Customer Loyalty Is A Big Issue But What Makes You Switch Brands So Often?

Edging out General Motors for the first time in nine years, Toyota ranked number one in Overall Loyalty to Manufacturer, indicative of the manufacturer's ability to retain previous customers. Toyota also won top honors in the Mid/Full-Size Car and Mid/Full-Size SUV categories for the Toyota Prius and Lexus RX respectively, and received the new award for brand loyalty among Asian American consumers.

"After an extremely difficult year for the auto market, winning four Polk Loyalty Awards is a real boost for us," said Jim Lentz, president and chief operating officer of Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. "We're especially grateful to our dealers and customers for their trust in Toyota, Lexus and Scion."

Honda also was a big winner, taking top honors in the Overall Loyalty to Make category and winning the newly introduced African American and Hispanic Loyalty to Make Awards, which recognize customer loyalty among these ethnic groups.

Audi won top honors in the Most Improved Loyalty to Make category. The award, introduced this year, honors the make that recorded the largest percentage point improvement in loyalty for the 2009 model year. Audi recorded a 4.9 percentage point increase in its customer loyalty.  

Ford garnered two awards: The F-Series earned the Mid/Full-Size Pickup nod and Mustang repeated in the Sports Car category.  Other repeat winners included Subaru Forester in the Compact SUV segment, Land Rover Range Rover in the Luxury SUV category, and Chrysler Town & Country which has won the Minivan segment for the past eight years.

Other winners honored in tonight's ceremony included the MINI Cooper in the Compact Car category; BMW 3 Series in the Luxury Car segment; and the Porsche 911 in the Luxury Sports Car category.

"Maintaining a solid loyal customer base is not easy, but it is essential to survive in today's competitive environment," said Stephen Polk, chairman, president and CEO of R. L. Polk & Co. "Tonight's winners are all excellent examples of what customer retention can do for your brand and your bottom line."
 

2010 Detroit Auto Show Photo Gallery

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2011 Toyota Sienna Photo Gallery

2009 LA Auto Show Photo Gallery

DaHarder - 1/13/2010 10:10:05 AM

+3 Boost

My ever-changing vehicular needs...

Joe_Limon - 1/13/2010 11:13:38 AM

+1 Boost

that's what I was thinking.

pennfootball - 1/13/2010 11:33:41 AM

-1 Boost

I am loyal to what is made well, what I need, and what goes faster!

pennfootball - 1/13/2010 11:34:04 AM

-6 Boost

"I ONLY CARE ABOUT THE FERRARI'S"

M53R - 1/13/2010 2:42:30 PM

+6 Boost

Well join a Ferrari forum!

pennfootball - 1/14/2010 9:47:37 AM

0 Boost

No I love the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon...that is the only one with locking FRONT and locking REAR differentials!

veyron1001 - 1/13/2010 12:24:33 PM

+1 Boost

When was the mustang ever a sports car? O wait it never was.

Whelan - 1/13/2010 1:16:20 PM

-2 Boost

She still has a little roll on her beltline, no thanks.

As for brand loyalty, I have none. Whatever fits my needs, looks good, performs good, has good reviews and fits my price is what I go for. I wouldn't keep buying the same brand/model of car just cause a new one came out or because I like my dealer so much. I like variety.

Whelan - 1/13/2010 1:16:48 PM

+1 Boost

P.S. - I've owned Ford, Saturn, Honda, Toyota thus far.

Agent009 - 1/13/2010 3:04:56 PM

-2 Boost

Hmm... shouldn't her tattoo say "this side up".....

LexSucks - 1/13/2010 4:48:12 PM

+1 Boost

"Customer Loyalty Is A Big Issue But What Makes You Switch Brands So Often?

- You make it sound like switching brands is a bad thing. I'm loyal to my own individual needs, not a particular car manufacturer.

Is it better for a person to be loyal to a brand, or to thier own vehicle needs? Sometimes brands go to crap (Toyota/Mitsubishi) does that mean that we have to be loyal to that brand when they are producing crap? Brand Loyalty is for the clueless.

LexSucks - 1/14/2010 9:09:16 AM

0 Boost

Last car = 2001 BMW 330i

Car that I drive today = 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo MR

theoptimisticpessimist - 1/13/2010 5:20:27 PM

+3 Boost

Your picture has nothing to do with "brand loyalty", but thank you any way.

tango - 1/13/2010 5:30:05 PM

+3 Boost

I've never bought the same brand twice. That has nothing to do with loyalty, but basically what I am looking for at the time. The only brand I will likely never buy again is Toyota. I was not impressed and not convinced that what I was paying for was really being delivered. It was the biggest disappointment of all my cars. I am no Honda fan, nor have I ever owned one, but I am fully convinced that for all the things people say about Honda, they are successful because they make the owner/driver feel like they have spent their money and are getting loads more. Interior feel and quality is light years ahead of what Toyota is putting out for sure. Compare a Yaris to a Fit and you will understand.

Joe_Limon - 1/13/2010 7:48:17 PM

+4 Boost

Because 10k is too much for you?

tattedtwice - 1/13/2010 8:17:42 PM

+3 Boost

No loyalty to any particular brand, here. I just want whatever looks good to my eyes, is entertaining to drive, and doesn't bore me to sleep on the drive home. That obviously rules out a toyota or honda and plenty of others, but thankfully there are some brands who get how to design and build an exciting car.