J.D. Power and Associates released the results of its inaugural 2003
Customer Retention Study, and Chevrolet was top of the heap, edging out
the two biggest Japanese brands selling in the United States.
According to the study, General Motors’ bread-and-butter brand
retains 60.8 percent of its owners, thanks mostly to the loyalty of
truck buyers. Toyota (59.3 percent), Mercedes-Benz (58.7 percent), Ford
(58.1 percent) and Honda (57.1 percent) brands file in respectively
behind Chevrolet.
The study, compiled from the responses of 177,000 new-vehicle
buyers taken by J.D. Power and Associates in recent months, found that
Chevy’s highest loyalty ratings came from buyers of the Avalanche
sport-utility truck. A whopping 74.5 percent of Avalanche buyers say
they will purchase another Chevrolet model the next time they are in the
market. TrailBlazer sport-utility-vehicle owners, Impala sedan owners
and Silverado pickup owners also promise near-70 percent retention
rates.
