Toyota Models Rank Highest in Three of Five Segments in Indonesia Automotive Initial Quality Study

SINGAPORE, 29 November 2007 — Three Toyota and two Nissan models rank highest in their respective segments in initial quality, according to the J.D. Power Asia Pacific 2007 Indonesia 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 examines more than 200 problem symptoms covering eight vehicle components: vehicle exterior; driving experience; features, controls and displays; audio, entertainment and navigation; seats; heating, ventilation and cooling (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

The Toyota Yaris ranks highest in the premium compact car segment for a second consecutive year with a score of 98 PP100, followed by the newly launched Suzuki SX4 (106 PP100) and the Honda Jazz (124 PP100).

The redesigned Toyota Vios ranks highest in the entry midsize/midsize car award segment for a second consecutive year with a score of 109 PP100. Two Honda models—the Honda Civic (127 PP100) and the Honda City (131 PP100)—rank second and third in this segment.

In the entry SUV segment, the newly launched Toyota Rush ranks highest with a score of 153 PP100. The Daihatsu Terios (179 PP100) and the Isuzu Panther (203 PP100), follow the Toyota Rush in the rankings.

The Nissan X-Trail leads the SUV segment with a score of 85 PP100, followed by the Toyota Fortuner (95 PP100) and the redesigned Honda CR-V (105 PP100).

The Nissan Grand Livina, launched earlier this year, achieves the top rank in the MPV segment with a score of 111 PP100, followed by the Toyota Kijang Innova (124 PP100) and the Daihatsu Xenia (183 PP100).

Industry Findings

The study finds that, on average, new-vehicle owners in Indonesia experience 1.6 problems (160 PP100) with their vehicle during the first two to six months of ownership. Problems related to the engine and transmission are most frequently reported, contributing to 31 percent of all problems encountered. The two most frequently reported problems are difficulty in getting in gear(s) (for manual transmission vehicles) and excessive fuel consumption. The majority of the customers in Indonesia (71%) report experiencing at least one problem with their new vehicle during their first two to six months of ownership.

“Experiencing problems with a new vehicle, especially during the initial months of ownership, negatively impacts a customer’s opinion about the product, which also affects loyalty and recommendation rates,” said Rajeev Nair, country manager at J.D. Power Asia Pacific, Singapore. “While 45 percent of customers who did not encounter any problems with their new vehicle state that they definitely intend to recommend the model they purchased to a friend or relative, this proportion declines to only 25 percent among those customers who encountered problems. This is particularly notable because a considerable number of new-vehicle shoppers—62 percent—say they rely on friends and relatives for information when deciding which make and model to purchase.”

The 2007 Indonesia IQS is based on evaluations from 2,796 owners who purchased their new vehicle between October 2006 and June 2007. The study includes 50 passenger car and utility vehicle models covering 14 makes. The fieldwork for the study was conducted from April to August 2007.

The IQS is one of three consumer-based studies that J.D. Power Asia Pacific conducts in Indonesia. The 2007 Indonesia Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) Study, which measures customer satisfaction with authorized dealer after-sales service, was released in August. The 2007 Indonesia Sales Satisfaction Index (SSI) Study, which examines satisfaction of new-vehicle buyers with the sales and delivery experience, was released in October.

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/.

No advertising or other promotional use can be made of the information in this release without the express prior written consent of J.D. Power and Associates. www.jdpower.com/corporate

Source: J.D. Power and Associates

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