WagonR, Ritz, DZire, SX4 top JD Power survey

Kolkata, Dec 15 : Four of Maruti Suzuki's popular car models - Wagon R, Ritz, Swift DZire, and SX4 - have topped the latest J.D. Power survey on customer satisfaction with new-vehicle design and performance in their respective categories, said an official release Tuesday.

This is the third instance in the current financial year where Maruti Suzuki has received top honours at the surveys conducted by internationally renowned J.D. Power Asia Pacific, the company said.

According to the current J.D. Power Asia Pacific survey, titled Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study, Maruti Wagon R ranked highest for the second consecutive year in the compact car segment with a score of 820, and performed particularly well in the storage and space; audio/entertainment/navigation; visibility and driving safety; and fuel economy categories.

The Hyundai i10 (813) and Maruti Zen Estilo (807) follow in the compact car segment rankings.

The new Maruti Suzuki Ritz ranked highest in the premium compact segment with a score of 829 and performed particularly well in seven of the 10 categories: vehicle interior; seats; HVAC; driving dynamics; visibility and driving safety; engine/ transmission; and fuel economy. Following closely in the premium compact segment rankings was the Maruti Suzuki Swift (825), which performed particularly well in the audio/entertainment/navigation and engine/transmission categories.

The new Hyundai i20 ranked third in the segment.

In the entry midsize segment, the Maruti Swift DZire ranked highest with a score of 844 and performed particularly well in all 10 categories. Tata Indigo (812) and Ford Ikon (808) take up the second and third positions respectively, scoring well below the industry average score of 829.

The Maruti SX4 ranked highest in the midsize segment for the third consecutive year with a score of 833. The SX4 performed particularly well in six categories: storage and space; audio/ entertainment/ navigation; seats; HVAC; driving dynamics; and engine/transmission. Honda City came in a close second with a score of 832, followed by Hyundai Verna (822).

JD Power said, Maruti Suzuki models continue to provide an optimized value to their customers, not only in terms of vehicle styling and features, but also in terms of operational costs, which owners report enhances the overall appeal and attractiveness of their vehicles.

The 2009 India APEAL Study was based on responses from 6,619 owners who purchased a new vehicle between November 2008 and July 2009 across 20 major cities throughout India.