Knowledgeable Vehicle Owners in China Expect More Durable Tires, J.D. Power Finds

Shanghai: 23 Aug. 2018 –New-vehicle owners in China are becoming more knowledgeable about tires, thus also become more demanding. The number of owners who claim to know the features of their tires has notably increased from last year, according to the J.D. Power 2018 China New-Vehicle Tire Satisfaction Index (NV-TSI) Study, released today.

The year’s study shows that 4% of new-vehicle owners say they know “very well” about tire series parameters and 23% say they know them “somewhat,” compared with 2% and 15%, respectively, in 2017.

“As vehicle owners in China become more informed and experienced, we expect their habits and preferences to change, such as making more regular tire replacements and becoming more demanding and less loyal,” said Jacob George, Vice President and General Manager at J.D. Power Asia Pacific. “For tire manufacturers and dealers, in addition to constantly improving product durability, providing tire owners with more clear and direct information about their tires, as well as maintenance and repair service will help improve customer satisfaction and loyalty in the increasingly competitive market environment.”

The study also finds that with more knowledge of tires, new-vehicle owners in China are beginning to change their tire replacement habits and expectations on tire mileage. The percentage of vehicle owners who say they do not replace tires unless confronted with problems impacting normal driving has increased by 8%, while vehicle owners who say they replace tires based on distance driven has declined by 7%. Additionally, vehicle owners’ expectations for new-vehicle tire mileage has increased by 3,000 km from 66,000 km in 2017.

Following are additional findings from the study:

• New-vehicle tire actual mileage increases: Vehicle owners have been replacing tires after driving 56,000 km, which is 7,000 km longer than in 2017. In the SUV segment, owners in 2017 replaced tires after 47,000 km, which has increased this year by 15,000 km.
• Road hazard/ puncture is the top tire problem: Road hazard/puncture; stones get caught in the tread; and excessive road noise are the three problems that vehicle owners find most bothersome and are those most frequently encountered.
• Professional tire services promote other services: When owners have a tire problem fixed at the dealership where they purchased their vehicle, 48% also received additional services including regular maintenance and vehicle washing or vacuuming. 

Study Rankings
Michelin ranks highest in both the Luxury and Mass Market segments, with scores of 761 and 718, respectively, on a 1,000-point scale. Pirelli ranks highest in the SUV segment with a score of 730.

The China New-Vehicle Tire Satisfaction Index (NV-TSI) StudySM, now in its seventh year, measures new-vehicle customer satisfaction with their tires on new vehicles after 12 to 29 months of ownership based on four factors: appearance, durability, ride, and traction/ handling. The study includes four vehicle segments: luxury car; mass market car; SUV; and MPV/ mini van.

The study includes 10,492 vehicle owners in 67 cities across four regions and four city tiers in China; the methodology combines street intercept interviews and online panels.  The study was fielded from November 2017-May 2018.

J.D. Power is a global leader in consumer insights, advisory services and data and analytics. Those capabilities enable J.D. Power to help its clients drive customer satisfaction, growth and profitability. Established in 1968, J.D. Power is headquartered in Costa Mesa, California, and has offices in Shanghai, Beijing, Tokyo, Singapore, Malaysia and Bangkok serving the Asia Pacific region. J.D. Power is a portfolio company of XIO Group, a global alternative investments firm headquartered in London, and is led by its four founders: Athene Li, Joseph Pacini, Murphy Qiao and Carsten Geyer. For more information, please visit china.jdpower.com or stay connected with us on J.D. Power WeChat and Weibo.

Media Relations Contacts
Ruopei Wang; J.D. Power; China; +86 21 8026 5804; ruopei.wang@jdpa.com

About J.D. Power and Advertising/ Promotional Rules www.jdpower.com/about-us/press-release-info

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