JD Power APEAL Study Says Safety, Technology Boost Appeal Of Cars Among Buyers

It is known that we all like feature-laden cars. But did you know that safety and technological features in a car enhance its appeal in your eyes? Well, according to J.D. Power 2016 India Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) study, the widespread use of safety features such as ABS and airbags, and technology such as hands-free telephony have helped in boosting the overall appeal of new cars in India.

The average APEAL score for vehicles equipped with airbags is 11 points higher than it is for vehicles without them, while vehicles with anti-lock braking systems – now available in half of all new vehicles and more than a third of vehicles in the small car segments – score 17 APEAL points more than those without them.

"One of the areas automakers are focusing on is enhancing safety and technology features in their vehicles as a way to differentiate themselves from others," said Mohit Arora, executive director at J.D. Power. "In the past, these features were available only in vehicles of larger body types or in vehicles at the upper end of the price spectrum. Today, these features are commonly available in most vehicles, including those in the small car segments, providing new-car buyers, especially first-time buyers, with more value for their money."

To give you some perspective, the average APEAL score for cars equipped with airbags was 11 points higher than those with no airbags. Vehicles with ABS have an APEAL score of 871 points as opposed to 854 points for those without this feature. Similarly, cars sporting hands-free connectivity score five points more than those without this feature. The other key findings of the study are as follows:

1. 83 per cent of the owners of vehicles that scored 862 points or higher on the APEAL scorecard said they ‘definitely would’ recommend their purchased model, while 66 per cent said they ‘definitely would’ purchase the same make again.
2. 23 per cent customers are delighted (providing a rating of 10 on a 10-point scale) with the overall quietness of their new vehicle's interior – an increase from 19 per cent in 2013.

"In addition to boosting vehicle appeal by providing more features, manufacturers also need to find ways to continue to improve the driving experience by reducing unwanted noise, vibration and harshness issues," said Shantanu Nandi Majumdar, director at J.D. Power. "Reducing noise is likely to improve brand image and enable manufacturers to distinguish themselves from competition."

When it came to ranking, here's how various brands were placed in the study:

1. Hyundai emerged as the best performer by bagging five of the eight segment-level APEAL awards for the Eon (entry compact car), i10 (compact car), Grand i10 (upper compact car), Elite i20/ Active (premium compact car) and Creta (SUV).
2. Honda took home three awards for the Jazz (premium compact car), Amaze (entry midsize car) and City (midsize car).
3. Maruti Suzuki bagged one award in the midsize segment for the Ciaz.
4. Toyota earned an award in the MUV/ MPV segment for the Innova Crysta.
5. Mahindra won an award in the SUV segment for the Scorpio.