The data is in, and buyers of Korean cars are more faithful -- in an automotive sense -- than those who drive German brands.
Well, at least in America where results from the latest J.D. Power and Associates Customer Retention Study have listed Hyundai as the brand that most buyers would remain loyal to, while Kia was in fifth place.
According to J.D. Power and Associates, "the study measures the rate at which automotive brands retain their existing customers and examines the reasons why customers remain loyal."
The top five car companies make for interesting reading, with BMW the only prestige brand making the cut. Hyundai had the best customer retention rate with almost two out of three customers (64%) saying they would stick with the Korean company for their next vehicle purchase.
Raffi Festekjian, the director of automotive product research at J.D. Power and Associates, opined that Hyundai's rise to the top was due to changes in public perception.
"Hyundai's increased retention rate is shaped by its expanding model lineup, as well as the fact that perceptions of the brand's quality and appeal have continued to improve during the past decade," he said.
Ford and Honda were tied for second place with 60%, while BMW and Kia shared third place with 59%.
The top 10 included Toyota (58%), Chevrolet (57%), Mercedes-Benz (57%), Lexus (54%) and Cadillac (52%). The industry-wide retention rate in the USA was 49 per cent.
Volkswagen was in the middle of the pack with a 47% retention rate, while Saab not surprisingly given the company's recent history fared the worst overall with just seven out of 1000 buyers (7%) saying they'd buy another car from the Swedish brand.
Festekjian said that manufacturers would find favour with new car buyers by increasing the "array of models" on offer, and that standard features and resale values were also among the key factors in keeping buyers loyal.
"Manufacturers also need to ensure owners are satisfied with the quality, residual values and ownership costs of their vehicles," he said.
The results were tabulated during 2011, based on the responses of 117,000 new car buyers in the USA.
2012 Brand Retention Rates (USA):
Hyundai 64%
Ford 60%
Honda 60%
BMW 59%
Kia 59%
Toyota 58%
Chevrolet 57%
Mercedes-Benz 57%
Lexus 54%
Cadillac 52%
Jeep 51%
Nissan 50%
MINI 49%
Ram 49%
Industry Average 49%
Subaru 48%
Land Rover 47%
Volkswagen 47%
GMC 46%
Infiniti 46%
Acura 45%
Audi 45%
Porsche 42%
Lincoln 40%
Buick 38%
Mazda 34%
Mitsubishi 33%
Jaguar 31%
Volvo 30%
Chrysler 26%
Scion 24%
Dodge 21%
Suzuki 20%
SAAB 7%
Read the latest news and reviews on your mobile, iPhone or PDA at carsales' mobile site.