely will” or “probably will” repurchase the same brand and 71% say they “definitely will” or “probably will” recommend the brand to others. However, among owners who experience three or more problems with their vehicle, only 56% intend to repurchase the same brand and 61% intend to recommend the brand to others.

Highest-Ranked Brands

Toyota ranks highest among brands, with a score of 59 PP100. Toyota is followed by Lexus (63 PP100) and Honda (74 PP100).

Highest-Ranked Models

Honda N-WGN ranks highest in the mini-car segment with a score of 66 PP100, followed by Subaru Stella (67 PP100) and Honda N-BOX (69 PP100).

Toyota AQUA ranks highest in the compact segment with a score of 49 PP100, followed by Nissan Cube (61 PP100) and Toyota Vitz (62 PP 100).

Toyota SAI ranks highest in the midsize segment with a score of 47 PP100, followed by Nissan Leaf and Toyota Prius in a tie (50 PP100).

Toyota Voxy ranks highest in the minivan segment with a score of 56 PP100, followed by Toyota Isis (69 PP100) and Toyota Estima (70 PP 100).

The 2017 Japan Vehicle Dependability Study is based on responses from 18,872 purchasers of new vehicles in the first 3-5 years of ownership. The study, which includes 16 automotive brands and 118 models, ranks models with a sample size of 100 or more usable questionnaire returns. The study was fielded from June through July 2017.

Media Relations Contacts
Kumi Kitami; JD Power; Tokyo; 81-3-4550-8102; [email protected]
Geno Effler; JD Power; Costa Mesa, Calif., USA; 001-714-621-6224; [email protected]

About JD Power in the Asia Pacific Region
JD Power has offices in Tokyo, Singapore, Beijing, Shanghai, Malaysia and Bangkok that conduct customer satisfaction research and provide consulting services in the automotive, information technology and finance industries in the Asia Pacific region. Together, the six offices bring the language of customer satisfaction to consumers and businesses in Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. JD Power is a portfolio company of XIO Group, a global alternative investments and private equity firm headquartered in London, and is led by its four founders: Athene Li, Joseph Pacini, Murphy Qiao and Carsten Geyer. Information regarding JD Power and its products can be accessed through the internet at japan.jdpower.com.

About JD Power and Advertising/Promotional Rules www.jdpower.com/about-us/press-release-info

 

More Safety Features and Advanced Technologies Increase New-Vehicle Appeal, JD Power Finds

2017-09-20

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TOKYO: 21 Sept. 2017 — As new vehicles are equipped with more features that support safe driving, new-vehicle appeal improves, according to the JD Power 2017 Japan Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study,^SM released today.

The study, now in its seventh year, examines how gratifying a new vehicle is to own and drive. Owners evaluate their vehicles across 77 attributes, grouped into 10 categories of vehicle performance: exterior; interior; storage and space; audio/ communication/ entertainment/ navigation (ACEN); seats; heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC); driving dynamics (driving performance); engine/ transmission; visibility and safety; and fuel economy. Satisfaction is calculated on a 1,000-point scale.

Overall, the APEAL score increases by 9 points in 2016 to 637 in 2017. Among all categories, the largest improvement is in ACEN (608) and driving dynamics (646), each increasing by 12 points, followed by HVAC (619) and visibility and safety (643), each increasing by 11 points. Fuel economy shows an improvement of 1 point in 2017 despite a significant decrease in 2016 from 2015.

The study finds that the average number of safety features or advanced technologies[1] installed per vehicle increases to 2.4 items in 2017 from 1.9 items in 2016 (+26% uplift). The study also finds that overall APEAL scores increase in proportion to the number of additional safety features and advanced technologies installed in new vehicles. In fact, the overall APEAL score averages 606 points for new vehicles without such installations, but 664 points for new vehicles with four and 765 points for new vehicles with eight.

“The safety features and advanced technology appeal, which can be seen mainly in the large and midsize segments, are penetrating into the minivan and compact segments,” said Atsushi Kawahashi, Senior Director of the Automotive Division at JD Power, Tokyo. “It is expected that the safety features and advanced technologies will also penetrate into the mini-car segment in the near future. If this occurs, it is likely that the installation of these safety features and advanced technologies may not directly contribute to the differentiation of vehicles.”

Key Findings by Segment

• Mini-car segment: The overall APEAL score increases by 11 points from 2016 to 602 in 2017. Satisfaction improves across all categories, with large increases of 10 points or more in seven categories. The largest increase, 14 points, is in both interior and driving dynamics, followed by an increase of 13 points in both storage and space and ACEN. This segment is the only segment to exhibit a year-over-year increase in scores for fuel economy, up 9 points from 2016.

• Compact segment: The overall APEAL score increases by 5 points from 2016 to 624 in 2017. Satisfaction improves in all categories except fuel economy (down 9 points), with increases of 10 points or more in four categories. The largest increase, 13 points, is in storage and space.

• Midsize segment: The overall APEAL score increases by 6 points from 2016 to 674 in 2017. Satisfaction improves by 10 points or more in five categories, with the largest increase in HVAC, 11 points.

• Large segment[2]: The overall APEAL score decreases by 3 points from 2016 to 713 in 2017. Satisfaction significantly decreases by 18 points in fuel economy. Satisfaction also decreases in engine/ transmission by 4 points, while improving by 3 points in visibility and safety.

• Minivan segment: The overall APEAL score increases by 12 points from 2016 to 645 in 2017. Satisfaction improves in all categories except fuel economy (down 3 points), with increases of 10 points or more in eight categories. The largest increase, 17 points, is in HVAC, followed by an increase of 15 points in both ACEN and driving dynamics and 14 points in both seats and visibility and safety.

Highest Ranked Brands and Models

Lexus ranks highest among brands, with an overall APEAL score of 747. Lexus is followed by Mercedes-Benz (720), Audi (714) and BMW and Volvo in a tie (705).

Daihatsu WAKE ranks highest in the mini-car segment, followed by Suzuki Wagon R in second and Daihatsu Move Canbus in third.

Mazda Demio ranks highest in the compact segment, followed by Toyota AQUA in second and Nissan Note in third.

Mazda CX-5 ranks highest in the midsize segment, followed by MINI in second and Subaru Impreza in third.

Toyota Alphard ranks highest in the minivan segment, followed by Toyota Vellfire in second and Honda Odyssey in third.

The 2017 Japan APEAL Study is based on responses from 22,924 purchasers of new vehicles in the first two to nine months of ownership. The study includes 16 automotive brands and 108 models and ranks models with a sample size of 100 or more usable returns. The study was fielded from May through June 2017.

Media Relations Contacts
Kumi Kitami; JD Power; Tokyo; 81-3-4550-8102; [email protected]
Geno Effler; JD Power; Costa Mesa, Calif., USA; 001-714-621-6224; [email protected]

About JD Power in the Asia Pacific Region
JD Power has offices in Tokyo, Singapore, Beijing, Shanghai, Malaysia and Bangkok that conduct customer satisfaction research and provide consulting services in the automotive, information technology and finance industries in the Asia Pacific region. Together, the six offices bring the language of customer satisfaction to consumers and businesses in Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. JD Power is a portfolio company of XIO Group, a global alternative investments and private equity firm headquartered in London, and is led by its four founders: Athene Li, Joseph Pacini, Murphy Qiao and Carsten Geyer. Information regarding JD Power and its products can be accessed through the internet at japan.jdpower.com.

About JD Power and Advertising/Promotional Rules www.jdpower.com/about-us/press-release-info

 

Improvements Needed on Navigation Systems, JD Power Finds

2017-10-02

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TOKYO: 6 Oct. 2017 — Operability with smartphone connection and voice-activated control improvements are necessary to increase customer satisfaction, according to the JD Power 2017 Japan Navigation Systems Customer Satisfaction Index Study^SM—OEM, released today.

Now in its 10th year, the study measures satisfaction with factory- and dealer-installed navigation systems when used as in-vehicle information systems including music and video player functions and telematics services, in addition to search and guidance functions. Four factors are examined (listed in order of importance): navigation function (39%); infotainment equipment (21%); operation/ user interface (20%); and screen (19%). Satisfaction is calculated on a 1,000-point scale.

Overall satisfaction has increased to 521 points in 2017 from 519 in 2016. In the luxury brand segment, satisfaction averages 553 points, compared with 552 in 2016 and averages 519 points in the mass market brand segment, compared with 517 in 2016. In both segments, satisfaction levels are similar to those found in the 2016 study.

“Functions and usages of navigation systems have been gradually changing,” said Yuji Sasaki, Director of the Automotive Division at JD Power, Tokyo. “More customers are connecting their smartphone to the navigation system and indicating they have a voice-activated control built in to their navigation system than in 2016. With that increase comes the rise in potential problems or complains, directly affecting satisfaction levels and possibly causing customers to stop using such features altogether. The strengthening of the development process is becoming increasingly important.”

Following are some of the key findings from the study:

• Increase in smartphone use for music results in satisfaction increase: Customers who indicate Listening to music stored in their smartphones has increased to 42%, compared with 39% in 2016. Among customers who connect their smartphone to the navigation system to play music stored in their smartphones, satisfaction averages 539 points in the infotainment equipment factor, higher than the industry average of 520.

• Audio operation needs simplifying: Among customers who connect their smartphone to the navigation system to play music stored in their smartphones, more than 1 in 10 (11%) customers indicate that Audio operation is difficult to use while driving, and satisfaction averages 434 points in the operation/ user interface factor, much lower than the industry average of 510. 

• Fewer customers utilize voice-activated controls: Despite an increase in the feature being included in the vehicle, only 26% of customers say they either “always” or “sometimes” use their built-in voice-activated control. However, with the increased incidence of voice-activation controls, nearly 20% of customers indicate the function does not work properly, thus leading to a decline in satisfaction among those who have had the feature installed.

Study Rankings

Luxury

Lexus ranks highest for a sixth consecutive year, with a score of 620. Lexus performs particularly well in all four factors. Lexus is followed by BMW (542) and Audi (538).

Mass Market

Subaru ranks highest with a score of 539, increasing by 21 points from 518 points in 2016. Subaru is followed by Toyota (538) and Volkswagen (529).

The 2017 Japan Navigation Systems Customer Satisfaction Index Study—OEM is based on responses from 7,088 vehicle owners who purchased a new vehicle equipped with a factory- and dealer-installed navigation system from April 2015 through March 2017. The internet study was fielded in late July 2017.

Media Relations Contacts
Kumi Kitami; JD Power; Tokyo; 81-3-4550-8102; [email protected]
Geno Effler; JD Power; Costa Mesa, Calif., USA; 001-714-621-6224; [email protected]

About JD Power in the Asia Pacific Region
JD Power has offices in Tokyo, Singapore, Beijing, Shanghai, Malaysia and Bangkok that conduct customer satisfaction research and provide consulting services in the automotive, information technology and finance industries in the Asia Pacific region. Together, the six offices bring the language of customer satisfaction to consumers and businesses in Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. JD Power is a portfolio company of XIO Group, a global alternative investments and private equity firm headquartered in London, and is led by its four founders: Athene Li, Joseph Pacini, Murphy Qiao and Carsten Geyer. Information regarding JD Power and its products can be accessed through the internet at japan.jdpower.com.

About JD Power and Advertising/Promotional Rules www.jdpower.com/about-us/press-release-info

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Dissatisfaction with Voice Commands Increases for Aftermarket Navigation Systems, JD Power Finds

2017-10-05

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TOKYO: 25 Oct. 2017 — Aftermarket navigation system users are more dissatisfied with the voice command function in 2017 than in 2016, according to the JD Power 2017 Japan Navigation Systems Customer Satisfaction Index Study^SM―Aftermarket, released today.

Now in its 11th year, the study measures customer satisfaction with aftermarket in-dash vehicle navigation systems when used as in-vehicle information systems, including music and video player functions and telematics services in addition to search and guidance functions. Four factors are examined (listed in order of importance): navigation function (42%); infotainment equipment (21%); operation/ user interface (20%); and screen (17%). Satisfaction is calculated on a 1,000-point scale.

“Overall satisfaction with aftermarket navigation systems has slightly decreased from 2016, with the largest decline for accuracy of voice command recognition,” said Yuji Sasaki, Director of the Automotive Division at JD Power, Tokyo. “The voice recognition function would be a great advantage if it was user-friendly, but the low functional quality, which frustrates users, affects customer satisfaction. Improvement in functionality and performance is significantly important.”

Following are some key findings of the study:

• Accuracy of voice command recognition has room for improvement: The largest decrease in satisfaction is for accuracy of voice command recognition (5.20 in 2017 from 5.44 in 2016, on a 10-point scale), followed by fairness of map updates fee (4.85 from 5.01) and frequency of map updates (5.01 from 5.14).

• Voice command destination search impacts satisfaction: When searching for a destination by voice command, 26% of users experienced problems. Among these users, satisfaction with operation/ user interface averages 523 points, while satisfaction rises to 593 points among those who did not experience problems, a wide gap of 70 points. Even compared with the satisfaction of 555 points in 2016 among users who experienced problems, the satisfaction scores in 2017 are still low.

• Smartphone connection for music is a big player in satisfaction: Among users who connect an external device to the navigation system to play music, the number who connect their smartphone and play music stored in the smartphone increases to 38% in 2017 from 31% in 2016. However, 32% of those 38% experienced problems with the operation, higher than the overall average of 27% for all devices. Among users who experienced problems, satisfaction with infotainment equipment averages 517 points, which is 59 points lower than the 576 points among those who did not experience problems. This indicates that problems experienced when connecting a smartphone to the navigation system to play music adversely affects customer satisfaction.

Study Rankings

The Alpine Big X Series ranks highest, with a score of 591. The Alpine Big X Series performs well in all factors, including operation/ user interface and infotainment equipment in addition to the screen, thanks to its large display. The Pioneer Cyber Navi Series ranks second with 554 points, and the Panasonic Strada RX Series ranks third with 546 points.

The 2017 Japan Navigation Systems Customer Satisfaction Index Study―Aftermarket is based on responses from 2,207 vehicle owners who purchased an aftermarket navigation system from April 2015 through March 2017. The internet study was fielded in late July 2017.

Media Relations Contacts
Kumi Kitami; JD Power; Tokyo; 81-3-4550-8102; [email protected]
Geno Effler; JD Power; Costa Mesa, Calif., USA; 001-714-621-6224; [email protected]

About JD Power in the Asia Pacific Region
JD Power has offices in Tokyo, Singapore, Beijing, Shanghai, Malaysia and Bangkok that conduct customer satisfaction research and provide consulting services in the automotive, information technology and finance industries in the Asia Pacific region. Together, the six offices bring the language of customer satisfaction to consumers and businesses in Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. JD Power is a portfolio company of XIO Group, a global alternative investments and private equity firm headquartered in London, and is led by its four founders: Athene Li, Joseph Pacini, Murphy Qiao and Carsten Geyer. Information regarding JD Power and its products can be accessed through the internet at japan.jdpower.com.

About JD Power and Advertising/Promotional Rules www.jdpower.com/about-us/press-release-info

 

Dealership’s Continuous Focus on Customer Service Is Key to Maintaining Satisfaction, JD Power Finds

2017-08-29

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TOKYO: 1 Sept. 2017 — Maintaining focus on customer service proves to be key in increasing customer satisfaction, especially as satisfaction decreases with length of vehicle ownership, according to the JD Power 2017 Japan Customer Service Index (CSI) Study.

The study, now in its 16th year, measures overall satisfaction with after-sales service among new-vehicle owners after 15 to 50 months of ownership who visit an authorized service center for maintenance or repair work based on five factors (in order of importance): vehicle pick-up (21%); service representative (21%); service quality (21%); facility (19%); and service initiation (18%). Satisfaction is calculated on a 1,000-point scale.

Overall customer satisfaction averages 658 points in 2017, the same as in 2016. Satisfaction in the luxury segment has improved year over year by 5 points to 728, while satisfaction in the mass market segment has decreased by 1 point to 654.

“Despite a decline in satisfaction in the mass market segment with the increased length of ownership, we find that higher levels of satisfaction can be maintained by continuing the focus on customer service,” said Koichi Urayama, director of the automotive division at JD Power, Tokyo. “Such things as contacting customers every six months and giving advice on future maintenance can increase not only satisfaction, but also loyalty.”

Following are some of the key findings of the study:

• Faster turnaround time is key: Satisfaction averages 670 points among customers who waited at the dealer while a shaken inspection was being conducted vs. 644 among those who left their vehicle. For customers who waited at the dealership for a shaken inspection for two or fewer hours, satisfaction further increases to 683.
• The luxury segment remains efficient: In the luxury segment, satisfaction improves in all five factors: service initiation (+6 points); service representative (+5); facility (+3); vehicle pick-up (+1); and service quality (+6). In the mass market segment, satisfaction remains the same as in 2016 in the service quality factor, while it improves in service representative and facility (+1 point in each) and decreases in service initiation (-4) and vehicle pick-up (-2).
• Customer satisfaction and loyalty go hand-in-hand: Among highly satisfied customers (overall satisfaction scores of 800 points or higher), 77% say that they “definitely would” or “probably would” recommend their dealer to others. However, that proportion drops substantially to 35% among customers with lower levels of satisfaction (scores below 500).

Study Rankings

Luxury
Lexus performs particularly well in all five factors and ranks highest with a score of 780, which is 52 points higher than the segment average. Lexus is followed by Mercedes-Benz (730), BMW (715), Audi (701) and Volvo (676).

Mass Market
MINI, performing well in all factors except service initiation, ranks highest for a sixth consecutive year, with a score of 690. MINI is followed by Volkswagen (678), Nissan (675), Toyota (667) and Honda (653).

The 2017 Japan Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) Study measures passenger-vehicle owner satisfaction with after-sales service obtained during the most recent one-year period at an authorized dealership. The study is based on responses from 9,183 domestic and import vehicle owners after 2 to 12 months of ownership. The online survey was fielded from late May through early June 2017.

Media Relations Contacts
Shizue Hidaka; JD Power; Tokyo; 81-3-4550-8060; [email protected]
Geno Effler; JD Power; Costa Mesa, Calif., USA; 001-714-621-6224; [email protected]

About JD Power in the Asia Pacific Region
JD Power has offices in Tokyo, Singapore, Beijing, Shanghai, Malaysia and Bangkok that conduct customer satisfaction research and provide consulting services in the automotive, information technology and finance industries in the Asia Pacific region. Together, the six offices bring the language of customer satisfaction to consumers and businesses in Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. JD Power is a portfolio company of XIO Group, a global alternative investments and private equity firm headquartered in London, and is led by its four founders: Athene Li, Joseph Pacini, Murphy Qiao and Carsten Geyer. Information regarding JD Power and its products can be accessed through the internet at japan.jdpower.com.

About JD Power and Advertising/Promotional Rules www.jdpower.com/about-us/press-release-info