Vibracoustic

Darmstadt, 07. November 2019 |

Convenience and comfort are among the most important considerations for German, US and Chinese consumers when choosing a car

Two thirds (67%) of the surveyed car drivers from Germany, the US and China now rate ‘comfort and convenience’ as either ‘very important’ or ‘extremely important’ when buying a new car, making it the single most significant factor influencing their purchasing decision. That is the result of a representative survey conducted by the YouGov market research institute on behalf of Vibracoustic*, a leading global automotive NVH (noise, vibration, harshness) expert.

In the survey, German, US and Chinese car drivers where asked about the importance of different vehicle characteristics in guiding their purchase decision (excluding emotive judgements regarding brand and appearance). For two-thirds of all respondents (67%), ‘comfort and convenience’ is the criteria rated most frequently as ‘very important’ or ‘extremely important’, followed by ‘ease of operation’ (60%), ‘driving dynamics’ (54%), ‘environmental impact’ (44%), ‘acceleration’ (42%) and ‘maximum speed’ (26%).

“These results confirm that comfort plays an important role in the buying process of a new car. This will even become more important as future mobility concepts become more electrified and autonomous. With our NVH solutions we are supporting a smooth, quiet and safe ride experience for all passengers,” says Frank Mueller, CEO of the Vibracoustic AG.

To provide excellent driving comfort in all vehicle segments and for all current and future mobility concepts, Vibracoustic is working with major automotive manufacturers to develop a range of NVH solutions – from innovative motor and chassis mounts to isolators and dampers to air springs for various applications.

Global comparison shows consensus on comfort but derivation on importance of performance criteria
‘Convenience and comfort’ are ‘very important’ or ‘extremely important’ for two third (67%) of all participants of the survey, with only minor deviations among the countries (Germany 63%, US 68%, China 69%). The same applies to ‘driving dynamics’ (average 54%, Germany 53%, US 58%, China 52%), ‘easy operation’ (average 60%, Germany 58%, US 63%, China 59%) and ‘environmental impact’ (average 44%, Germany 48%, US 38%, China 46%).

Higher derivations by country can be seen in performance criteria like ‘acceleration’ and ‘maximum speed’. Whereas only 20% of German and 22% of US car drivers rate ‘maximum speed’ as ‘very important’ or ‘extremely important’, over one third (36%) of the Chinese car drivers emphasize the importance of this criteria (average 26%). ‘Acceleration’ has the lowest importance for German car drivers with only 35% rating it ‘very important’ or ‘extremely important’. US and Chinese car drivers equal at 45% on this question (average 42%).

Note to Editors
Detailed information about the results in each country including respective infographics can be found in the attached press kit.

* On behalf of Vibracoustic, the market research institute YouGov surveyed 500 German, 503 Chinese, and 539 US drivers age 18 or older in the period from May to June 2019.

Presskit

Download [ZIP]