Original equipment tire satisfaction among owners of domestic and European vehicles has increased during the past three years, while tire satisfaction among owners of Asian vehicles has remained largely unchanged, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2011 U.S. Original Equipment Tire Customer Satisfaction Study. The study finds that satisfaction with tires among owners of domestic vehicles has increased to 682 on a 1,000-point scale, up from 659 in 2009 and 680 in 2010.
European Vehicle Tire Satisfaction Up Slightly
Similarly, tire satisfaction among owners of European vehicles has increased to 698 in 2011 from 689 in 2009, after dipping to 683 in 2010. Satisfaction with tires among owners of Asian vehicles, however, has remained flat, declining just one point, from 638 to 637, between 2011 and 2009. J.D. Power analysis indicates tire satisfaction among owners of Asian nameplate vehicles is well below average in all segments except for the luxury segment.
Michelin Dominates All Tire Segments
Tire owner satisfaction within each of the four segments J.D. Power analyzes (luxury, passenger car, performance sport and truck/utility) is measured by examining four factors: tire wearability; tire appearance; tire traction/handling; and tire ride. Rankings are based on owner experiences with their tires after two years on the road.
Michelin ranks highest in tire owner satisfaction in all four segments. In the luxury, passenger car and truck/utility segments, Michelin performs particularly well in tire wearability. In the performance sport segment, Michelin performs well in tire ride.
Other Findings
- Owner-reported problems with tires has decreased to 84 problems per 100 vehicles (PP100), compared with 88 PP100 in 2010.
- Nearly one-third of owners who indicate they have not experienced any problems with their tires say they will recommend their tire brand, while only 21% of owners who experience just one problem say the same.
- Nearly one-half (49%) of highly satisfied tire owners (satisfaction scores of 800 or higher) say they “definitely will” recommend their tire brand to family and friends. In comparison, almost three in 10 (29%) of customers with a satisfaction score below 500 say they “definitely will not” recommend their tire brand.
Lincoln Most Dependable Auto Nameplate
In terms of satisfaction with auto nameplates, Lincoln had the lowest number of problems per 100 vehicles (101) of any major auto nameplate in 2011, according to the recent J.D. Power and Associates 2011 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study. Lincoln improves by 13 PP100 from 2010 and beats the industry average of 151 PP100 by 50 points.
About the Data: The 2011 US Original Equipment Tire Customer Satisfaction Study is based on responses from more than 26,000 new-vehicle owners who purchased a 2009 or 2010 model-year vehicle. The study, published by J.D. Power and Associates, was fielded between October and December 2010 and is the source of the enclosed chart.
