70% of Chinese drivers more aware of tire brands for their vehicles
Chinese car buyers pay more attention to tire brands to use on their vehicles
Seventy percent of Chinese car buyers have become more aware of tire brands to use on their vehicles, up from 42 percent last year, and this rising understanding is likely to lead to stiffer competition, according to a survey published by J.D. Power today.
"With the increase of consumers’ awareness of tire brands, we can foresee market competition getting fiercer," said Jeff Cai, general manager of auto product practice at J.D. Power China.
"Tires are the most frequently replaced components on vehicles, (so) it is critical for tire manufacturers to provide high quality, branded products and services," Jeff added.
The survey also showed that tire replacement is rising by a faster rate in the China market.
Up to 64 percent of the new vehicle owners follow the manufacturers' repair and maintenance advice to replace their tires, up from 59 percent last year.
Around 53 percent of car owners head to dealerships to change their tires, followed by 23 percent at tire stores and 14 percent at auto service stations and garages, according to the survey which covered 14,276 car owners in 62 cities in China.
The survey also said US tire brands rank highest in customer satisfaction in the luxury and sport-utility vehicle segments, adding that Korean brands rank highest in the mass market segment.
Michelin, Goodyear, Bridgestone, Nexen, Pirelli are among the top tire companies for customer satisfaction.
