TROY, Mich. — New car buyers rate Michelin and Pirelli as the top original equipment brands, according to the latest customer satisfaction study from J.D. Power.
The Michelin brand was rated highest in two categories — luxury and truck/utility vehicles — while Pirelli took the top spot in the passenger car category, J.D. Power said, based on consumer feedback on tire ride, wear, traction/handling and appearance.
Overall satisfaction with OE tires was up marginally over 2022 — to 799 points out of 1,000 possible — with input from owners of electric vehicles (EVs) contributing heavily to the increase.
"The industry's focus on EV tire performance shows, especially in terms of lack of vibration and quietness on the road, as compared to non-EVs," Ashley Edgar, senior director of benchmarking and alternative mobility at J.D. Power, said.
"As electric vehicle market share increases, it is imperative for both the EV manufacturers and tire manufacturers to collaborate to fine-tune these areas as they play such a large role in EV performance and tire satisfaction."
Satisfaction with tires fitted to gas-powered vehicles rose as well, the market research firm said in its 2023 U.S. Original Equipment Tire Customer Satisfaction Study.
Broken down by segment:
- Michelin scored highest in the luxury segment for the 20th consecutive year with a 833. Goodyear ranks second with 818; the segment average is 813.
- Pirelli ranks highest in the passenger car segment for the second straight year with a score of 828. Michelin and Michelin's BFGoodrich associate brand rand second and third with scores of 827 and 825, respectively. The segment average is 801.
- Michelin took top honors in truck/utility segment with a score of 809, ahead of Bridgestone (801) and Continental (798). The segment average is 788.
J.D. Power did not rank brands in the performance sport segment due to an insufficient number of brands ranked.
Michelin has now earned 99 top honors in the J.D. Power ratings over the past 20 years.
"We aim to create the best experience for all types of drivers, so it's exciting and humbling for Michelin to earn our 98th and 99th J.D. Power Award for customer satisfaction in the tire category," Katelyn Berry, vice president of marketing for Michelin North America Inc.'s business to consumer products, said.
"These awards continue to showcase Michelin as the most awarded tire brand in the U.S. and being recognized by our customers makes this even more special."
The 2023 U.S. Original Equipment Tire Customer Satisfaction Study is based on responses from 32,151 owners of 2021 and 2022 model-year vehicles, who were surveyed from August through December 2022.
