Strategic Vision Announces Most Delightful Vehicles of 2005

GM does well with 5 "Delightful Models"

SAN DIEGO Jan. 16, 2006; In 2005 the results from Strategic Vision's surveying the market may be startling: General Motors leads all the rest. Strategic Vision measures the experience of approximately 90,000 new vehicle owners annually. The survey has been done since 1996. Because of the nature of the factors measured, the results give the industry actionable information about multiple issues, including (a) building better vehicles, (b) communicating more effectively, (c) increasing sales opportunity, (d) creating strong brand image, (e) creating loyalty, and (f) assessing success and failure of strategy. GM product, not problems, and multiple levels of success are foremost.

Amid speculation that GM -- "locked in organizational turmoil and strangled by old product" -- is lost, General Motors has been creating stronger products in the eyes of its customers year after year over the last five years. General Motors has delivered: Chevrolet Malibu Maxx, GMC Sierra 2500/3500, Buick Rainier, Pontiac G6 and Cadillac DeVille all lead in delivering delight in the segments in which they compete. While industry pundits scratch their heads, the customers speak clearly. G6 can, indeed, outperform Camry on rational-emotional dimensions that reflect customers' response to their experiences, for example. An implication: General Motors may be able to accomplish what it states it will. Being able to delight portends being able to build products that attract attention and sell. Of course, the proof is in the execution, but the opportunity is present.

GM is not alone in addressing the opportunity to delight its customers. Honda shows strong success in delighting its customers. Four products lead their perspective segments: Accord Coupe, Element, Odyssey, and Ridgeline. Honda is addressing the explicit needs of its new vehicle buyers. Its sales over the last five years overall reflect this dedication.

Honda seems to be clearly working to avoid the pitfall which some imports are currently approaching unless they turn away. Those in jeopardy seem to be satisfied with the rationally acceptable, excellent products that show initial quality but do not create the loyalty that is required to avoid the slope to market-share loss. You can produce "Excellent" vehicles that produce good sales volumes now, but you'd better beware. You can find yourself in the same circumstance that American manufacturers found themselves after ignoring the leverageable issues needed to beat the competition for years.

Nissan also showed strength with its Titan, Murano and Armada. Its dedication to truck and cross-over vehicles has yielded positive results. It is notable that Mini Cooper might lead any segment in which it competes, typically leaving the competition far behind. It was a strong leader in Small Specialty Car and Convertible segments. You don't have to be expensive to do it right. Porsche 911 leads its competition, but so does Kia Spectra and Amanti with great cues that delight and deliver terrific value.

When you catch the vision, you can deliver across categories: Audi A4/S4 Avant leads the Multi-Function Luxury Segment, and A8 was a clear leader among Luxury Cars. When you can target Luxury, you can do the job: Audi A8 was the "Most Delightful Vehicle in 2005" -- CDI = 773. Being able to reach above the 700 mark means that you have explicitly addressed your customers' needs. Being the year's leader points to your dedication to your customers and products.

"How can GM beat Toyota?" muse analysts (even within GM). The key is in understanding what is being measured: Delight captures emotional commitment as well as attribute-based excellence. Strategic Vision, a worldwide, research-based consultancy proposes that the clear hints about the future can be delivered.

Dr. Darrel Edwards, CEO, Founder and Creative Director of Strategic Vision, affirms, "The measurement of Customer Delight provides a look at tomorrow. Satisfaction speaks to the past -- contracts fulfilled. Appeal might capture a glimpse of tomorrow, but it is never truly measured. Being `Outstanding' does compare one aspect of a vehicle with another, but comparisons change rapidly as the market changes. While some surveys tell you how to increase the `Overall scores' in their survey, Delight addresses increasing initial quality, overall satisfaction, retention, advocacy, emotional commitment and loyalty today and tomorrow."

Strategic Vision directly measures Customer Delight, which assesses the customers' responses to specific aspects of their vehicles, capturing the strength of the emotional response to what the vehicle delivers. The Edwards Customer Delight Scale(R) measures those responses. Scores range from 0-1000 depending on how comprehensively a vehicle delivers against the customers' specific needs. The top of the scale explicitly measures "Delight." A Customer Delight Index(TM) for 2005 was calculated from the responses of over 90,000 new vehicle owners who made their purchases between September 2004 and April 2005. They have owned their vehicles for at least 90 days, and the primary driver of the vehicle was surveyed.

"Customer Delight captures the ability of the manufacturer to explicitly deliver the right emotions against the customers' needs and values," notes Dr. Edwards. "Being able to address those values speaks directly to the future. Values change slowly; the modalities that address those values may change more rapidly; but, being able to delight your customers with specific aspects of your vehicles means that you have broken the code and should be able to address those needs today and tomorrow. Specific analyses may be required to illuminate that opportunity, but you have laid the correct foundation."

          Following are the leaders among the Most Delightful
                       vehicles in their class.

Segment                       Best Customer Delight                CDI

Small Car                     Volkswagen Jetta / Kia Spectra   567/566
Small Multi-Function          Mazda 3 Series 5-door                544
Medium Car                    Pontiac G6                           620
Medium Multi-Function         Chevrolet Malibu Maxx                570
Large Car                     Kia Amanti                           627
Near Luxury Car               BMW 3-Series / Cadillac DeVille  670/670
Luxury Multi-Function         Audi A4/S4 Avant                     654
Luxury Car                    Audi A8                              773
Small Specialty Under $25K    Mini Cooper                          639
Small Specialty Over $25K     Porsche 911                          695
Mid-Specialty                 Honda Accord Coupe                   605
Convertibles Under $30K       Mini Cooper Convertible              651
Convertibles Over $30K        Mercedes Benz SL                     720
Compact Pickup                Honda Ridgeline                      612
Full-Size Pickup              Nissan Titan                         605
Heavy-Duty Pickup             GMC Sierra 2500/3500                 529
Minivan                       Honda Odyssey                        523
Small SUV                     Honda Element                        567
Medium Crossover              Nissan Murano                        590
Medium SUV                    Buick Rainier                        591
Large SUV                     Nissan Armada                        632
Near Luxury SUV               Infiniti FX                          650
Luxury SUV                    Lexus GX 470                         697

Strategic Vision has worldwide experience developing tools to measure decision-making, human behavior, attitudes, and perceptions. This globally relevant, comprehensive theory of human behavior creates the most effective decision-making, service, and product driven strategies. Clients include various automotive manufacturers, as well as many Fortune 100 companies and governments worldwide.

For more information contact Dr. Darrel Edwards at 858-576-7141 or visit www.strategicvision.com.