Hybrid car owners show more consumer loyalty, new survey says

A new survey by Experian Automotive has revealed that hybrid car owners are more likely to buy another vehicle of the same make than buyers of any other vehicle class. In fact, 47 percent of hybrid owners will repurchase the same vehicle, which is more than the average consumer — who comes in at 35 percent in the consumer loyalty department.

With gas prices remaining high and green buying habits among consumers continuing to rise, hybrid vehicle sales have increased 130 percent in the past three years, according to Experian Automotive. As sales have increased, hybrid vehicle buyers have shown they are not only the most loyal segment of buyers to the make (e.g. Mercury) of a vehicle, but to a specific vehicle model (e.g. Mercury Mariner) as well. Eighteen percent of hybrid car buyers were found to purchase another vehicle of the same model; higher than any other vehicle class and the combined average loyalty of all vehicle classes of 12 percent. Toyota Prius owners were found to be the most loyal to vehicle model among hybrid car buyers, with one in four returning to purchase another Prius. When compared to all Toyota buyers, Toyota hybrid car owners ranked highest when it came to vehicle make, model and class loyalty.

"There is no doubt that economic and environmental factors are significantly changing which vehicles individuals buy and, even more interestingly, the types of vehicles they choose to purchase again," says Scott Waldron, president of Experian Automotive. "Our data has shown that hybrid manufacturers have a clear advantage in reaching and keeping the more loyal vehicle buyers on the road today."

The Experian Automotive study, which examined vehicle sales from January 2007 to March 2008, also found hybrid truck buyers (including SUVs) showed above-average loyalty to vehicle make with 37 percent purchasing another vehicle of the same make when compared to the 35-percent average of all vehicle classes combined.

Experian Automotive provides the information and insight that drives decisions across the entire vehicle sales cycle, ranging from market and vehicle history reporting to credit and marketing services. Experian Automotive assists manufacturers, dealers, lenders, and consumers in making sound decisions in buying and selling vehicles by helping them understand their market, manage lending risks, find new customers and provide the information needed to feel confident about their purchases.

For more information on Experian Automotive's study of hybrid vehicle loyalty, visit the report online.