Maruti Suzuki emerges winner in JD Power brand influence survey

An American-based global marketing information services firm, JD Power, has surveyed 8,507 car users in India, who owned their vehicles from 30 to 42 months. These car owners were asked to compare two vehicle brands and this study was fielded from January through April 2015 across 30 cities in India.

This survey was conducted on a 1,000-point scale. According to the findings of the survey Maruti Suzuki ranks highest in brand influence with a score of 839 points while Hyundai ranks second standing at 767 points. Toyota stood third by gaining 744 points. Datsun and Mitsubishi are among brands with the lowest influence with each standing at 555 points and 580 points respectively.

The findings of this study reveal that the brand influence gap between the brand with the highest score and the one with the lowest score narrows to 259 points in 2015 from 272 in 2014.  All brands with scores below 700 in the 2014 study improved by double-digits in 2015. Mahindra improved the most with +44 points, followed by Renault +28 points and Nissan with +23 points. 

The study, now in its second year, measures automotive brand influence in India of mass market passenger car brands, based on consumer awareness and perceptions of the brand. The study also segments the market using psychographic, demographic and behavioral attributes to help automakers identify and understand who their best prospects are in the new-car market. 

The study also finds a marked difference in the perceived image between owners and non-owners of a brand. In general, owners have a much more favorable opinion of a brand compared with non-owners; however, Maruti Suzuki stands out as one of the few brands where the gap is relatively small. At the other end of the spectrum are brands like Fiat, Nissan and Renault where the image gaps between owners and non-owners are sizeable.