Hyundai Leads in Corporate Loyalty for First Time, According to Experian Automotive Market Analysis

FYI: Hyundai Buyer's Guide

SCHAUMBURG, IL--Oct. 12, 2011: Experian Automotive today released its Q2 2011 market analysis showing that Hyundai Motor America continued gaining momentum in North America as it topped the industry in corporate loyalty for the first time. Hyundai's corporate loyalty rate of 49.6 percent edged General Motors and Ford Motor Company out of the top spots with ratings of 48.1 percent and 47.6 percent, respectively. Hyundai's corporate loyalty was bolstered by both its Kia brand, which had the highest brand loyalty ranking (47.9 percent), and its Hyundai brand, which finished with the fourth highest brand loyalty (40.5 percent).

"According to our latest market report, Hyundai has been making strides in customer loyalty for several years," said Jeffrey Anderson, director of consulting and analytics for Experian Automotive. "The company's innovation, 100,000-mile warranty program, and improvements in vehicle styling and quality among both brands have clearly helped them gain and maintain a strong and loyal customer base."

Experian Automotive's latest market analysis also showed that Kia had three vehicle models that finished among the industry's top 10 for brand loyalty, including the Kia Forte, which was the top model for loyalty at 68 percent; the Kia Soul (fifth) at 59 percent; and the Kia Forte Koup (eighth) at 57 percent.

Other top performers in brand loyalty included the Chevrolet Cruze (second, 64 percent), and six Ford models including the Ford Fiesta (third, 63 percent) and the Ford Fusion (fourth, 61 percent).

Hyundai's loyalty is also impacting its overall position in the market. The latest Experian data showed that Hyundai continued to pick up market share, with the greatest percentage increase year to date, jumping from 7.9 percent in Q2 2010 to 9.2 percent in Q2 2011. Other market share gains came from General Motors, up 0.5 percent from 19.1 percent in Q2 2010 to 19.6 percent Q2 2011; Chrysler, up 0.3 percent from 9.4 percent in Q2 2010 to 9.7 percent in Q2 2011; and Nissan, up 0.2 percent from 7.9 percent in Q2 2010 to 8.1 percent in Q2 2011.

About Experian Automotive

Experian Automotive is a leader in providing information services and market intelligence to manufacturers, dealers, finance, insurance and aftermarket companies, helping them increase customer loyalty; target and win new business; and make better lending, purchasing and production decisions. Experian's AutoCheck reports provide customers with in-depth vehicle history information to confidently understand, compare and select the right vehicle. Its North American Vehicle Database(SM) houses more than 650 million vehicles and, when combined with Experian's credit, consumer and business information assets, meets the industry's growing demand for an integrated information source. Experian technology supports top automotive businesses, including eBay Motors, O'Reilly Auto Parts, Affinia, CarMax and NADAguides.com.

About Experian

Experian is the leading global information services company, providing data and analytical tools to clients in more than 80 countries. The company helps businesses to manage credit risk, prevent fraud, target marketing offers and automate decision making. Experian also helps individuals to check their credit report and credit score and protect against identity theft.

Experian plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange (EXPN) and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 index. Total revenue for the year ended March 31, 2011, was $4.2 billion. Experian employs approximately 15,000 people in 41 countries and has its corporate headquarters in Dublin, Ireland, with operational headquarters in Nottingham, UK; Costa Mesa, California; and São Paulo, Brazil.