Study shows 9 out of 10 Indian customers prefer safety-rated cars

A study was conducted among customers to gauge their feature preferences, when it comes to choosing a personal car. A survey conducted by NIQ BASES revealed that 9 out of 10 Indian customers strongly prefer safety features in their cars. Crash-ratings and airbags were the top two features driving consumer car purchase decisions, with fuel-efficiency being a popular feature.

A survey of 67% current car owners and 33% not owning a car but intending to buy one within a year found that crash rating is the top driver of car purchase decisions, with 22.3% importance score. Airbags and fuel efficiency were the third most important drivers. A maximum preference of 22.2% was for a 5-star rating, followed by 21.3% for a 4-star rating.

Zero crash rating was the least preferred with 6.8% score. While 76% of customers in India are aware of two 5-star safety ratings, only 30% identify child/rear occupant safety ratings as one. The study aimed to gauge consumer perception of safety in cars, focusing on features that discriminate in driving consumer choice. PetrŠolc, Brand Director, Škoda Auto India, said, “And Škoda will continue focusing on these values to grow the brand in the Indian market.”