Toyota Models Rank Highest in Three of Five Segments in Thailand Initial Quality, J.D. Power Asia Pacific Reports

BANGKOK: 1 November 2007 — Three Toyota models, one Honda and one Mazda vehicle rank highest in their respective segments in initial quality, according to the J.D. Power Asia Pacific 2007 Thailand Initial Quality StudySM (IQS) released today.

The study, which measures problems customers experience with their new vehicle during the first two to six months of ownership, has been redesigned in 2007 and now provides examination of more than 200 problem symptoms covering eight vehicle components. These components include exterior; driving experience; features, controls and displays; audio, entertainment and navigation; seats; HVAC; vehicle interior; and engine and transmission. Overall quality performance is determined by the problems experienced per 100 vehicles (PP100), with a lower score reflecting higher quality.

Model Results by Segment

In the entry midsize passenger car segment, the Toyota Yaris (144 PP100) ranks highest for a second consecutive year, followed by the redesigned Toyota Vios (176 PP100) and Honda City ZX (182 PP100).

The Mazda3 (164 PP100) ranks highest in the midsize passenger car segment, followed by the Toyota Corolla Altis (179 PP100) and the Honda Civic (217 PP100).

With a PP100 score of 116, the Honda CR-V leads in the SUV segment. The Toyota Fortuner (179 PP100) and Isuzu MU-7 (215 PP100), respectively, follow the Honda CR-V.

Among extended cab pickups, the Toyota Hilux Vigo ranks highest with 153 PP100, followed by the Mazda BT-50 (155 PP100) and the Nissan Frontier Navara (164 PP100).

The Toyota Hilux Vigo Prerunner (187 PP100) records the fewest problems among double cab pickups, followed by the Nissan Frontier Navara (190 PP100) and the Isuzu D-Max Hi-Lander (195 PP100).

Industry Findings

The study finds that initial quality in Thailand averages 185 PP100 in 2007, with nearly two-thirds of new-vehicle owners experiencing at least one problem within the first six months of ownership. Owners most frequently report problems dealing with the engine and transmission, followed by the vehicle exterior and driving experience.

“It is critical for manufacturers to reduce the number of problems customers experience during the first few months of ownership, as this greatly impacts brand loyalty and advocacy,” said Loic Pean, country manager at J.D. Power Asia Pacific, Singapore. “Customers who say they ‘definitely would’ recommend their vehicle or repurchase the same make report half the number of problems compared with those who said they ‘definitely would not’ recommend or repurchase their vehicle make.”

The 2007 Thailand IQS Study is based on evaluations from 3,991 owners who purchased their new vehicle between October 2006 and June 2007. The study includes 55 different passenger car, pickup truck and utility vehicle models covering 10 different makes. Fieldwork for the study was conducted from April to August 2007.
The IQS study is one of four consumer-based studies that J.D. Power Asia Pacific conducts in Thailand. The 2007 Thailand Customer Satisfaction Index Study (CSI), which measures authorized dealer after-sales service in Thailand, was released in July. The 2007 Sales Satisfaction Index Study (SSI), which examines the new-vehicle sales process, was released in August and the 2007 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study, measuring what excites and delights owners about their new-vehicle’s performance and design, will be released in November.

About J.D. Power Asia Pacific
J.D. Power in the Asia Pacific region has offices in Tokyo, Singapore and China conducting customer satisfaction research and providing consulting services in the automotive, information technology and finance industries. Together, the three offices bring the language of customer satisfaction to consumers and businesses in China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan and Thailand. Information regarding
J.D. Power Asia Pacific and its products can be accessed through the Internet at http://www.jdpower.com/.

About J.D. Power and Associates
Headquartered in Westlake Village, Calif., J.D. Power and Associates is an ISO 9001-registered global marketing information services firm operating in key business sectors including market research, forecasting, performance improvement, training and customer satisfaction. The firm’s quality and satisfaction measurements are based on responses from millions of consumers annually. For more information on car reviews and ratings, car insurance, health insurance, cell phone ratings, and more, please visit JDPower.com. J.D. Power and Associates is a business unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies.

About The McGraw-Hill Companies
Founded in 1888, The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP) is a leading global information services provider meeting worldwide needs in the financial services, education and business information markets through leading brands such as Standard & Poor’s, McGraw-Hill Education, BusinessWeek and J.D. Power and Associates. The Corporation has more than 280 offices in 40 countries. Sales in 2006 were $6.3 billion. Additional information is available at http://www.mcgraw-hill.com/.

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Source: J.D. Power and Associates