The latest J.D. Power and Associates survey on tire customer satisfaction showed one tiremaker swept all the others — in all four categories.
That same survey — the J.D. Power 2021 U.S. Original Equipment Tire Customer Satisfaction Study — provides another glimpse at the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on consumer driving and tire maintenance.
Driving trends
J.D. Power notes the pandemic has taken its toll on the tire industry. Responses from 26,131 owners of 2018 and 2019 model-year vehicles showed a 13% drop in miles driven in 2020. Those consumers also delayed the replacement of their original equipment tires by 23%. (Survey responses were collected from October through December 2020.)
“The events of the past year have forced many consumers to change their routines, from delaying medical care to reducing their regular vehicle maintenance,” said Brent Gruber, senior director of automotive quality at J.D. Power. “Just as it is important to stay on top of personal health during the pandemic, it is also important that vehicle owners keep up with necessary automotive care, including tires.”
Gruber said, “While less driving may have helped reduce tire wear and increased the time to replacement, many owners also put off much needed maintenance or tire replacement. This is similar to a trend seen among electric vehicle owners in which lower maintenance needs are keeping people away from service facilities. This is a concern for tire manufacturers and retailers alike. Tire manufacturers can help boost sales and get people back to service facilities by implementing better visual wear indicators and increasing tire safety communications.”
Tire brand rankings
The annual study measures tire owner satisfaction in four key areas (in order of importance):
- tire wear;
- tire ride;
- tire traction/handling; and
- tire appearance.
J.D. Power ranks the results in four vehicle segments: luxury; passenger car; performance sport; and truck/utility. And in the 2021 study, Michelin earned the top spot in each category.
Here's a look at the breakdown by category. All scores are based on a 1,000-point scale.
