New Zealand Customers Rank Suzuki Tops in Survey

Suzuki has rated as number one in customer satisfaction in New Zealand according to a recent independent survey.

The Suzuki passenger car and SUV brand was a clear winner in the 2017 Canstar Blue awards that rate vehicle reliability, driving experience, value for money, point of sale and after sales service. Suzuki was awarded the maximum five stars in all categories, being the only brand surveyed to achieve this result.

Canstar Blue conducted the survey to find out how customers rated their car buying experience and said it was Suzuki who left its rivals standing in not only taking five stars for overall satisfaction but for every category rated.

Suzuki was the only manufacturer to be rated five stars for driving experience. The remainder of the eleven makes surveyed registered four stars, with the exception of two brands that registered three stars.

Canstar Blue is a customer satisfaction research and ratings business with a core purpose to help consumers make better purchasing decisions. Active since 1992, Canstar is a premier research and expert ratings agency within Australia and New Zealand, working with more than 30,000 products and more than 300 brands in the financial services industry.

The surveys are delivered on-line by Canstar’s research partner, iView, analysing findings of more than 35,000 active members in New Zealand.

“Suzuki should be incredibly proud of their achievement,” said Emma Quantrill, Canstar Blue spokesperson. “Receiving a maximum five star rating in every category as well as overall customer satisfaction is no mean feat and is a wonderful endorsement from Kiwi consumers. Canstar Blue congratulates Suzuki on a job well done.”

Fiona Bridgford, Marketing Manager for Suzuki New Zealand, said, “We’re delighted with this independent recognition of our customer satisfaction levels. This has been a strong focus for Suzuki New Zealand and our dealer network so it is very pleasing to have regained the award after winning in 2014, and 2015.”

The award is further endorsement of Suzuki sales that are growing at more than three times the rate of increase of the total new car market this year.

Canstar Blue said its latest survey reveals half of New Zealanders would hesitate to buy a car that was not fuel efficient. This is reflected in Suzuki commanding over 30 percent of both the under $25k light car and under $40k small SUV classes with more than double the penetration of the next best brand in year to date sales.

The Swift leads the light car segment comfortably, and is set to continue it’s dominance with the launch of the all new Swift in June this year. Since 2005 the Swift has been the top selling new vehicle to private buyers ahead of Corolla, Hilux, and Ranger.

Canstar Blue said at the time its latest customer satisfaction survey was completed in June 2017 more than 3,338,000 passenger vehicles were on New Zealand roads, with 42,800 of them less than six months old. This helped to give New Zealand one of the highest cars per capita in the world.