NEW YORK, Jan 15 — New research from JD Power finds that more US consumers in the market for a new vehicle have started focusing on a brand’s reliability when making a buying decision.

According to JD Power, 55 per cent of the 26,500 people polled cited reliability as a leading reason for purchasing their current car.

The percentage of consumers worried about reliability has been steadily rising over recent years; in 2013, 48 per cent of respondents said that it was a serious issue.

As this focus increases, so do the number of consumers that say they’re actively avoiding certain cars because of their perceived reputation (17 per cent, up from 14 per cent in 2015). 

And this is even though interior and exterior styling are still the two biggest reasons why people go for one car over another.

“With so many auto recalls in the news and challenges with the introduction of new technology, consumers are even more attuned to the expected reliability of new vehicles. This impacts which models consumers avoid and which ones they ultimately purchase. Bad news can tarnish an automaker’s reputation in an instant, yet, can take years to build back up,” said Dave Sargent, vice president, quality practice, JD Power.

The perception of a brand’s reliability versus the reality is why it took Audi years to re-establish itself as a marque in the US after accelerator pedal problem allegations in the late 1980s and why, according to JD Power’s study, 24 per cent of those avoiding a car because of reliability issues are avoiding an American vehicle.

However, the reality is that most mainstream US cars, particularly Buicks, are as reliable as Japanese or European competitors, according to JD Power ratings and indexes. 



“Though vehicle reliability and durability have improved significantly over the years, they remain a vital consideration for consumers,” said Sargent.

“Automakers need to convince consumers of the true reliability of their vehicles so it is not a reason to avoid selecting a particular model.”

Still, all carmakers, mass-market and premium can take heart from the fact that on the whole consumers are still loyal to one brand.

The top reason for switching to a competitor given in the study was “I simply wanted to try something different”. — AFP-Relaxnews