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WHY EXTERIOR STYLING IS IMPORTANT TO VEHICLE SHOPPERS
According to Kelley Blue Book’s Brand Watch study of active automotive shoppers, Nissan was singled out for exceptional exterior styling of its sedans, besting all contenders including import-brand sales leaders Honda and Toyota, which finished second and third, respectively. Exterior-style ratings of vehicles and vehicle brands could help specialty-equipment companies predict what drivers will buy and accessorize in the future.
The urban lifestyles market consists of enthusiasts who highly value exterior styling of cars and trucks. For example, the GMC Yukon and Ford Expedition are among the many popular SUVs elegantly accessorized by the young, trendy, urban crowd, and both of these vehicle brands rank among the top three non-luxury SUVs, according to Kelley Blue Book.
Even though Ford Motor Co. is having well-publicized challenges, its trucks and SUVs are perceived as having the best exterior style among active shoppers in those categories. Domestic brands took the top spots for exterior styling in the truck segment with GMC second, Chevrolet in third, and Dodge fourth, putting import truck brands Toyota in fifth place, Nissan in eighth place and Honda in eleventh place.
In four of the seven segments, import brands were perceived by consumers as having superior styling. BMW took the top slot among consumers regarding exterior styling for both luxury SUVs and luxury sedans. In both luxury segments and the convertibles/sports cars category, active shoppers placed Mercedes-Benz in the top three, although the German luxury brand did not rank number one in any of the categories. Porsche, Lexus and Infiniti also garnered top-three finishes in various categories.
"Exterior styling is one of the top decision factors among vehicle shoppers, and consumers' perceptions can add or eliminate a brand from someone's consideration list," said Rick Wainschel vice president, marketing and market research, Kelley Blue Book.
Source: Kelley Blue Book. (April 30, 2007). Consumer Perceptions of New Vehicle Brands With Best Exterior Styling Revealed. Kelley Blue Book press release courtesy of PR Newswire
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