Michelin ranked highest in three of four categories in the 2016 J.D. Power Original Equipment Tire Customer Satisfaction Study.
The study measured satisfaction in four segments: Luxury, Passenger Car, Performance Sport and Truck/Utility. Satisfaction ratings were based on four factors: wear, ride, appearance; and traction/handling.
Michelin took the industry’s top honours in the Luxury, Passenger Car and Truck/Utility segments, scoring significantly above the industry average in each segment. Those awards bring Michelin’s total to more than 80 in the J.D. Power tire satisfaction studies, which began in 1989.
Pirelli ranked highest in the Performance Sport segment, with Michelin a close second.
Among other key findings:
> Performance and satisfaction tend to decline as distance traveled increases, dropping sharply after 40,000 km.
> Satisfaction with traction in poor weather conditions after one year of ownership remains unchanged versus last year’s survey and has risen slightly after two years of ownership.
> Only 25% of customers who experience a wet traction problem with their tires say they “definitely will” or “probably will” recommend their tire brand, compared to 69% of those who have not experienced this problem.
Top three rankings
> Michelin ranked highest in the Luxury, Passenger Car and Truck/Utility segments and second in Performance/Sport
> Pirelli ranked highest in the Performance/Sport segment and second in the Luxury, Passenger Car and Truck/Utility segments.
> Goodyear ranked third in the Passenger Car and Performance/Sport Segments.
> BF Goodrich ranked third in the Truck/Utility segment.
The complete rankings and scores by category, based on a 1,000-point scale, were as follows:
Luxury segment
Segment Average - 700
- Michelin, 742
- Pirelli, 705
- Continental, 688
- Goodyear, 671
- Bridgestone, 664
- Dunlop, 658
Passenger Car Segment
Segment Average – 659
- Michelin, 724
- Pirelli, 689
- Goodyear, 684
- Nexen, 651
- Firestone, 650
- Continental, 636
- Yokohama, 634
- Hankook, 629
- Toyo, 627
- Dunlop, 620
Performance/Sport segment
Segment Average – 705
- Pirelli, 724
- Michelin, 718
- Goodyear, 705
- Bridgestone, 682
- Continental, 653
Truck/Utility segment
Segment Average – 649
- Michelin, 698
- Pirelli, 680
- BF Goodrich, 663
- Goodyear, 658
- Bridgestone, 640
The survey was based on responses from 31,977 original owners of 2014 or 2015 model-year vehicles. It was fielded in October through December 2015.