Two Hyundai models have the top honours in the latest JD Power survey which has rated the Hyundai Accent as the most appealing car in the entry mid-size segment. The Hyundai Santro leads the small car segment in pleasing new owners, a repeat of its last year's performance.
The J D Power Asia Pacific India automotive performance , execution and layout ( APEAL) study is based on evaluations from more than 3,250 new vehicle owners of 23 different models representing 12 makes.
The study measures more than 100 individual aspects concerning new vehicle buyers with their vehicle features and design.
In the small car segment, the Hyundai Santro is closely followed by the Maruti Zen with vehicle owners considering the vehicle styling and exterior to be of great importance.
The Hyundai Accent, which emerges as the highest ranking entry midsize car, has climbed a place from the second position last year.
The Mitsubishi Lancer has been rated as the most appealing midsize car and has maintained this position for the third consecutive year. The Lancer leads in the evaluation on all eight counts under consideration and achieved industry best scores in four of them.
In the multi-utility category, the Toyota Qualis leads the pack with the Tata Safari not very far behind. Safari buyers are quite delighted with the vehicles styling, exterior, comfort convenience and seats, a JD Power release said.
The study has also found a correlation between a models APEAL score and its price with the more expensive models earning a higher APEAL ranking in general.
However, though the trend may be generally true, some models which offer better value receive a higher APEAL score relative to similar priced competing models and consequently enjoy a higher market share within their segment.
