Fuel Economy Issues Negatively Affect Vehicle Satisfaction in Mexico, J.D. Power Finds

Vehicle owners in Mexico are most dissatisfied with fuel economy, according to the APEAL (Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout) section of the J.D. Power 2020 Mexico Vehicle Dependability Study,^SM released today, while owners are most satisfied with their vehicle’s exterior. Owners’ emotional attachment to their vehicle and level of excitement across vehicle attributes are combined into an overall APEAL Index score that is measured on a 1,000-point scale, with a higher score indicating higher satisfaction.

“Luxury vehicle owners are still more satisfied overall than are mass market owners, but the gap has narrowed to 35 points this year compared with a 62-point gap in 2019,” said Brais Álvarez, account manager at J.D. Power de México. “Some features and technologies that were once reserved for luxury vehicles are now becoming standard among mass market brands. There is an opportunity for all brands to gain deeper customer insight and communicate more effectively with owners as new technologies appear.”

Following are key findings of the 2020 study:

• Dissatisfaction with fuel economy: Fuel economy/driving range is the second most important APEAL factor for vehicle owners. However, fuel economy has the lowest level of satisfaction among luxury owners (848) and the second lowest among mass market owners (840).
• Highest satisfaction in interior category: For a second consecutive year, the vehicle interior provides the highest level of satisfaction (872). At the same time, however, the interior category accounts for the greatest decline in score (-45 points) between vehicle owners not experiencing problems and owners experiencing problems.
• Technology improvements can increase customer satisfaction. Although only 14% of owners have features in all technology categories incorporated into their vehicle, average satisfaction among owners in this group is highest at 923. Bluetooth connectivity is a standard technology feature in most vehicles (92%), but satisfaction with this feature is lowest at 811. As a standard feature and the most frequently cited vehicle problem, Bluetooth connectivity is an opportunity for brands to improve functionality and meet customer expectations.

Net Promoter Score® (NPS)¹measures customers’ likelihood to recommend both their vehicle brand and model on a 0-10 scale. Customers are segmented into three groups: detractor (0-6); passive (7-8); or promoter (9-10). NPS is calculated by subtracting the percentage of detractors from the percentage of promoters. In this year’s study, nearly nine in 10 (86%) owners citing no problems are likely to recommend the vehicle they own, while only 58% of owners experiencing four or more problems say they will recommend their vehicle brand and model. Nearly one-fifth (19%) of customers who experience four or more problems are at risk of becoming detractors and thus will shop for a different brand when they replace their vehicle.

Highest Ranked Brands

GMC ranks highest in APEAL among luxury brands, with a score of 900. Mercedes-Benz ranks second (898) and MINI ranks third (897).

Mazda ranks highest in APEAL among mass market brands, with score of 898. Honda ranks second (887) and Toyota ranks third (880).

The APEAL section of the J.D. Power 2020 Mexico Vehicle Dependability Study is based on responses from 7,076 original owners of 2017 to 2019 model-year vehicles. The study was fielded from April through September 2020.

J.D. Power is a global leader in consumer insights, advisory services and data and analytics. These capabilities enable J.D. Power to help its clients drive customer satisfaction, growth and profitability. Established in 1968, J.D. Power has offices serving North America, South America, Asia Pacific and Europe.

Media Relations Contacts
Fabiana Duran; Mexico City; +52 55 1012 0885; fabianaduranp@gmail.com
Brais Álvarez Gallardo; Mexico City; +52 55 7474 4074; brais.alvarez@jdpa.com
Geno Effler; U.S.A.; 714-621-6224; media.relations@jdpa.com

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

¹Net Promoter,® Net Promoter System,® Net Promoter Score,® NPS® and the NPS-related emoticons are registered trademarks of Bain & Company, Inc., Fred Reichheld and Satmetrix Systems, Inc.