Bonjour,

voici un article fort intéressant sur la qualité perçue par les consommateurs par rapport à la fiabilité ou qualité réelle des voitures...


Buyers Underappreciate Detroit Brands

The Daily Auto Insider
Friday, January 16, 2004
January 2004


Perception sometimes doesn't match reality, at least when it comes to buyer's opinions of car quality, USA Today reported, citing a report by Wall Street firm Morgan Stanley. For example, Mercury is the most underappreciated brand for quality, while Land Rover is the most overappreciated.

Morgan Stanley compared auto brands' scores in J.D. Power and Associates' 2003 Vehicle Dependability Study, which tracks reliability over three years, and CNW Market Research's Perceived Quality Survey, which tracks buyer's perceptions of quality, to determine a percentage gap between the two.

"Perceived quality may be a bigger driver of sales than actual quality, and Detroit has reputations to mend," said Morgan Stanley's senior auto analyst, Steve Girsky.

Four of the top five underappreciated brands — those whose actual quality is better than perceived — are from Detroit. Europeans automakers filled the list of overappreciated brands — those whose perceived quality is better than actual. And surprisingly, eight Japanese brands also are on the underappreciated list, including quality leader Lexus.

While the underappreciated brands have the opportunity to gain market share as perceptions improve, the overappreciated brands face a potential minefield, Girsky said. "Their market share and profitability could be at risk if consumers come to recognize the differentials."

According to the report, brands whose actual quality meets or exceeds perceived quality by percentage include:
Mercury 42.3%
Infiniti 34.1%
Buick 29.7%
Lincoln 25.3%
Chrysler 20.8%
Lexus 17.4%
Porsche 14.2%
Oldsmobile 13.6%
Saab 12.2%
Acura 10.5%
Subaru 9.4%
Toyota 8.7%
Cadillac 8.3%
Nissan 5.2%
Jeep 3.5%
Suzuki 3.2%
Honda 1.2%
Ford 0%


Brands whose perceived quality exceeds actual quality by percentage:
Land Rover 75.3%
Kia 66.6%
Volkswagen 58.3%
Volvo 36.0%
Mercedes 34.2%
Mitsubishi 34.1%
Hyundai 27.4%
Audi 26.4%
BMW 12.4%
Isuzu 8.5%
Dodge 7.4%
Saturn 7.3%
Pontiac 3.0%
Jaguar 3.0%
Chevrolet 1.8%
Mazda 1.2%



Source: Morgan Stanley