Honda CB Unicorn, Yamaha FZ and TVS Apache RTR 180 owners reported the highest satisfaction levels with their bikes, according to the latest J.D. Power Asia Pacific 2015 India Two-Wheeler Study released today.
The study classified scooters and motorcycles into seven categories and ranked them in terms of the satisfaction of their owners.
The 2015 India Two-Wheeler Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (2WAPEAL) study was based on evaluations from 10,283 vehicle owners who purchased a new vehicle between March 2014 and October 2014. The study included 81 two-wheeler models from nine makes and was conducted from September 2014 to December 2014 in 45 cities across India.
For the study, scooters were divided into economy and executive.
Yamaha Ray/ Ray Z ranked the highest in the executive model segment with a total satisfaction score of 859 out of 1000. Owners were most satisfied about the seats and ride and handling categories.
For the scooter model segments, the categories with the most impact on product performance satisfaction are seats (21%) and engine and transmission performance (20%). Comfort is the key reason for purchasing a scooter, J.D. Power said.
The motorcycles were divided into five classes – economy motorcycles, executive motorcycles, upper executive motorcycles, and premium motorcycles and premium plus.
For motorcycles in the economy model segment, ride handling (21%) and fuel economy (19%) are the key drivers of satisfaction, and fuel economy is the top reason for purchase. In the premium motorcycle segment, the engine and transmission performance (24%) and looks and styling (18%) categories most influence product performance satisfaction. Looks and styling is the key reason to purchase in the motorcycle premium segment.
TVS Sport, with a rank of 861 scored highest in the economy model segment for motorcycles, performing well in the control switches/ locks and ride and handling categories.
In the executive model segment, Hero Super Splendor and Honda CB Shine rank highest in a tie (848 each), with both models performing particularly well in the ride and handling category.
Honda CB Unicorn and Yamaha FZ rank highest in a tie (857 each) in the upper executive model segment for motorcycles, with both models performing particularly well in the engine and transmission performance category.
TVS Apache RTR 180 (877) ranks highest in the premium segment, performing well in the engine and transmission performance and ride and handling categories.
Scooters
|
Economy |
|
|
Executive |
Yamaha Ray/ Ray Z |
Motorcycles
|
Economy |
TVS Sport |
|
Executive |
Hero Super Splendor / Honda CB Shine |
|
Upper Executive |
Honda CB Unicorn and Yamaha FZ |
|
Premium |
TVS Apache RTR 180 |
|
Premium Plus |
The evaluations were done during the first two to six months of ownership.
“There are different drivers of performance satisfaction in each product segment, and each product segment appeals to a specific demographic,” said Mohit Arora, executive director, J.D. Power Asia Pacific. “The Two-Wheeler APEAL Study provides the industry with key information about customer expectations so manufacturers can align their designs with those expectations and improve the performance metrics of their models.”
“Demographics play an important role in owner satisfaction and meeting the various expectations of different demographic groups is critical to improving product performance and the ownership experience,” said Arora.
“The median age of motorcycle owners in the economy segment is 29, while the median age is 24 years in the premium segment. Furthermore, 31 percent of premium motorcycle owners are students, while only 10 percent of economy motorcycle owners are students.”
The overall two-wheeler APEAL (Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout) score averages 848. APEAL scores average 844 for scooters and 849 for motorcycles.
There is a strong correlation between APEAL scores and brand loyalty and advocacy. Among highly satisfied owners (overall satisfaction of 926 points or higher), 75 percent say they “definitely would” recommend their two-wheeler to a friend or relative, the study found.
Majority (80%) of two-wheeler owners are first-time buyers.
Product performance satisfaction among first time buyers is 11 points higher than among repeat buyers (850 vs. 839) with the biggest gap in the fuel economy category.
Nearly one-fourth (21%) of first-time buyers indicate that average fuel consumption on their two-wheeler was “less than expected”, while 29 percent of repeat buyers indicate the same.
The overall initial quality1 of a two-wheeler has a strong bearing on the overall APEAL score. Satisfaction among two-wheeler owners who are “delighted” (providing a rating of 10 on a 10-point scale) with initial quality is higher than among those who are “disappointed” (ratings of 1 to 5) (922 vs. 714, respectively).
Proactive communication with owners by dealers positively impacts overall APEAL satisfaction. Overall satisfaction among owners who receive information from their dealer about their two-wheeler during delivery averages 859, compared with 819 among those who do not receive such information.