Feature quality increasingly important for two-wheeler buyers: JD Power

The perceptions of two-wheeler vehicles are impacted by the quality of the features and the thoroughness of feature explanations by salespersons, according to JD Power’s second India Two-Wheeler Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (2WAPEAL) study.

The study based on owner evaluations during the first 2-6 months of ownership assessed 33 attributes across six performance categories: seats; looks and styling; control switches/ locks; engine and transmission performance; fuel economy; and ride and handling. Overall APEAL performance is reported as an index score based on a 1,000-point scale, with a higher score indicating higher satisfaction.

The two-wheeler models are classified into scooters and motorcycles. Scooters include two model segments: economy and executive. Motorcycles include four model segments: economy, executive, upper executive and premium.

Mohit Arora, executive director at JD Power, Singapore said, “Two-wheeler manufacturers are providing a multitude of features to differentiate their product offerings. However, the quality of execution of these features is pivotal to customer satisfaction. It is prudent for OEMs to ensure that these new features are of optimum quality and their functionality is communicated effectively to the customer during new-vehicle delivery.”

For the owners of vehicles with 11 or more features, the number of initial quality problems experienced, is higher than by owners of vehicles with 10 or fewer features (260 PP100 vs. 138 PP100, respectively).

Additionally, among the models with 11 or more features, just 12% of customers indicate that the salesperson did not explain the features and benefits of the two-wheeler. Among these customers, satisfaction is significantly lower than among those who received feature explanations.

Based on models in the scooter segment, TVS Zest 110 (875) ranked highest among executive models.

In the motorcycle segment, TVS Star City Plus (863) ranked highest among economy models, and Honda CB Shine (850) ranked highest among executive models. Honda CB Unicorn and debutant Suzuki Gixxer (865 each) shared the podium among upper executive models, while another debutant Honda CB Unicorn 160(872) was the winner among premium models.

The other findings were as follows:

-   Overall satisfaction with two-wheeler APEAL is 846, a slight 2-point drop from 2015. In terms of the two vehicle segment, the APEAL score averages 846 for scooters and 847 for motorcycles.

-   In 2016, 62% of two-wheeler owners indicate a desire for more than 10 features; however, only10% indicate that their vehicles have 11 or more features.

-   The APEAL score has a strong impact on the likelihood of owners keeping their new two-wheeler for an extended period of time. Among highly satisfied owners (overall satisfaction scores of 931 points or higher), 73% say they expect to keep their new vehicle for five years or more. In contrast, among highly dissatisfied owners (scores of 794 points or lower) just 61% say they expect to keep their vehicle for same period.

-   Moreover, there is a strong correlation between APEAL scores and brand loyalty and advocacy. Among highly satisfied owners, 75% say they “definitely would” recommend their two-wheeler to a friend or relative, compared with 34% of highly dissatisfied owners.

Also read: Quality of Made-In-India two-wheelers improves sharply