J.D. Power: Vehicle seats drive customer loyalty

Updated Aug 26, 2016
A new J.D. Power study finds that seats are a growing factor in customer loyalty. Featured above is the interior of a 2016 Ram Power Wagon. The center console can be folded back to provide a middle seat.A new J.D. Power study finds that seats are a growing factor in customer loyalty. Featured above is the interior of a 2016 Ram Power Wagon. The center console can be folded back to provide a middle seat.

Drive much? If so, you know how important it is to have a comfortable seat for the journey.

Now, a new J.D. Power study reveals that seat quality enhances customer loyalty and that—not surprisingly—luxury car seats generate the fewest complaints.

As the table below shows, seats in Ford Super Duty and Chevrolet Silverado pickups had the same amount of complaints concerning seat and seat belt issues within the first 90 days of ownership.

The worst performing seats were found in compacts. J.D. Power also ranked seat suppliers Johnson Controls, Lear Corporation, Delta Kogyo Co., Toyota Boshoku Corporation and TS Tech Co.

“Consumers are focusing more attention on the interior design and comfort, and the seats are a critical element of the vehicle’s interior,” said Brent Gruber, senior director, global automotive division at J.D. Power. “Automakers and suppliers are responding by adding content and materials to the seats that create a sense of luxury and enhance the look and feel of the seating. Interior styling is an important consideration for consumers when shopping for a new vehicle.”

The J.D. Power 2016 Seat Quality and Satisfaction Study reveals that among new-vehicle shoppers, 18 percent indicate they avoided a vehicle for purchase because of interior design. The most often cited reason for avoiding a vehicle based on its interior is that it was “too bland or boring.”

“Seats have always been an important styling element and touch point in the vehicle, but that importance is increasing as automakers try to differentiate their models in a competitive market,” said Gruber. “We expect that will continue as the industry moves toward autonomous vehicles and the seat becomes an integrated part of the evolving vehicle environment.”

Seats in pickups, like this 2017 Nissan Titan, continue to become more luxurious.Seats in pickups, like this 2017 Nissan Titan, continue to become more luxurious.

Automotive suppliers are adding technology and materials to their seats in an effort to deliver comfort and luxury to vehicle owners. Including features such as leather and heated and ventilated/cooled seats not only boosts satisfaction, but it also enhances owners’ sense of luxury with their vehicle. For example, among owners of mass market vehicles, the addition of ventilated seats increases overall seat satisfaction by 0.53 points (on a 10-point scale), on average, and lifts the perception of the vehicle’s luxuriousness by 0.87 points (on a 7-point scale.)

Additionally, seat satisfaction has an impact on intended vehicle loyalty. Among owners who rate their overall seat satisfaction 10 (on a 10-point scale), 68 percent say they “definitely will” repurchase the same vehicle make again. When satisfaction slips to 9, intended loyalty drops to 45 percent, while only 32 percent of owners who rate their seat satisfaction 7 intend to purchase the same vehicle make again.

The study provides automotive manufacturers and suppliers with quality and satisfaction information related to seating systems. New-vehicle owners are asked to rate the quality of their vehicle’s seats and seat belts with respect to whether they have experienced defects/malfunctions or design problems during the first 90 days of ownership.

Seat Supplier Quality Rankings
Among seat suppliers, Johnson Controls, Inc. receives three segment awards for seat quality, while Lear Corporation receives two, and Delta Kogyo Co., Ltd., Toyota Boshoku Corporation and TS Tech Co., Ltd. receive one award each.

Johnson Controls, Inc. ranks highest in the mass market compact SUV/MPV segment for the Jeep Compass; the mass market midsize/large car segment for the Toyota Camry2; and the mass market truck/van segment for the Ford Super Duty (tie).

Lear Corporation ranks highest in the luxury car segment for the Porsche Cayman and the mass market truck/van segment for the Chevrolet Silverado (tie).

Delta Kogyo Co., Ltd. ranks highest in the mass market compact car segment for the Mazda MX-5 Miata. Toyota Boshoku Corporation ranks highest in the mass market midsize/large SUV segment for the Toyota 4Runner. TS Tech Co., Ltd. ranks highest in the luxury SUV segment for the Acura RDX.

The 2016 Seat Quality and Satisfaction Study is based on responses from more than 80,000 purchasers and lessees of new 2017 model-year cars and light trucks. The study was fielded from February through May 2016.

Overall Quality
Top Three Seats per Segment                     Problems per 100 Vehicles (PP100)
Luxury Car
Lear Corporation (Porsche Cayman) 1.3
Lear Corporation (Porsche 911) 2.6
Lear Corporation (Audi A4*) 2.7
Mass Market Compact Car    
Delta Kogyo Co., Ltd. (Mazda MX-5 Miata) 5.7
Johnson Controls, Inc. (Buick Cascada) 5.9
Hyundai Seat Division (Hyundai Elantra**) 6.0
Mass Market Midsize/Large Car
Johnson Controls, Inc. (Toyota Camry***) 1.8
TS Tech Co., Ltd. (Honda Accord***) 2.0
Johnson Controls, Inc. (Nissan Altima***) 3.5
Luxury SUV  
TS Tech Co., Ltd. (Acura RDX) 2.5
Johnson Controls, Inc. (Audi Q3) 4.1
Magna (Audi Q5) 4.1
Mass Market Compact SUV/MPV
Johnson Controls, Inc. (Jeep Compass) 4.7
Magna (Ford Escape) 4.8
Magna (Chevrolet Equinox) 4.9
Mass Market Midsize/Large SUV
Toyota Boshoku Corporation (Toyota 4Runner) 3.9
Magna (Ford Edge) 5.3
Magna (Jeep Grand Cherokee) 5.9
Mass Market Truck/Van
Johnson Controls, Inc. (Ford Super Duty) 3.8
Lear Corporation (Chevrolet Silverado) 3.8
Faurecia (GMC Canyon) 4.1