"Car Shopping Guide" magazine is managed by the China Machinery Industry Federation. It serves prospective car owners, car owners, fans and industry insiders, disseminates car culture, cultivates the car market, and guides car consumption as its own responsibility. The text is 96 pages in full color, using international standards, large 16 folio, published one day a month, each priced at 6.6 yuan.
The magazine’s "Cover Story", "Test Report", "Car Purchase Documentary", "Personality Recommendation", "Car Purchase Instructions", "Car Price List", "Special Topics" and "Reader’s Mailbox" and other columns provide you with real-time information on the automotive market, explore the comprehensive performance of new cars on the market, analyze the competitive advantages of models of the same price and grade, analyze the selling points of automobiles, guide rational consumption, and adhere to the "shopping guide" as the direction to serve the majority of consumers. It is a car buying guide for prospective car owners, a car fan’s car review, and a complete list of business conditions for people in the automotive industry.
Compared with 2004, the car market in the first half of 2005 seemed much flatter, with many new and to-be-listed models, but there was no large-scale price reduction of the models that consumers had hoped for. On the contrary, some car manufacturers raised prices by launching "2005 models", which increased the number of consumers waiting for prices to decline, and the year-on-year sales of cars fell a lot. Although the car market is not sluggish, the sales of various models vary greatly. For example, Elantra and Xiali have broken through the 10,000 mark for several consecutive months and won the first place in the same class respectively, while some models have been on the verge of discontinuing production for several months.
For consumers, the number of models to choose from has increased. When buying a car, consumers have to ask relatives and friends one by one about the use of each model, as well as their satisfaction with the model. Buying a car has become cumbersome, and our "2005 Domestic Car Consumer Satisfaction Survey Report" will be recommended to you as a good car purchase reference. After the successful holding of the "2004 Domestic Car Consumer Satisfaction Survey", consumers have evaluated it as one of the best topics of the "Car Shopping Guide" year. In order to make the satisfaction survey more complete, we started the 2005 satisfaction survey in early February 2005. After more than three months of questionnaire collection, collation, and supplementary surveys, it was then handed over to a professional survey company to analyze the questionnaire and statistical results. Now, it has made a grand debut with the efforts of all parties.
Customer satisfaction is a level of consumer perception, and a deeper meaning refers to the degree to which the performance of the product (service) provided by the enterprise matches the current expectations of consumers.
The Customer Satisfaction Index is a measure of consumer satisfaction, expressed as a percentage. For this survey, the Consumer Satisfaction Index is used to indicate the overall satisfaction of a car brand in terms of quality, performance, appearance, interior, after-sales services, and car maintenance costs.
1. In 2004, our questionnaires came from a variety of methods such as clipped questionnaires, face-to-face interviews, and online surveys. In 2005, more than 95% of our questionnaires came from clipped questionnaires, which was more direct and effective, increasing the efficiency of our questionnaires from 64% in 2004 to more than 92%.
The number of models involved in the survey increased from 65 in 2004 to more than 100 in 2005, of which the number of models participating in the analysis increased from 34 to 45, an increase of 32%. With the continuous influx of new models and the expansion of the scope of the survey, the number of models that consumers can refer to has also increased significantly.
3. The items of the questionnaire include 5 major items such as external quality, internal quality, performance, after-sales services and maintenance costs. The small items they contain add two items of audio and mechanical component reliability, bringing the sub-items to 18. Correspondingly, we have also fine-tuned the weight of each sub-item.
4. Due to price cuts and market changes, the 2005 survey reclassified the price range.
5. More manufacturers are participating and paying attention. Due to the greater influence of consumer satisfaction surveys, some manufacturers have taken the initiative to contact us and attach great importance to the survey results.
New models such as Elantra, Fit, Audi A4, Corolla, and Peugeot 307 score relatively high, with their novel appearance, leading technology, and good performance. After-sales services can also keep up. Consumers have shown strong interest and high satisfaction with these new models, and their sales are also very optimistic.
Overall, the score of German models has generally increased, which is related to the good manufacturing technology and after-sales services of German models; Shanghai GM’s models have shown a downward trend. In 2005, Shanghai GM improved its product range and launched Rongyu, Cadillac and New Sail models to attract consumers and increase satisfaction; the ranking of Korean models has risen rapidly; the ranking of Japanese models has risen and fallen, but the fuel-efficient characteristics of Japanese models make consumers generally satisfied.
Due to the increase in the number of models, the gap between the top and bottom-ranked models has widened. Manufacturers need to strengthen the improvement of the bottom-ranked models, otherwise these models will fall behind or even be replaced in the increasingly fierce product competition in the future.
Among the top 10 models, Japanese models account for 4, German models account for 5, and Korean models account for 1. Japanese models have not changed from 2004, while the number of German and Korean models has increased. Regrettably, there are still no national brands in the top 10. Our national brands should be comprehensively improved in terms of product quality, performance, and after-sales services in order to truly become a strong brand.
This survey covers a wide range, involving 30 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions across the country. In the same way as the previous survey, we will divide the content of the survey into 5 major aspects such as external quality, internal quality, performance, after-sales services and maintenance costs. These 5 major aspects include 18 sub-categories. In the chart below, we will list the scores of each model in 18 sub-categories (converted to √ and ×). At the same time, since there are many models involved in this survey, we focus on the top two or three models in each class.
Mondeo, Bluebird
Bora, Fit, Polo, Carnival, Corolla, Santana 3000
Sunshine, Peugeot 307 Elysee, Excelle, Familia
Sienna, Vios, Sonata, China, Jetta
Ling Shuai, Hongqi, Sail SRV
Santana
Antelope, Maxima, Palio, Racing, Sail, Beverly, Chery Fengyun
Alto, Xiali, Pride
The winning model won the crown – Mazda 6 ranked first overall
For the winning models in this consumer satisfaction survey, consumers, manufacturers, and all members of the editorial department are eagerly awaiting, who is the most satisfied model in the minds of consumers in 2005? After rigorous data analytics and sorting, the final Mazda6 won the crown with a high score of 80.73%, once again becoming the most satisfied model in the minds of consumers. This is also the second consecutive year that Mazda6 has won the crown, reflecting the high recognition of this model by consumers.
A year has passed since the Mazda6 won the crown in the satisfaction survey in 2004. The Mazda6 has withstood the test of consumers, ranking first in terms of overall shape, luggage compartment space, power, handling, braking, safety and reliability, and also ranked very high (in the top 5) in terms of air conditioning performance, acoustics, sealing, interior quality, and mechanical component reliability, which makes the Mazda6 indisputably achieve the first overall score again. As a personalized model among mid-to-high-end sedans, the Mazda6 not only provides sufficient safety, but also greatly meets the requirements of consumers who pursue speed and handling. The success of the Mazda6 also lies in its outstanding performance not only in individual items, but also in its comprehensive performance including after-sales services, mechanical parts performance, etc. Consumers are satisfied. As a model produced simultaneously in the world, the Mazda6 has a high technical content, and the comprehensive factors make the Mazda6 "the most satisfactory model in the minds of consumers in 2005".
In addition, in the further requirements put forward by consumers, consumers want to be able to increase DVD, reversing radar and car phones and other devices; lower the price of parts; strengthen the chassis sound insulation; increase the trend of independent air conditioning in the rear seats; increase the seat electric heating device for models sold to the north.
Accord ranked second overall
Although the mid- to high-end car market has shrunk significantly, the Accord has become an extreme, which is inseparable from the Accord’s high satisfaction. In the 2005 satisfaction survey, the Accord’s score rose to more than 80%, becoming one of the two major models with a score of more than 80% in this satisfaction survey.
Accord scored highly in sub-items such as overall styling, interior space, interior quality and safety and reliability, while it ranked in the top two in sub-items such as air-conditioning performance, comfort, handling, reliability of mechanical components and after-sales services. These results make Accord achieve a good second overall score. Consumers said that Accord has fine workmanship, good quality of interior and paint finish; low fuel consumption in similar models; stable quality of mechanical components; handling, power and air-conditioning performance are all talked about by car owners; at the same time, Guangzhou Honda’s after-sales services have a good attitude and high overall level.
Owners also put forward suggestions for improvement in the details of the Accord, such as the rearview mirror is prone to water accumulation; the luggage compartment space is not very reasonable; the sound effect is average; the high-speed wind noise is relatively large, and the sound insulation device should be added; the configuration (such as GPS satellite positioning system and reversing radar) should be added.
Passat ranked third overall
As a "veteran" model in mid-to-high-end cars, Passat has a lot of sales, and it has shown a significant growth trend in the past (it did not decline until 2004). Passat has a good reputation and brand influence in mid-to-high-end cars. Since March 2005, the cost-effective 2005 Passat has been listed, and the market price is similar to the old Passat, which is nearly 20,000 yuan cheaper than the manufacturer’s guide price. While Passat has changed models, it has also maintained a relatively stable price (so far in the past 10 months, the market price has been relatively stable), which is conducive to improving consumer confidence in this model. The survey of Passat scored a high score, and the overall ranking has also risen from the original 8th place to the current 3rd place.
The Passat ranks highly in sub-categories such as overall styling, sealing, interior space, paint quality, comfort, luggage compartment space, noise and after-sales services. Consumers rate the Passat as a model with beautiful styling, mature technology, outstanding braking and handling performance. The Passat has a large interior space and has the highest safety performance in the same class. At the same time, the after-sales services network is developed and maintenance is convenient.
Consumers have also proposed some improvements to the Passat, including: low configuration, sunroof, DVD, EBD and TCS, reversing radar should be standard; at the same time add electronic navigation system, electric adjustable seats and electric heating system; improve fuel economy; reduce the price of spare parts and maintenance costs. In addition, the seat is not comfortable enough for long-distance travel, and the sound level is low. These aspects should also be improved.
×: Below average × ×: relatively poor
Golf ranked fourth overall
Compared with the satisfaction survey in 2004, the overall ranking of the Golf has risen a lot, and in the middle-class car class (80,000~ 180,000 yuan), the Golf won the first place. As a classic model of Volkswagen, the Golf has created a sales myth in the history of automobiles and is loved by the world. However, after the Golf was made in China, the sales volume at the beginning of its listing (listed in July 2003) was not ideal, which was mainly related to the price, shape and increasingly competitive market. After a series of adjustments by FAW-Volkswagen to the Golf, the sales of the Golf began to rise gradually. At the same time, the practical performance of the Golf was also recognized by consumers, and the used owners said that these were the basis for the improvement of the satisfaction of the Golf. It is believed that higher satisfaction will further promote the increase in golf sales, and golf can continue to write its sales myth in China.
The Golf scores highly in sub-categories such as paint quality, power, braking, noise and reliability of mechanical components. At the same time, the Golf does not have the weakness of low scores. Volkswagen’s rigorous manufacturing process satisfies consumers. Consumers rate the Golf’s air conditioning effect as good; the interior is of good quality and meticulous workmanship; good handling performance makes consumers feel comfortable driving; at the same time, the Golf’s safety performance is also first-class.
Owners’ suggestions for improvements to the Golf include: ESP devices should be added; the sound effect is average; maintenance costs and the price of some spare parts are high; and the sound insulation of the engine compartment is not good.
Elantra ranked fifth overall
Following Elantra’s excellent sales performance in 2004, Elantra made persistent efforts in 2005 to occupy the top of the mid-range car sales list for several consecutive months, with sales reaching a record-breaking 20,000 or more in individual months, which is inseparable from Elantra’s high satisfaction. In the 2005 satisfaction survey, Elantra ranked among the top mid-range cars and ranked 5th overall, achieving impressive results.
Elantra scored highly in terms of comfort, handling, noise, and after-sales services, and also ranked in the top 10 in terms of interior space, interior quality, sound, and braking, which made Elantra’s overall score high, and Elantra’s comprehensive performance was highly recognized by consumers. Consumers rated Elantra as a "best cost-effective" mid-range car with excellent power, handling, braking, comfort, and safety performance, and after-sales services.
At the same time, consumers have also put forward improvement requirements for Elantra, including slightly higher internal noise in the car; greater roll in turns; outdated interior style; soft vibration damping system; high cost of accessories and maintenance; uneven cooling in the car; and a slightly lower chassis.
Bora ranked sixth overall
After achieving a high score in the satisfaction survey in 2004, Bora achieved a high score in this survey and achieved a good result of sixth place in the total score, which is one of the two major models of FAW-Volkswagen in the top 10. FAW-Volkswagen’s excellent quality and perfect after-sales services have laid the foundation for its high satisfaction score, and its good performance has made it a unanimous praise from consumers.
Bora scores highly in many sub-categories such as sealing, paint quality, power, handling, braking, safety and reliability, and noise. Owners rate Bora’s power performance as good; the driver’s control is flexible; the interior workmanship is fine; the braking effect is good; the mechanical components are reliable and not prone to failure; at the same time, Bora’s good safety performance also makes car owners feel very at ease when driving. In addition, Bora’s paint quality is good, and it still feels like a new car after long-term use; FAW-Volkswagen has many 4S shops, which are very convenient for maintenance.
Consumers have also put forward higher requirements for Bora: less space in the rear row; higher prices for spare parts; insufficient brightness of the headlights, poor visibility when driving at night; and the quality of the wipers needs to be improved.
Fit ranked seventh overall
Since the Fit went on sale in October 2003, consumers have been booking enthusiastically. In 2004, the sales of the Fit were still hot, and it has been ranked at the top of the sales list of mid-range cars. The hatchback Fit has set off a climax for people to buy this car. There are many models of the Fit, 1.3
A variety of models, including the L and 1.5L, manual and automatic, hatchback and sedan, can meet the needs of different consumers. In this survey, the Fit scored highly in the sub-categories of interior space, interior quality, luggage compartment space, handling and noise. In addition, the Fit scored highly in fuel economy, ranking second among all models. Consumers are very satisfied with the interior space of the Fit as well as the luggage compartment space, and marvel at the low fuel consumption of the Fit.
Consumer suggestions for improvement include: the power performance needs to be further improved; the comfort of the seat is not good; the sealing should be improved; the brakes are soft; the high-speed stability is poor; the A-pillar is wider, which affects the line of sight; the price of accessories and labor costs are higher; the waiting time for maintenance is long.
Wizz ranked ninth overall
Weizi prototype car Yaris in Europe sales are very good, listed in Europe for half a year on the sales break 100,000, but Weizi in the domestic sales have not gone up, although Tianjin FAW Toyota has carried out many price cuts, but its sales are still unsatisfactory.
The reason for the poor sales of Vizi is that consumers do not correctly recognize this model, and the appearance of Vizi and people’s consumer tastes are also inconsistent. At present, the lowest price of Vizi is only 70,000, which is more cost-effective in the same grade of models, and the technology of the 8A engine is also very mature. Importantly, consumers who use this car are generally satisfied with Vizi, and compared with the 2004 consumer satisfaction survey, Vizi’s overall ranking has risen to a certain extent, and it has entered the ranks of the top 10. Vizi also achieved first place in the reliability of mechanical components. In addition, it ranks high in many sub-categories such as fuel economy, maintenance cost, safety and reliability, braking, power and handling. At the same time, Vizi has no obvious weaknesses.
The improvement areas proposed by consumers for Vizi include: the sunroof is best changed to electric adjustment; the seat comfort is not enough; it is best to install front fog lamps; there is room for improvement in the body assembly process; the overall sound insulation effect is not good; the service attitude and technical level of the 4S shop need to be improved; the paint quality is average; the door is blocked when closed; the rear seats are not spacious enough.
Gower ranked 25th overall
This is the first time that Gower has entered the scope of the consumer satisfaction survey. Among all models, Gower’s score is in the middle level, but among models in the same class, Gower’s score is at the top. This time, Gower ranks second among economy cars. As can be seen from the questionnaire sent back by readers, Gower’s satisfaction in the eyes of consumers is average. Gower has no obvious sub-categories at the top, and the usual sub-categories are in the middle level. Among them, the sub-categories such as air-conditioning performance, after-sales services, noise and reliability of mechanical components rank slightly higher. Consumers are satisfied with Gower’s relatively stable mechanical components, acceptable handling, sealing, and power performance, generous design, and harmonious paint quality and color matching.
The improvement suggestions put forward by consumers include: the engine is not advanced enough, relatively backward, and the fuel consumption is high; the transmission and clutch also need to be improved; the workmanship of individual interior parts is rough; the safety is average (no ABS); and the assembly quality should be further improved.
Antelope ranked 31st overall
The Antelope sold well in 2004, breaking through the 50,000-car mark in one fell swoop. The Antelope’s score ranks high among the same class of models in this survey, and many sub-categories have achieved good results. Among them, fuel economy also won the first place in all models, maintenance costs also ranked high, and the sub-categories such as luggage compartment space, power and mechanical component reliability also ranked high. Consumers praised the Antelope for its low maintenance costs; easy maintenance; good braking performance; flexible handling; luggage compartment space is also large enough.
The improvements proposed by consumers for the antelope include: poor sealing, the overall shape is "old"; the assembly quality needs to be improved; the engine noise is high, and the sealing should be improved; the door clearance is too large; the audio, especially the subwoofer, has low power; and the quality of the interior components needs to be improved.
SPARK ranked 17th overall
SPARK has received unanimous praise from consumers in this survey. Although the overall ranking is only 17, it is far ahead in the sub-car class. Some time ago, we often heard about the SPARK price increase in the market, which reflects consumers’ recognition of this model.
In this survey, SPARK did not have a very prominent sub-item. Relatively speaking, it scored relatively high in sub-items such as overall styling, paint quality, interior space, interior quality, comfort, air conditioning performance, noise, fuel economy, and mechanical component reliability. Consumers report that SPARK has low interior noise; good sealing; reasonable interior space design; good fuel economy, very fuel-efficient; and fashionable and avant-garde overall styling. What makes consumers satisfied is also the abundant power performance.
Consumers also put forward some improvement suggestions for SPARK, such as the higher price of spare parts; the small number of after-sales service stores, which is inconvenient to maintain; poor sealing; the blind spot of the A-pillar is large; the maintenance cost is higher; the chassis is slightly lower.
Audi A4 ranked 10th overall
The Audi A4 was officially launched in May 2004. It has been more than a year now. The Audi A4 has achieved good results for the first time in the survey, entering the top 10 in the overall ranking. The Audi A4 scored highly in sub-categories such as sound, power, paint quality and sealing. In its overall evaluation, consumers said that the Audi A4’s appearance is dynamic and stylish, with good interior workmanship and outstanding safety performance. In addition, the luggage compartment space and air conditioning performance have also won unanimous praise from consumers.
At the same time, consumers have also put forward higher requirements for the Audi A4, and consumers hope that manufacturers can improve the details: reduce the maintenance cost of the Audi A4; improve the level of after-sales services; reduce fuel consumption; increase the rear row space; some consumers propose that the blind spot of the rearview mirror should be reduced.
Audi A6
There are only two models in this class, Audi A6 and Audi A4. Since FAW-Volkswagen has launched a new domestic Audi A6L, and the old model will be discontinued, this article will not focus on the Audi A6, but will only briefly explain the situation of the Audi A6 in this investigation.
The results of each sub-category of the Audi A6 are basically in the middle level, which also makes the overall score of the Audi A6 in this survey not high, but the performance of the Audi A6 in some sub-categories is commendable. Consumers report that the power performance, safety performance and sealing performance of the Audi A6 are good, and the overall shape, paint quality and comfort are also satisfactory to consumers. In addition, consumers praise the Audi A6 for its large interior space and good sound effect.
Our consumer satisfaction survey has received strong support from our readers, and we would like to express our heartfelt thanks for their attention and support. Consumers consider many factors when buying a car, and their emphasis on various factors is also different. Some people place more emphasis on fuel economy, some people place more emphasis on power and handling, some people place more emphasis on after-sales services, and some people place more emphasis on maintenance costs. The lower-ranked models in the overall score may score highly in a certain sub-category. For example, the lower-ranked Xiali and Alto score very high in maintenance costs, and the characteristics of low maintenance costs are very suitable for the majority of economy car consumers. Therefore, they are also happy to choose these models.
As the number of new models continues to increase, consumers can choose from more models, and our satisfaction survey will include more and more new models, even MPVs and SUVs. At the same time, we also hope that more and more consumers and manufacturers will participate, making this survey the most authoritative and comprehensive reference for consumers when purchasing a car.
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ISSN 1671-900X
CN 11-4837/TH
