Top Loyalty Rating for Ford
When it comes to looking to those car buyers with the most brand loyalty, it's hard to beat the affinity that Ford Motor Co. customers have about the American automaker.
Results of a quarterly survey conducted by Experian Automotive revealed Ford buyers returned to the same brand when it was time to trade for another vehicle. That's why six of the 10 most popular vehicles were from the company.
The loyalty was measured in percentage of customers who chose the same brand. The findings, along with analysis of other industry trends, were the result of Experian Automotive's examination of motor vehicle registrations in all 50 states during this year's second quarter.
The Ford vehicles with the highest loyalty ranking were the Fusion (62.4 percent), Edge (57.9 percent), Five Hundred (56 percent), the Freestyle (51.9 percent), Escape (49.4 percent), and Focus (47.6 percent). The Edge and Escape had the best gains compared to the same quarter last year.
"With six of the top 10 vehicles for customer brand loyalty, Ford is showing that its products are passing the most important test: turning happy customers into repeat buyers," said Jeff Anderson, director of consulting and analytics for Experian Automotive. The firm provides information services to manufacturers, dealers, insurance companies, and consumers.
Rounding out the top 10 were the Toyota Prius (52 percent), the Chevrolet Impala (51.7 percent), the Toyota Camry (47.8 percent) and the Toyota Corolla (47.6 percent) .
"Brand loyalty is a critical element of success, even survival, in today's challenged auto industry," said Scott Waldron, president of Experian Automotive. "The ability to retain customers is an important indicator of product success and commitment to developing long-term customer relationships. As automakers are scrambling to maintain market share, holding onto current customers has never been more important."
Apparently, General Motors is challenged by loyalty. The survey also revealed owners of Pontiac - a GM brand no longer existing - are most likely to check out Ford's lineup for their next vehicle. Also Saturn shoppers said they will choose Toyota or Honda for their next vehicle. Experian forecasts GM's market share will drop to about 17.5 percent from 20 percent. The shoppers they lose likely will go to Ford, Honda and Toyota.
Losing any interest in any auto brand is critical to the automotive industry. Recently, another study revealed that young Americans may not share their elders' love affair with cars. According to J.D. Power, which conducted the study, "Online discussions by teens indicate shifts in perceptions regarding the necessity of and desire to have cars."
A major reason could be the state of the economy, the research firm said. "Also, with the advent of social media and other forms of electronic communities, teens perceive less of a need to physically congregate, and less of a need for a mode of transportation," the study said.