Hyundai Motor Group leads in corporate loyalty for first time, according to Experian Automotive market analysis
Brand loyalty shows Ford vehicles taking six spots in the top 10, followed by Kia with three
Schaumburg, Ill., Oct. 12, 2011 — Experian Automotive today released its Q2 2011 market analysis showing that South Korea’s Hyundai Motor Group, the parent company of both Kia and Hyundai, continued gaining momentum in North America as it topped the industry in corporate loyalty for the first time.
Hyundai Motor Group’s corporate loyalty rate of 49.6 percent edged General Motors and Ford Motor Company out of the top spots with ratings of 48.1 percent and 47.6 percent, respectively. Hyundai Motor Group’s corporate loyalty was bolstered by strong performances by both Kia, which had the highest brand loyalty ranking (47.9 percent), and Hyundai, which finished with the fourth highest brand loyalty (40.5 percent).
“According to our latest market report, Hyundai Motor Group has been making strides in customer loyalty for several years,” said Jeffrey Anderson, director of consulting and analytics for Experian Automotive. “In North America, both Kia and Hyundai have made improvements in vehicle styling and quality among both brands. This has clearly helped them gain and maintain a strong and loyal customer base.”
Experian Automotive’s latest market analysis also showed that Kia had three vehicle models that finished among the industry’s top 10 for brand loyalty, including the Kia Forte, which was the top model for loyalty at 68 percent; the Kia Soul (fifth) at 59 percent; and the Kia Forte Koup (eighth) at 57 percent.
Other top performers in brand loyalty included the Chevrolet Cruze (second, 64 percent), and six Ford models including the Ford Fiesta (third, 63 percent) and the Ford Fusion (fourth, 61 percent).
Hyundai Motor Group’s loyalty is also impacting its overall position in the market. The latest Experian data showed that Hyundai continued to pick up market share, with the greatest percentage increase year to date, jumping from 7.9 percent in Q2 2010 to 9.2 percent in Q2 2011. Other market share gains came from General Motors, up 0.5 percent from 19.1 percent in Q2 2010 to 19.6 percent Q2 2011; Chrysler, up 0.3 percent from 9.4 percent in Q2 2010 to 9.7 percent in Q2 2011; and Nissan, up 0.2 percent from 7.9 percent in Q2 2010 to 8.1 percent in Q2 2011.
To learn more about the Q2 2011 Automotive Market Analysis report, or for more information on Experian Automotive, visit http://www.experianautomotive.com.
Contact:
Roslyn Whitehurst
Experian Public Relations
1 714 830 5578
roslyn.whitehurst@experian.com
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