New Delhi; 23.08.2017: PremonAsia, an automotive industry focused consumer-insight based consulting firm today released Women Automotive Buyer Study (WABSSM) 2017, India’s first ever comprehensive automotive syndicated study among women car buyers. As per the study, Honda, Volkswagen, and Nissan provide strong ownership experience to women car buyers in India. Honda leads overall and on product & cost of ownership; Volkswagen ranks highest on brand image; Nissan does well on after-sales service, and Toyota excels in sales & delivery.
The 2017 Women Automotive Buyer Study (WABSSM) is a unique & comprehensive automotive syndicated study conducted for the very first time in India. This study sampled the largest ever audience base in the country targeting 3,945 women car owners & intenders across 28 cities in India. Analysis focuses on the experience of 11 car brands and over 80 models in the key areas of brand image, product performance, sales & delivery process, after-sales service, and cost-of-ownership.
“The industry needs to recognize the growing importance of women car buyers without making stereotypical assumptions of their expectations,” said Rajeev Lochan, Founder & CEO of PremonAsia. “Men buying a car on behalf of a female family member or friend hold the belief that practical aspects like budget, cost of ownership, and fuel efficiency are key choice drivers for women. Contradicting this myth, the study reveals that women buyers are more discerning in attaching a significantly higher importance to brand and product elements.” he further added.
The analysis for WABSSM has been conducted by comparisons among various car brands in India. The brand level performance is represented by their respective leading models measured through the Women Automotive Buyer Index (WABI), a composite measure of ownership experience. Honda City, Volkswagen Polo, and Nissan Micra emerge as the three leading models measured through this index.
“The top ranked brands and their respective models deliver a consistent performance across all aspects of the ownership experience,” comments Lochan. “It is not surprising to find that the top-ranking brands enjoy strong advocacy and loyalty among women with nearly 70% or more of their owners willing to recommend and repurchase these brands.”
In addition to the customer evaluations on various elements of their ownership experience, this study also examines other aspects of women car buyers such as expectations of features & services, shopping dynamics, brand association, future mobility, technographic, and profiling.