Indian car buyers choosing style over price

New Delhi: Indian car buyers' attitude is changing from price consciousness to those that are driven by vehicle looks and content as they give more emphasis on styling, according to a study by JD Power.

As per the study by the global consumer insights and advisory services provider when it comes to sales satisfaction Hyundai ranked the highest followed by Mahindra & Mahindra and Toyota.

Stating that customers' priorities have shifted from functionality to form, the JD Power 2019 India Sales Satisfaction Index noted that buyers are placing more emphasis (up 9 percentage points from 2018) on vehicle styling, both exterior and interior, when deciding on a model.

Other aspects such as performance and reliability (both up 7 percentage points), as well as technology (up 5 percentage points) also play bigger roles in determining choice of vehicle, it added.

"On the other hand, aspects declining in importance are price of the vehicle/installments and the ability to obtain financing (both down 4 percentage points)," the study said.

Commenting on the findings, JD Power Director and Country Head for India Kaustav Roy said, "The Indian car buyer of today is far more discerning than ever before.

With clear expectations on vehicle design and features, today's buyer preferences are shifting from price consciousness to those that are driven by vehicle looks and content".