Customers Stay Loyal to Toyota, Survey Shows

Despite the wave of recalls and accidents involving Toyota and Lexus vehicles, which was rumored to have strongly affected the Japanese carmaker’s image, a recent survey shows Toyota customers remain loyal to the brand. The survey was conducted by the Corporate Research International (CRI).

Amazing as it may sound, only 6.5 percent of current Toyota customers said they would not purchase a Toyota again because of the recalls. However, a greater number of owners of other car brands were less likely to purchase a Toyota in the future, due to the recalls.

Among those respondents who indicated they were planning a car purchase within the next five years, the majority (66.4%) of those seriously considering purchasing a Toyota said they were still likely to purchase a Toyota in spite of the recalls. However, consumers considering Chrysler (21.7%), GM (13.4%), and Ford (18.3%) report still willing to consider purchasing a Toyota.

"Toyota has spent years building loyal customers," Mike Mallett, CEO of Corporate Research International, said in a release. "This is a true testament to the power of customer attachment and the importance of building good relationships with consumers so when trouble hits, your customers stand by you."

The survey was completed by more than 1,640 respondents between February 19 – March 2, 2010. According to CRI, the respondents represented all regions of the country and were restricted to completing only one survey each.