LexFather

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/c...sign-style.htm
Brand perception by category


DESIGN/STYLE

Apparently, continuous updates to keep a broad product portfolio defined by a common design language have paid off for Ford, with 10 percent feeling that the brand leads Design/Style. The margin is slight, with Toyota trailing closely and Chevrolet and Chrysler right there at 8 percent.

Design/Style ranking
Brand
Category
percentage

Ford


10%

Toyota


9

Chevrolet


8

Chrysler


8

Honda


7



PERFORMANCE

Toyota and Ford vie for the top spot in Performance, each approaching the category from a slightly different direction. Toyota has built a reputation based on fuel economy and powertrain quality, with more-recent models marking significant horsepower increases with a new V6 engine. Ford has a performance legacy built on the Mustang and other V8-powered vehicles. Recent introductions of the Shelby GT500 and aggressive advertising for its pickup trucks might have given strength to its performance perception.

Runners-up Chevrolet and Honda have a similar dichotomy that breaks down to big-horsepower V8s against thrifty, smooth, durable engines. Sharing all of its engines with Chevrolet, GMC takes the fifth slot.

Performance ranking
Brand
Category
percentage

Toyota


13%

Ford


12

Chevrolet


10

Honda


10

GMC


6



QUALITY

Toyota swept the Quality category, with 19 percent believing it is the leader. That deserved reputation is supported by Consumer Reports 2006 Annual Car Reliability Survey, which finds Toyota at or near the top in every vehicle segment in which it competes. (For access to Consumer Reports reliability information and our exclusive Bottom Line Pricing information, visit the interactive New Car Buying Kit) Similarly, Honda claims the second position in quality with an above-average reliability record. Ford again had a strong showing with 12 percent. While Ford's performance is mixed in our latest predicted Reliability ratings, based on responses on 1.3 million vehicles, the recently launched Fusion performed well, based on its first year in the market, besting the historically strong-performing Honda Accord.

Quality ranking
Brand
Category
percentage

Toyota


19%

Honda


14

Ford


12

Chevrolet


8

GMC


5



SAFETY

Volvo has dedicated its brand to safety leadership for decades, introducing advances such as the three-point lap safety belt, laminated safety glass, side-impact air bags, and "pregnant" crash-test dummies. Despite an increasing emphasis on styling in recent years, safety still defines Volvo for consumers. (Learn more about Safety.)

Safety rankings
Brand
Category
percentage

Volvo


23%

Toyota


13

Ford


10

Honda


8

Chevrolet


6



TECHNOLOGY/INNOVATION

Toyota was selected as the perceived leader in Technology/Innovation by twice as many consumers as second-place Honda, likely bolstered by the high-profile Prius hybrid car. Honda, another longtime purveyor of hybrids and efficient engines, narrowly edged out Ford. Luxury brands Lexus and Mercedes-Benz made the cut, with each offering leading-edge entertainment, safety, and performance-enhancing systems.

Technology/Innovation rankings
Brand
Category
percentage

Toyota


18%

Honda


9

Ford


8

Lexus


7

Chevrolet


6

Mercedes-Benz


6



VALUE

The term "value" is open to interpretation, as demonstrated by the survey responses. Two brands known for reliability and resale value topped the rankings: Toyota and Honda. The other pair that shares the top four positions is Ford and Chevrolet. Those domestic brands have models that run the spectrum of reliability, according to Consumer Reports, with some rated above and below average. But Ford and Chevrolet are known for aggressive pricing and for providing competitive levels of standard features, adding to their perceived value. At half the responses of Chevrolet, Hyundai was considered to epitomize value by 5 percent of consumers. The South Korean automaker has focused heavily on that virtue, and as a result, it stands above 25 other brands cited in this study.

Value rankings
Brand
Category
percentage

Toyota


17%

Ford


13

Honda


13

Chevrolet


10

Hyundai


5



CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?

In total, the Brand Report Card results show that it is the combination of product, message, and historical image that creates widespread brand perception. The right formula is ever elusive, with some long-running marketing campaigns struggling to differentiate a brand among abundant competition, particularly by the largest automakers.

BMW and Mazda illustrate that challenge most clearly. BMW has used the bold tagline "The ultimate driving machine" for more than two decades, with driver-centric performance being at the core of its vehicles. Mazda has made its "Zoom-Zoom" mantra a hum-able theme song and likewise has sought to have a bit more edge with its products than its direct competition. While most vehicles from BMW and Mazda truly possess a sporty demeanor, neither brand resonated as leaders in Performance. BMW was rated tops by only 5 percent and Mazda 1 percent. Reaching a diverse, mainstream audience alone is not a measure of success. After all, BMW has consistently done well in our tests and the company has been profitable. That those brands do not stand out among the larger-volume nameplates illustrates the challenges automakers face, and the need for consumers to consider all reasonable options when conducting research, or they might miss a car well-suited to their needs.

The poor showing for some deserving brands suggests that consumers would be well served by more research into the intended vehicle segment. For example, in the Technology/Innovation category, the low 1-percent tally for Acura, Audi, and Infiniti does not fairly represent the accomplishments and offerings of those luxury brands.

LexFather

Wow, shock to see Toyota ranked so high in so many categories, even ones I don't even think Toyota is near the top 5.

Shows how big "perception" is and no wonder Toyota is selling everything they make!

encore888

That reputation took ages to establish, and it will stay that way for a long while (see: Mercedes). Toyota just needs to keep that going. They've grown and it's challenging but I think they can do it.

PhilipMSPT

iTrader: (5)

Perception does not exemplify reality.

People have a perception of which cars are "the best," and that in fact, there are others out there that can claim such honor.

It's all about proper advertising.

Good Advertising: there are automakers out there that do well with advertising and word-of-mouth marketing. Toyota does a good job in covering all bases from quality to technology to safety, even though they are not the best. The right advertising on things that people focus on such as safety, performance, and value = sales.

Bad Advertising: there are the unfortunate few, such as the aforementioned Acura/Infiniti/Audi brands, that do not get the recognition they deserve, and will take a while to get such recognition if advertised efficiently. However, technology changes so quickly, that they need to properly advertise to the public much more efficiently and quickly. For example, Infiniti has not focused on technology and performance as much as they should have; instead, they've been focusing on design (such as the brush-stroke concept). The wrong advertising on things people don't focus on such as the auto-making process (design, engineering, and the such) or conceptual brand thinking = lack of sales.

mmarshall

I don't agree that Toyota is the leader in engine technology, despite the success of the Prius.

Honda, if you look back through the years, in many ways, has actually led in engine technology, not Toyota. Honda was the first, in 1975, to meet emissions that year without a catalyst, with the clever CVCC engine, ( though its cold start-up and drivability was poor ), and first to put VTEC engines ( the echnology was taken from Formula 1 ) unto production street cars, and it is now on track to be the first company with a production fuel-cell car...the FCX is currently in use with government and testing organizations, but is not yet ready for general public sale.

Honda, in 2000, also beat Toyota in the American market, by 6-8 months, in getting a gas-elecric hybrid into production. The Honda Insight, with the IMA hybrid system, was introduced early in the year....the rival Prius not until fall.

( I was, BTW, one of the first non-auto-press members in the DC area, at the time, to get to test-drive the new Insight )

Of course, this was partially offset by the fact that the Toyota hybrid system, when it DID debut, was more flexible than Honda's and could run on the electric motor alone...and by the fact that the Prius was a larger and more useful car than the toy-like Insight.

And, yes, it is true that Toyota/Lexus, since the original Insight-Prius debut in 2000, has done more different hybrid models than Honda, which, even today, limits the IMA system to just the Civic and Accord. Still, IMO, if you look back through time, up to the last couple of years, Honda has consistantly led all other major auto manufacturers in new engine technology....and will probably be the first major company to mass-market a fuel-cell car.

Threxx

Please tell me they didn't survey their READERS to get these 'perception' results? Otherwise it's absolutely no wonder that the leader in perceived anything is going to closely follow what CR publishes.

What a stupid 'survey'... that is unless they really went for a random sample and didn't stick to or focus within their reader base.

LexFather

I don't think it is stupid at all. This proves what I always am stating "perception and image" are HUGE drivers for the average consumer.

Again, I am shocked Toyota is so high in almost everything but it cannot be a coincidence Toyota sales increase every year!

Threxx

It's stupid because it'd be like walking up to a crowd of demonstrators in a gay pride parade and doing a "survey" to see if they believed gay marriage should be allowed.

Now, if you titled it "99% of gays think gay marriage should be allowed!" that would be fine, though certainly not shocking. But if you titled it "Survey shows 99% of people believe gay marriage should be allowed!"... that's stupid and deceitful.

The consumer reports subscriber base more than likely ALL READ consumer reports magazine and more than likely usually VALUE the advice and opinions they read in the magazine (or else why would they be subscribed to it and reading it?).... so finding that their perception is congruent with what consumer reports writes in their magazine is about as shocking as finding that 99% of gay people support gay marriage.

Granted, again, maybe they did a truly random sampling outside of their subscriber base? But that's typically not how they run their surveys.

mmarshall

It is true, as you point out, that Toyota sales incease every year, but Hyundai sales are actually increasing at a higher rate. For instance, in just the last 12 months or so, six of my close friends and co-workers have bought new Hyundais or Kias....( some with my help ) and all have been quite satisfied.

spwolf

no they are not... Even statistically, Toyota sales raise a lot more than Hyundai, who has stagnated in 2006. Now 2005 was different story, and Hyundai has lost a lot of steam when they introduced new models, which are much, much better cars that before, but a lot more expensive as well.

Hyundai sold 500 cars more in 2006 than in 2005.

as to the Consumer reports - i am not suprised at Toyota's rankings at perception - thats why they sell so many cars... but I am suprised at Fords - did the survey take place in Ford factory?

mmarshall

You also have to take leases and fleet sales into account. New-car sales to private individuals alone don't tell the whole story. Toyota and Hyundai both do very well in those categories also.

Hyundai models are indeed a little more expensive than they used to be (that newfound quality and the 10-year warranty didn't come as an entirely free lunch ), but still a bargain compared to many other brands.
Don't get me wrong. I'm not necessarily a Hyundai freak (although my next car may be a Hyundai Azera if not another Subaru or AWD vehicle). They still don't make a direct AWD competitor in the U.S. market to the Forester/Outback.....the Tuscon and Santa Fe are more pure SUV's. But you HAVE to give this company its due....its growth in quality and sales both have been nothing short of amazing...as has Toyota's as well, although the latest Camry has had some glitches.

sdbrandon

No surprise. The CR survey put Toyota on top for reliability. I would expect the same people surveyed would align themselves with brand perception.

Surveys are like polls. Depending on how they are worded, you can get the desired results.

We all know Toyota is a leader in several categories. It will just take a while to build the brand image with Lexus that the germans, Aston, Porsche, etc. have.

mmarshall

Close..........

.......In the real world ( and according to most service techincians...the guys who repair cars for a living ), Toyota and Honda pretty much share a tie for the top ranking. My conversations with service people I've known pretty much bears this out, too...........as does most reliability surveys as well.

However, there are some individual exceptions. In 2004-2005, Subaru was ranked by CR as the top-rated brand for having the lowest number of defects and the Hyundai Sonata was the single most reliable car...last year it was the first-model-year Hyundai Azera, and..............surprise...........Ford's new Fusion, also in its first-model-year, came out very close to the top. The Fusion's high ranking really surprised me.........I was not expecting that.

sdbrandon

Is the Fusion the same as the Mercury Milan? I heard the Milan is a great car too.

LexBob2

Yes. There is also a Lincoln variant too.