According to a new report from J.D. Power and Associates, new-vehicle buyers ranked “fuel economy” as the most influential factor in selecting a vehicle for the fourth straight year. The Avoider Study looks at the reasons consumers purchase, reject or do not consider specific models when shopping for a new vehicle. This is the 12th year that J.D. Power has conducted the study and the latest results are based on responses from almost 30,000 owners who registered a vehicle in April or May2014.Among some of the results:
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Respondents considered 3.2 vehicles on average before making a purchase, unchanged from 2013.
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Mileage was the primary purchase reason for new-vehicle owners who bought compact, small and midsize cars.
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Fuel economy was also the second-most common reason consumers rejected certain models.
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27% of respondents did not even consider hybrid vehicles, deeming them too expensive.
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15% did not consider a model because it lacked the latest technology.
Exterior aesthetics was the number one reason consumers avoided certain models, with cost and interior aesthetics following.