The Hindu Business Line : The toppers in the satisfaction index

According to the study, some traditionally strong models continue to delight their customers. The Maruti Alto finds extremely high satisfaction levels across all product and customer service areas.

The Hyundai Santro and Accent are able to do much the same, thanks to the manufacturers taking a 360-degree approach encompassing product quality, after-sales service and brand image.

The Swift Diesel is yet another ongoing success story of Maruti. It has the highest customer satisfaction scores in the industry.

Maruti had exited the diesel segment a couple of years back and this marks their re-entry into a market, which has been growing rapidly.

The expectations of diesel car customers have been growing and manufacturers have been meeting them consistently through better engine technology and improved fuel efficiency.

The TCS study also points out that the Mahindra Renault Logan Diesel’s customers are highly satisfied with the overall quality of the product.

Honda, ever consistent, repeats the 2006 performance, with City, Accord and CRV topping their respective segments. In the premium midsize segment, Skoda Octavia stays ahead of stiff competition from Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic with a strong performance on brand image and product quality.

This TNS TCS study covers over 60 models with customer evaluation taken in the key areas of sales satisfaction, product quality, vehicle performance and design, after-sales service, brand image, and cost-of-ownership.

The TCS index score provides a measure of satisfaction and loyalty a given model enjoys with its customers.

S. Muralidhar