J.D. Power Asia Pacific Reports: Sharp Reduction in Number of Customer-Reported Problems with Original Equipment Tires Over Past Five Years in India

There has been a significant reduction in customer-reported problems with original equipment (OE) fitted tires during the past five years in India, indicating improvement in the quality of OE fitted tires, according to the J.D. Power Asia Pacific 2015 India Original Equipment Tire Customer Satisfaction Index (TCSI) Study^SM released today.                                                                                                               

The study, now in its 15th year, measures satisfaction among original equipment tire owners during the first 12 to 24 months of ownership across four factors (listed in order of importance): appearance (870 on a 1,000-point scale); ride (869); durability (866); and traction/ handling (866).

The overall incidence of problems cited by customers has dropped significantly to 9 percent in 2015 from 18 percent in 2010. That decline is primarily due to a notable reduction in the percentage of reported problems with frequent punctures—the most commonly cited problem—to 57 percent from 77 percent in 2010.

“With the continuous quality and performance improvement of OE fitted tires over the past five years, customers are increasingly satisfied,” said Mohit Arora, executive director, J.D. Power Asia Pacific. “This bodes well for the tire industry considering that demand in the replacement tire market is driven by customer perceptions of their original equipment tires. Customers who are satisfied with their OE tires are more likely to repurchase the same brand again.”

KEY FINDINGS:

• Overall OE tire customer satisfaction averages 868, which is a 24-point increase from 2014. Satisfaction improves across all four factors year over year, most notably in the durability factor (+26 points).

• Tire brand remains the most influential reason for customers when selecting new tires (51%). Customers are increasingly placing importance on tire design and styling. Overall, 27 percent of customers cite tire design and styling as a reason for selecting a brand, which increases to 30 percent of mid-size car owners.

• Across vehicle segments, 24 percent of small car owners and 22 percent of utility car owners say they are “delighted” with their tire’s performance in terms of fuel economy, compared with just 18 percent of mid-size car owners who say the same.

• Owners who are highly satisfied (overall satisfaction scores of 948-1,000) with their original tires are more likely to recommend their tire brand, with 78 percent of these customers saying they "definitely would" recommend their tire brand. Among customers who are less satisfied (scores of 808 and below), only 41 percent say they "definitely would" recommend their tire brand.

• Although quality continues to improve, 30 percent of customers in India indicate they ignore servicing their tires.

Study Rankings

JK Tyre ranks highest in overall customer satisfaction with a score of 881 points. JK Tyre performs particularly well in the appearance (882) and ride (886) factors. MRF ranks second with a score of 876.

The 2015 India Original Equipment Tire Customer Satisfaction Index (TCSI) Study is based on 4,079 responses from new-vehicle owners who purchased their vehicle between May 2012 and August 2013. The study was fielded between May and August 2014.

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