This past year was one of the worst years in automotive history, but it seems like the automaker who everyone expected to fail has once again come out on top. Recently, local Chicago Certified Toyota dealers began weathering the storm of recalls that threatened to mar the company’s stellar reputation for quality. Other automakers have tried their best to take advantage. General Motors launched an incentive plan to Toyota and Lexus owners that lets owners who lease a GM Vehicle waive three payments for up to $1,000, buyers would then get zero-percent financing for up to 60 months and cash buyers can get $1,000 off the deal during the wake of the recall for unhappy Toyota customers. But it seems like loyal Toyota customers haven’t given up on the brand yet. Since the recent recall, customers have been speaking out in support of the brand and giving reasons why they love their Toyota models.
Peter Pappas, a Toyota customer and driver of a 2007 Prius, says he would “absolutely” consider buying another Prius and has never experienced any problems with his car. In regards to the recall he says, “It’s a hypothetical danger. I love the way my Prius integrates my life, it recognizes me when I approach, answers my phone, plays my iPod, it’s a great car.” Even those drivers who have experienced some problems with their cars due to the recall braking issue still say they will continue to buy Toyota models. David Maxwell of Boston, experienced some braking issues with his 2007 Prius, and has already started shopping for his next one. Tom Ford, a 2004 Prius driver has racked up 125,000 miles on his hybrid model in the past six years and says he has only come across some minor issues. He plans to drive his Prius as long as he can and will still consider purchasing another Toyota Prius in the future.
Also, looking at feedback on the official Toyota Prius Facebook page, many customers praised Toyota for their reaction to the issues and stood up for the quality of Toyota vehicles that they still have every intention of buying. One car shopper at a local North Shore Toyota dealership said she felt great about shopping for a new Toyota Corolla, playing down the recalls as a minor stumble for Toyota.
Curt McAllister, the Product News Manager at Toyota is not surprised by the consumer’s response to the recall issues and the fact that they will continue to buy Toyota’s at a North Shore Toyota Dealer and dealerships around the world, he believes Toyota consumers are “devout.” He also added that, “Prius owners are passionate about their vehicles, and from the beginning, they’ve wanted to know everything about their beloved cars, every nuance and intricacy.”
What has also shown that Toyota customers still have a positive image of the brand is the fact that they recently were ranked first in Consumer Reports 2010 Car Brand Perception Survey for the 3rd year in the row. This means consumers perceived Toyota has the leader in seven categories, which are safety, quality, value, performance, design/style, technology/innovation, and environmentally friendly/green. These rankings are not based on the actual quality of the brand’s individual vehicles but the perception level of the customers about those categories. In this survey Toyota at 196 points, this is 55 points higher than the second-ranked brand, Ford with 141 points. Honda then came in 3rd place and Hummer came in dead last. Toyota was also recognized for Overall Loyalty to Manufacturer at the Polk Automotive Awards. This award broke General Motor’s nine-year winning streak. It’s no wonder why GM is trying to steal Toyota’s customers away.

Tags: Customers, Dealership, Love, North, Shore, Still, Their, Toyota, Toyota's, Understands