Kia India (45.84 per cent) topped the list of overall customer experience index, followed by Toyota (45.83 per cent) and Tata Motors (44.35 per cent) in the second and third largest spots, in the mass market brands, while the country’s largest passenger vehicle (PV) maker Maruti Suzuki India (44.04 per cent) ranked sixth in the list after JSW MG Motor (44.09 per cent) and Mahindra & Mahindra (44.06 per cent), a report said on Tuesady.

The primary objective of the annual study — 2024 Customer Experience Index (CEI), conducted by Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA), in collaboration with Frost & Sullivan, was to assess and quantify customer experience across sales, after-sales service and product quality in the PV category.

The study highlighted the key drivers of experience, providing valuable insights for the automotive industry, categorising respondents into two distinct groups — vehicle bought from an authorised dealer within last 12 months (May 2023 to May 2024) for the “Sales & Product Quality” – and those who purchased their vehicle between 2021 and 2023, having availed after-sales services within the last six months, for the “After-Sales Service” category.

CEI was conducted with a substantial sample size of 8,685 respondents, including 3,951 from tier-1 cities, 3,925 from tier-2 cities, and 809 from tier-3 cities, FADA said.

Customer needs

“The findings from the CEI study provide a clear picture of what customers prioritise and value most in their automotive journey. It’s evident that aspects like service, comfort and reliability are at the forefront of customers’ minds. These are the core areas where automotive brands are succeeding in meeting customer expectations,” Vinkesh Gulati, Chairman – FADA Academy and Research, said.

Notably, customers are increasingly expecting greater reach and accessibility from automotive brands, rather than investing in large infrastructure set-ups, he added.

Commenting on the outcome of the report, Hardeep Singh Brar, Senior Vice-President - Sales & Marketing, Kia India, said, “Our top ranking reflects our dedicated efforts to put the customer at the heart of everything we do...This recognition motivates us to continue raising the bar in customer satisfaction and to keep innovating in our approach to sales and service.”

Meanwhile, in the luxury brands, Audi took the pole position with a score of 48.93 per cent, followed by BMW (47.02 per cent), Mercedes-Benz (46.64 per cent), Volvo (42.46 per cent) and JLR (38.8 per cent), the study added.