CHAPTER - 1

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

There are various brands available in market catering to various age groups. These seem to be

very old brands which have captured the mental space of their consumer by their consistency and

aggressive advertisements and marketing. As we can see some have with different features, some

target specific age groups, some try to focus on quality and quantity instead of variety while

some have entered the market just to tap the market other than their own market e.g., Honda.

While some like Maruti Suzuki which have tried to expand their product line to the remaining

areas in sedan market.

The major sedan car Brands in Pune are –

1. HONDA – It has products:- Honda city , Honda civic & Honda accord.

2. HYUNDAI – It has products:- Hyundai accent & Hyundai Verna.

3. TOYOTA - It has 2 products:- Toyota corolla & Camry

4. FORD - It has products:- Ford feasta & ford icon.

Besides the above mentioned brands there are also two existing brands such as FIAT &

VOLKSWEGAN which don’t seem to have captured much of the market yet. There are some

more brands which have ceased production (as per the Dealers) are SKODA & MITSUBISHI.

The project assigned to me was to find the best car in sedan segment in Pune. For this purpose I

selected a sample of 50 respondents. A questionnaire was used to collect the primary data which

avoided subjectivity and provided me only the relevant facts. I approached them formally and

recorded their responses systematically in the questionnaires.

Narrowing down the research – I had to survey a sample which would represent the population

of Pune. So I selected respondents from different prominent locations in Pune. I narrowed

selected the sample which had users as well as nonusers which helped me to get a real picture

about the market and the best brand. I classified the respondents further in various criteria to find

out the best brand in each of them too. The criteria were age group, work status, User & nonuser

and brand loyalty. The sampling was done under two types : 1. Area sampling & 2. Random

sampling. The research process was done through following stages: 1. Selection of sample 2.

Designing a questionnaire 3. Data collection 4. Deep analysis 5. Findings & 6.conclusion. The

motive of the research is to analyze the data which is collected & to get proper findings among

the various existing brands. The findings will totally depend on the deep analysis of all the

questions which were discuss during the interviews with the respondents & get the exact output

throughout all the parameters.

CHAPTER - 2

COMPANY PROFILE

What We Do Nielsen offers an integrated suite of market information gathered from a wide

range of sources, advanced information management tools, sophisticated analytical systems and

methodologies, and dedicated professional client service to help our clients find the best paths to

growth.

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Understanding the Consumer

Understanding human needs is critical for effective targeted marketing. However, these needs are

not always easily detectable. People are not fully aware of their own underlying motivations or

of the forces that determine their own behavior. In fact, we often mislead ourselves when we

attempt to explain our behavior in our desire to act as rational human beings. Sometime we do

not want to admit or even realize the real reason for our behavior because it is, more often than

not, irrational.

For example, when we fall in love, we know we are in love, we feel we are in love, but this does

not explain why we are in love. Love is something that we simply experience. Putting this in a

marketing context, it is clear that a brand or organization has both an identity and a personality.

When we ask consumers why they buy a brand they respond rationally and often describe the

brand’s identity, i.e. the objective or explicit characteristics observed by the conscious thinking

brain which are easily verbalized. However, a brand also has a personality – intangible traits that

differentiate it from its competitors – which we experience but cannot easily verbalize.

For example, in many countries most consumers initially cite taste as the reason why they

consume a certain brand of beer. However, in blind taste tests most "loyal" beer drinkers can’t

differentiate their brand from other similar products. The truth is that in these countries the most

successful beer brands are those that symbolize group cohesion, equality and male bonding.

Motivational research provides an understanding of the following:

What are the unconscious category drivers?

How do consumers experience your brand versus the competitors?

What personality traits does your brand exhibit?

Effective strategic marketing requires an understanding of how consumers experience a brand.

We can help you understand brand relationships by exploring core needs of consumers and

explaining how people relate to the personality of a brand.

CHAPTER – 3

INDUSTRY OVERVIEW

Overview

India ranks just behind China with the world’s second largest population at over 1 billion people.

Less than 1 percent of the population currently owns automobiles, which is a much smaller

proportion than the rest of the Southeast Asia region. For example, the regional average of

ownership is 16.45 percent.1 Nonetheless, sales of passenger vehicles in India have more than

doubled since 2001 to over 1.5 million units (see Table on last page). India also has one of the

fastest growing economies, and many U.S. companies view India as a potentially lucrative

market. It is expected that the automotive industry will play an important role in helping the

economy to continue this growth. Not only are domestic sales expected to grow dramatically, but

India will play a significant role in the global automotive market. The world’s top manufacturers,

General Motors, Ford, Toyota, Honda, and others, have a significant share of already established

manufacturing bases. These manufacturers hope to not only capture an emerging market, but also

to use these bases as export hubs to serve the region and the global market.

Current State of the Indian Auto Market

The Indian auto market is currently small with potential for dramatic growth. While the regional

average is for 16.45 percent of the population to own a car, less than 1 percent of the Indian

population owns one. Given the large size of the middle class with increasing purchasing power

and the youthful population (over half the population is less than 25 years of age and India has

the highest proportion of population below 35), there is the potential to penetrate a largely

untapped market. Also, given the availability of cheap, skilled labor, India has the potential to

serve as a regional export hub for manufacturers in the Asia-Pacific region. Small Vehicle

Market The Indian market is dominated by small, low-cost vehicles (two wheelers such as

scooters and motorcycles make up about 75 percent of the market share). Approximately 75

percent of passenger car sales in India are small cars. Tata Motors has introduced the Nano,

which is both fuel-efficient (about 50 miles per gallon) and cheap ($2,500). Tata is expecting to

launch sales of the Nano in 2008. A number of other manufacturers have already announced

plans to develop small cars in a similar price range in order to compete effectively in this market.

Indian Exports and Top Manufacturers Currently, Asia and Africa are India’s largest export

markets, but the European market has seen recent growth as well. Exports of passenger vehicles

nearly tripled from 72,005 in 2002-03 to 198,478 units in 2006-07.10 According to the Society

of Indian Automotive Manufacturers (SIAM), approximately 1.4 million passenger vehicles were

sold in FY13/14.

Automotive Mission Plan 2006-2016

India’s Automotive Mission Plan (AMP) 2006-2016 is a collaborative effort between the Indian

government, the automotive industry, and academia.11 The stated vision of AMP is for India “to

emerge as the destination of choice in the world for design and manufacture of automobiles and

auto components with output reaching a level of U.S. $145 billion accounting for more than 10

percent of the GDP and providing additional employment to 25 million people by 2016.”12 India

is currently the eleventh largest passenger car market in the world and aims to be the seventh

largest market by 2016. While the auto industry has experienced strong growth over the past

decade, it still plays a small role in the global industry. According to AMP, India has about 2.37

percent of the world production of passenger and commercial vehicles and exports from India

contribute approximately 0.3 percent of the global auto trade. The AMP makes a number of

suggestions for actions to be taken by both the government and industry in order for India to

fulfill the goals laid out in the plan. For example, they estimate an investment of approximately

$35-40 billion in the auto sector over the 2006-2016 time period will be required to implement

AMP. The government’s responsibility would be to “facilitate infrastructure creation, promote

the country’s capabilities, create a favourable and predictable business environment, attract

investments and promote R&D.” 13 Industry’s responsibility concerns issues such as designing

and manufacturing quality products, improving productivity, maintaining costs, among others.

AMP also calls for the formation of an appropriate development policy; improving road, rail,

port, and energy infrastructure; expanding demand for automobiles domestically; and,

developing a roadmap to address environmental and safety concerns.

Barriers to Growth

Infrastructure While India provides great opportunity, there are also a number of barriers limiting

the potential growth of the industry. One of these barriers is the lack of an adequate

infrastructure. Both the quality and number of roads are lacking, and ports need to be improved

in order to support the demands of a growing economy. Without structural improvements,

efficiency will be sacrificed at the expense of higher production costs. Without these

improvements, it will be difficult to become an export hub. In addition, poor, heavily congested

roads, with no parking available may reduce domestic sales. Electricity shortages are another

obstacle that may limit growth in India. It is estimated that, “a company can expect nearly 17

significant power outages per month, against one per month in Malaysia and fewer than five in

China. At the same time costs are higher.”14 Labor and Legal Restrictions Another obstacle

concerns the labor pool and inflexible labor regulations. While there is a large, low-cost labor

pool, there is concern from some executives that demand for skilled labor exceeds supply.

“Several interviewed executives noted the quality and quantity of skilled labor as problematic,

especially the lack of engineers.”15 In addition, strict labor regulations and an inflexible system

pose difficulties. The bureaucratic red tape makes it difficult to make changes and implement

new economic policies and programs. Another concern is India’s poor protection of intellectual

property rights. India is on the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative’s 2008 priority watch list

because India needs to provide stronger protection for copyrights, trademarks, and patents.

Sales Estimation

Maruti Suzuki India’s sales juggernaut continues unabated. Its March 2015 sales growth was

small but over the fiscal, the market leader made handsome gains. In March, its sales rose by 1.4

percent to 103,719 units (March 2014: 102,269).  The carmaker’s bread-and-butter segments

recorded tepid growth rates. In the mini segment, sales of the Alto and Wagon R combined rose

to 40,159 units from 40,085 units in the year-earlier month, up 0.2 percent. In the compact

segment comprising the Swift, Dzire, Celerio and Ritz, sales were down 12.5 percent to 38,710

units from 44,251 units in the year-earlier month. The Ciaz sold 4,251 units in March 2015,

taking the sedan’s total sales to about 32,000 units since its launch last October. In the UV

segment, the Omni and Eeco sold 11,768 units cumulatively, 20 percent up from 9,752 units in

March 2014. Sales of the Gypsy and Ertiga together were 6,216 units, down 4 percent from

6,499 units in the year-earlier period. The Gypsy has benefitted from orders from the Indian

army, selling on average about 450-500 units a month. For 2014-15 overall the carmaker has

posted big gains. Its cumulative sales were 1,170,702 units, up 11.11 percent on 2013-14

(1,053,689), and the highest ever for the company. Compared to 2013-14, when overall domestic

sales were flat at 0.3 percent over 2012-13 (1,051,046), 2014-15 numbers will have brought

cheer to Maruti.

Hyundai Motor India, the country’s second largest carmaker, registered domestic sales

of 39,525 units, marking an increase of 12.92 percent (March 2014: 35,003). For FY2014-15, the

company sold a total of 420,668 units, posting a growth of 10.55 percent (2013-14: 380,523).

Commenting on the March numbers, Rakesh Srivastava, senior VP (Sales and Marketing),

HMIL, said: “In a market with weak sentiments, Hyundai achieved its highest-ever single month

sales of 39,525 units with highest-ever financial year sales of 420,668 units. The market share of

16.3 percent is the highest ever with a strong performance from new models like the Elite, i20

Active, Xcent and Verna and led by strong marketing initiatives to engage rural markets and

repeat buyers.” “The 2015 outlook seems challenging as currently there is low traction in the

market with weak delivery on macro-economic parameters and on low customer sentiment. We

are hopeful that an environment will be created to bring-in investment and create employment

that will give the required thrust to grow the industry.”

Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M), with its diesel-engined stable of SUVs, has taken a hit in sales

both in March 2015 and for the fiscal 2014-15, following deregulation of diesel prices. The

company’s passenger vehicles division, which manufactures the UVs and the Verito sedan and

Verito Vibe hatchback, sold a total of 21,030 units in March 2015, down 10.25 percent (March

2014 : 23,433). Cumulative sales for the fiscal year were 210,021 units, down 8.35 percent year

on year (2013-14 : 229,155). M&M though is hopeful of a better performance in 2015-16. Pravin

Shah, chief executive, Automotive Division, M&M, said, “With factors such as expectation of

normal monsoon, settling down of petrol and diesel prices and the likely softening of interest

rates, we expect the auto industry to perform better in FY2016.”

Honda Cars India has reported its highest ever monthly domestic sales of 22,696 units during

March 2015 and registered a growth of 23.17 percent (March 2014: 18,426). Driven by strong

sales momentum for its cars throughout the year, the company also posted its highest ever annual

domestic sales of 189,062 units during 2014-15 recording 40.74 percent growth (2013-14:

134,339) . The product-wise split for Honda cars in March is: City (9,777), Amaze (8,128),

Mobilio (3,049), Brio (1,642) and CR-V (100). With its record sales of 9,777 units in a single

month, the fourth-generation City sedan crossed the fastest 100,000 cumulative sales mark in just

15 months and registered 101,299 units sales since its launch in January 2014. Commenting on

the company’s sales performance, Jnaneswar Sen, senior vice-president (Marketing & Sales)

said, “2014-2015 has been extremely fruitful for Honda. We are thankful to our customers for

the great response we have achieved for the Mobilio. The new Honda City has achieved

exceptional success. We are excited about the upcoming launch of the Jazz in the new fiscal and

look forward to another year of good growth.” During 2014-15, HCIL expanded its dealer

network in both existing markets and Tier III cities. The company now has 232 facilities in 152

cities across the country.

Tata Motors’ passenger car division sold 15,039 units last month, a growth of 19 percent (March

2014: 12,640). The company says the Zest sedan and Bolt hatchback were big contributors to the

total. While passenger cars sold 12,977 units, higher by 33%, over March 2014, UV sales

declined by 28 percent, at 2,062 units, in March 2015.

Toyota Kirloskar Motor sold a total of 13,333 cars in the domestic market in March 2015,

posting 62.48 percent growth year on year (March 2014: 8,206). For 2014-15, as per SIAM sales

data, the carmaker has delivered a total of 141,887 units, marking a growth of 10.15 percent

(FY2013-14: 128,811). March 2015 is the fifth consecutive month that the company has clocked

double-digit growth. According to N Raja, director and senior vice-president (Sales and

Marketing), “With the launch of the new Corolla Altis, Etios , Etios Liva and Etios Cross in 2014

and new Innova and Fortuner in 2015,  we saw an increased acceptance from customers which

continues to grow month after month.”

Tata Motors’ passenger car division sold 15,039 units last month, a growth of 19 percent (March

2014: 12,640). The company says the Zest sedan and Bolt hatchback were big contributors to the

total. While passenger cars sold 12,977 units, higher by 33%, over March 2014, UV sales

declined by 28 percent, at 2,062 units, in March 2015.

General Motors India rounded off the fiscal year with 4,257 vehicles sold in March 2015, down

35.5 percent (March 2014: 6,601). For the fiscal year 2014-15, the carmaker sold 52,273 units,

down 35 percent (2013-14: 80,890).   In a statement, the company said that despite the marginal

reductions in repo rates earlier this year, the green shoots are still not visible in the economy as

‘we haven’t really seen the banks passing on the reductions entirely to consumers’. “This,

coupled with the economic slowdown, continues to hold the industry performance in the red and

a possible turnaround is still not expected in the coming months,” said P Balendran, vice-

president, GM India. “We hope that interest rates are reduced in phases going forward and the

government takes some decisive steps to improve the consumer sentiment so that there is some

uptick seen towards the festive season,” he added.  

The Chevrolet Beat is GM India’s highest selling model with sales averaging about 1,000 units a

month. Ford India sold 5,253 cars in March 2015, down 17 percent (March 2014: 6,356). Its

2014-15 cumulative numbers were 75,138 units, down 11 percent YoY. “With the economic

recovery being slower than anticipated and a high interest rate and inflation environment,

customers continue to defer their discretionary spends,” said Anurag Mehrotra, executive

director (Marketing, Sales and Service), Ford India. “However, Ford’s faith in India’s long-term

growth prospects remains intact. We are continuing to invest in India’s future growth potential.

In March, we took our growth commitment in India to a new peak with the inauguration of US

$1-billion integrated manufacturing facility at Sanand, Gujarat,” he added. Nissan Motor India

sold a total of 47,474 units in FY2014-15, registering growth of 24.21 percent (2013-14: 38,220).

In March, it sold 4,717 units, down 33 percent (March 2014: 7,082).

According to Guillaume Sicard, president – Nissan India Operations, “We are pleased with the

progress we demonstrated in our tenth year in India. FY2014 has been a significant year when

we reestablished our India business with an independent sales and marketing organization. The

growth we achieved was supported by the launch of two new models and fast growing network.

As we set ourselves a target of 5 percent market share by FY20, we are focused on sustaining

and accelerating our performance.”

Volkswagen India reported sales of 4,577 units in March 2015, up 22 percent (March 2014:

3,741). However, in the fiscal year, its sales dropped 14 percent to 45,018 units (2013-14:

52,528). The company says the Polo, which comes fitted with dual front airbags on all variants

and is one of the safest hatchbacks in the India, made a significant contribution to March sales

along with the new Jetta and Limited Edition Vento Magnific. Michael Mayer, director,

Volkswagen Passenger Cars, Volkswagen Group Sales India, said: “We are happy to note the

significant hike in sales in March 2015. The increase in sales underlines the fact that car buyers

in India are increasingly appreciative of the key attributes of our cars, which are best-in-class

safety, build quality and driving dynamics, which makes our cars very involving to drive.”

CHAPTER – 3

OBJECTIVES OF STUDY

To find out the most preferred Brand in the Sedan Car Segment in Pune

Brand

To find the car within the Sedan Segment among the various age groups, various working status in Pune

Sedan

To find out the Best Brand Car in the Sedan Segment among users as well as nonusersBest

CHAPTER – 4

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

INTRODUCTION-

Research methodology is a way to systematically solve the research problem. It may be

understood as science of studying how research is done scientifically. Various steps &

techniques adopted for research are studied in research methodology.

PURPOSE

The method section answers these two main questions:

1. How was the data collected or generated?

2. How was it analyzed?

In other words, it shows your reader how you obtained your results. But why do you need to

explain how you obtained your results? We need to know how the data was obtained because the

method affects the results. Knowing how the data was collected helps the reader evaluate the

validity and reliability of your results, and the conclusions you draw from them. Often there are

different methods that we can use to investigate a research problem. Your methodology should

make clear the reasons why you chose a particular method or procedure. The reader wants to

know that the data was collected or generated in a way that is consistent with accepted practice

in the field of study. For example, if you are using a questionnaire, readers need to know that it

offered your respondents a reasonable range of answers to choose from (asking if the efficiency

of public transport in Bangkok is "a. excellent, b. very good or c. good" would obviously not be

acceptable as it does not allow respondents to give negative answers).The research methods must

be appropriate to the objectives of the study. If you perform a case study of one commuter in

order to investigate users' perceptions of the efficiency of public transport in Bangkok, your

method is obviously unsuited to your objectives. The methodology should also discuss the

problems that were anticipated and explain the steps taken to prevent them from occurring, and

the problems that did occur and the ways their impact was minimized. In some cases, it is useful

for other researchers to adapt or replicate your methodology, so often sufficient information is

given to allow others to use the work. This is particularly the case when a new method had been

developed, or an innovative adaptation used.

COMMON PROBLEMS

Irrelevant detail

Unnecessary explanation of basic procedures

Problem blindness-Most of us encounter some problems when collecting or generating

our data. Do not ignore significant problems or pretend they did not occur. Often,

recording how you overcame obstacles can form an interesting part of the methodology,

and means you can also give a rationale for certain decisions, plus a realistic view of

using the methods you chose.

OVERVIEW

Introduction:

Introduction of research problem introduction of objectives introduction of how objectives will

be achieved (methodology), optional introduction of main findings and conclusions, optional.

Literature review :

Review of previous work relating to research problem (to define, explain, justify) review of

previous work relating to methodology (to define, explain, justify) review of previous work

relating to results (particularly reliability, etc.)

Method (how the results were achieved):

Explanation of how data was collected/generated • explanation of how data was analyzed

explanation of methodological problems and their solutions or effects

Results and discussion:

Presentation of results interpretation of results discussion of results (e.g. comparison with results

in previous research, effects of methods used on the data obtained)

Conclusions:

Has the research problem been ―solved‖? To what extent have the objectives been achieved?

What has been learnt from the results? How can this knowledge be used? What are the

shortcomings of the research, or the research methodology?

SOME EXAMPLES OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF RESEARCH

Analysis:

Classes of data are collected and studies conducted to discern patterns and formulate principles

that might guide future action.

Case study:

The background, development, current conditions and environmental interactions of one or more

individuals, groups, communities, businesses or institutions is observed, recorded and analyzed

for stages of patterns in relation to internal and external influences.

Comparison:

Two or more existing situations are studied to determine their similarities and differences.

Correlation-prediction:

Statistically significant correlation coefficients between and among a number of factors are

sought and interpreted.

Evaluation:

Research to determine whether a program or project followed the prescribed procedures and

achieved the stated outcomes.

Design-demonstration:

New systems or programs are constructed, tested and evaluated

Experiment:

One or more variables are manipulated and the results analyzed.

Survey-questionnaire:

Behaviors, beliefs and observations of specific groups are identified, reported and interpreted.

Status:

A representative or selected sample of one or more phenomena is examined to determine its

special characteristics.

Theory construction:

An attempt to find or describe principles that explain how things work the way they do.

Trend analysis:

Predicting or forecasting the future direction of events.

DATA TO BE COLLECTED-

a) Primary data: It is the first hand data acquired by the researcher through his survey.

b) Secondary data: It the data which is already assembled & ready for use available through other

sources such as, research papers presented by other researchers, magazines, published research

books, internet etc.

DATA COLLECTION METHOD –

For this project, the primary data which needed to collect for the 1st time was gathered through

survey technique which most effective & popular technique for data collection. The survey was

conducted with the use of questionnaire.

RESEARCH INSTRUMENT –

Questionnaire consists of following types of questions.

a) Closed ended : These are the questions that specify all the possible answers those are easy

to tabulate & interpret.

Further sub-types used are:-

1. Dichotomous questions: These are the questions with only 2 possible answers.

2. Multiple choice questions: These are the questions with more than 3 or more answers.

b) Open ended : These type questions allow respondents to answer in their own words &

often reveal about how people think. They are especially useful in exploratory research

where researcher is looking for insight into how people think rather than how many

people think in a certain way. I have used open ended question for enquiring about the

likes and dislikes of the consumed product.

The sub-types used are-

1. Unstructured questions: Respondents can answer in unlimited no .of ways.

2. Word association: Respondents mention the brand which comes to their mind when They hear

Any car brand.

Sampling. Sample is small group of consumers taken under consideration from total customer

population. This small group represents the total population.

Types of sampling designs

Probability sampling

Random Sampling

Stratified Random Sampling

Disproportionate Stratified Sampling

Cluster Sampling

Multistage Sampling

Area Sampling

Multiphase Sampling

Replicated Sampling

Sequential sampling.

Out of the above I have taken random sampling, Area sampling.

Random Sampling: In this every unit of the population is known and non-zero probability of

being selected. This type of selection is free from human errors. This sampling is done without

any replacement and no unit can be selected more than once. So the consumer or non-consumer

once and can’t be contacted again for the same interview.

Area sampling: Here area is divided into further smaller area. This sampling is done on the

geographical consideration. Thus, in the project the Pune region of Maharashtra state is only

been selected. The Pune region is again divided into sub-areas Aundh, Bavdhan, Bhawani Peth,

Erandawne, Karve Nagar, Kondhwa, Pune Satara Road, Sadashiv Peth, Prabhat road, Kothrud,

Bibvewadi, Sahkar Nagar, Wadgaon Budruk.

In the project I studied market in Pune city. As it was impossible to approach all respondents of

city, a sample of 50 was selected which represent whole city. For this purpose I have used

project.

DATA EVALUATION: All the data collected is not accepted as it is collected. It is filtered &

only relevant data is introduced in the report which helps in achieving objective of the Research.

CHAPTER – 5

ANALYSIS OF DATA

As the project title suggests my aim is to find out the best i.e. most preferred and most heard

sedan car brand.

To qualify to be the Best sedan Car Brand

It must have the maximum percentage of response among the top of the mind, spontaneous

section and must be the most known brand amongst the aided response section.

1. Top of the Mind response shows the actual brand used by the consumers.

2. Spontaneous responses throw light on the awareness about other brands.

3. Aided sections checks the awareness about all the brands considered under study.

I have analyzed the TOM (top of the mind) & Spontaneous on basis of different Criteria;-

1) Overall,

2) 4 age groups,

3) 4 working status,

4) User/Nonuser

5) Brand Loyalty.

Total no of respondents = 50

No of users = 35

No of non-users = 15

Brands under consideration were:

a) Honda

b) Hyundai

c) Toyota

d) Maruti Suzuki

e) Ford

THE FOLLOWING WERE THE FINDINGS FOR ACROSS ALL THE CRITERIA

Distribution of respondents in work status: (Table – 1.1)

Work status No. of Respondents Overall %

Working 11 21

Non- Working 15 30

Retired 02 4

Student 22 45

Working Non-Working Retired Student0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

21

30

4

45

Overall %

Overall %

Overall best brand in Top of mind category is Honda: (Table – 1.2)

Top of the mind No. of Respondents Overall %

Honda 22 44

Hyundai 08 16

Toyota 10 20

Maruti Suzuki 04 08

Ford 06 12

Honda Hyundai Toyota Maruti Suzuki Ford0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

5044

1620

812

Overall %

Overall %

Overall Best Brand in Spontaneous section was again Honda: (Table – 1.3)

Spontaneous Overall %

Honda City 72

Honda Civic 58

Toyota Corolla Altis 45

Ford Fiesta 50

Hyundai Verna 35

Hyundai Accent 55

Tata Indigo 30

Maruti Sx4 54

Chevrolet Optra 24

Mitsubishi Cedia 06

Ford Ikon 32

Volkswagen Jetta 05

Fiat Linea 08

Toyota Camry 12

Skoda Laura 09

Skoda Octavia 18

Honda City

Honda Civi

c

Toyo

ta Coro

lla Altis

Ford

Fiest

a

Hyundai

Verna

Hyundai

Accent

Tata

Indigo

Maruti Sx

4

Chevro

let O

ptra

Mitsubish

i Ced

ia

Ford

Ikon

Volkswag

en Je

tta

Fiat L

inea

Toyo

ta Cam

ry

Skoda L

aura

Skoda O

ctavia

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80 72

58

4550

35

55

30

54

24

6

32

5 812 9

18

Overall Spontaneous %

Overall %

Factors influencing the buyers: ( Table – 1.4 )

Factors NO of Respondents Percentage

Features 26 52

Brand 06 12

Luxury 08 16

Comfortability 10 20

Features Brand Luxury Comfortability0

10

20

30

40

50

60

26

68

10

52

1216

20

No. of Respondents%

Overall comparison: (Table - 1.5)

Parameters No. of Respondents % Comparison

Features 22 45

Brand 11 21

Luxury 04 09

Comfort ability 13 25

Features Brand Luxury Comfortability0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

5045

21

9

25

% Comparison

% Comparison

Transmission type preferred by customers: (Table – 1.6)

Transmission type No. of Respondents Percentage

Automatic 14 28

Manual auto hybrid 04 08

Manual 30 60

CVT 02 04

Automatic Manual auto hybrid

Manual CVT0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

14

4

30

2

28

8

60

4

No. of Respondents%

Fuel type preferred by customers: (Table – 1.7)

Fuel type No. of Respondents Percentages

Petrol 24 48

LPG 04 08

Diesel 16 32

CNG 06 12

Petrol LPG Diesel CNG0

10

20

30

40

50

60

24

4

16

6

48

8

32

12

No. of Respondents%

Distribution of respondents deciding factor: (Table – 1.8)

Factors No. of respondents Percentage

Previous experience with the

brand

24 48

Good reputation 12 24

Reliability of the car/brand 16 32

Interiors/Fittings 22 44

Sporty Looks/Alloys

/Spoiler/Bumpers

18 36

Festive Discounts/Discounts 28 56

Good vehicle quality 34 68

Luxury 14 28

Vehicle performance 26 52

Resale Value 32 64

Attractive design & styling 18 36

Previous e

xperi

ence

with th

e bran

d

Good reputati

on

Reliab

ility o

f the c

ar/bran

d

Interiors/

Fittings

Sporty

Looks/

Alloys

/Spoile

r/Bumpers

Festi

ve Disc

ounts/Disc

ounts

Good vehicle

quality

Luxu

ry

Vehicle

perform

ance

Resale

Value

Attractive

design

& st

yling

01020304050607080

24

12 1622 18

2834

14

2632

18

48

2432

4436

56

68

28

52

64

36

No. of respondantsPercentage

Distribution on basis of information sources: (Table – 1.9)

Sources No. of Respondents Percentage

Family/ Friends/Relatives 28 52

Television 06 12

Internet 02 04

Newspapers/ magazines 08 16

Auto shows 06 12

Family/ Friends/Rela-

tives

Television Internet Newspapers/ magazines

Auto shows0

10

20

30

40

50

60

28

62

86

52

12

4

1612

No. of RespondentsPercentage

Distribution of respondent recommendation: (Table – 1.10)

Recommendation Factor No. of Respondents Percentage

Definitely would 24 48

Probably would not 12 24

Probably would 06 12

Definitely would not 08 16

Definitely would

Probably would not

Probably would Definitely would not

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

24

12

68

48

24

1216

No. of Respondentspercentage

Distribution on basis of age group factor: (Table – 1.11)

Best brand in TOM section in the Age groups was Honda

Age % Age % Age % Age %

Top of the mind 18 – 25 26 – 35 36 – 45 46+

Honda 18 15 07 02

Hyundai 09 07 04 01

Toyota 04 03 02 0

Maruti Suzuki 11 06 04 01

Ford 02 03 01 0

Honda Hyundai Toyota Maruti Suzuki Ford0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

2018

9

4

11

2

15

7

3

6

3

7

4

2

4

12

10

10

18 – 2526 – 3536 – 4546+

Distribution of Users and Nonusers in the four age groups: (Table – 1.12)

Age % Age % Age % Age %

Do you buy it 18 – 25 26 – 35 36 – 45 46+

Users 06 28 19 17

Non-users 10 7 5 8

18 – 25 26 – 35 36 – 45 46+0

5

10

15

20

25

30

6

28

1917

10

75

8

% Users % Non-users

Distribution on basis of respondent’s income level: (Table – 1.13)

Level of income No. of Res-

Pondents

Percentage

Rs. 10000 or less 00 00

Rs. 10000 to 50000 12 24

Rs. 50000 to 100000 18 36

Rs. 100000 & above 20 40

Rs. 10000 or less

Rs. 10000 to 50000

Rs. 50000 to 100000

Rs. 100000 & above

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

0

12

1820

0

24

36

40

No. of RespondantsPercentage

Distribution % of Loyal, Disloyal, and Not applicable consumers: (Table – 1.14)

Brand loyalty No. of Respondents Overall %

Yes 20 40

No 08 15

NA 22 45

Yes No NA0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

40

15

45

Brand Loyalty

% Loyal

CHAPTER – 6

FINDINGS

Overall best brand Sedan Car in Top of mind category is HONDA City. ( Ref . Table no

– 1.2 )

Overall Best Brand in Spontaneous section was again HONDA. ( Ref . Table no – 1.3 )

Best brand in Top of mind section in the four Age groups was HONDA. ( Ref . Table no

– 1.11 )

Brand loyalty is highest for TOYOTA. ( Ref . Table no – 1.14 )

Best Brands in spontaneous section in four age groups was HONDA.(Ref .Table no 1.11)

Main Comparison aspect of car was FEATURES. ( Ref . Table no – 1.5 )

Best brand in Top of mind section in the work statuses was HONDA.

No of users is highest in NON WORKING (Ref. Table no – 1.1 )

No of non-users is highest in STUDENTS (Ref. Table no – 1.1 )

Brand loyalty is highest amongst students. (Ref. Table no – 1.1 )

Best Brand Among Users - HONDA (Ref. Table no – 1.12 )

Best Brand Among Non-Users – HONDA, TOYOTA ( Ref . Table no – 1.12 )

CHAPTER – 7

LIMITATION

Time constraints.

Due to time constraints, only a small sample could be interviewed.

Geographical area:

The interviews had to be conducted in Pune region only.

Respondents’ answers varied according to the situation and the time at which they were

interviewed.

One of the criterion i.e. ―retired could not be fulfilled since I could approach only one

respondent who was eligible for that and this could have affected the results. So, I had to set that

sample aside in some cases.

Needs to make several attempts to approach the respondents resulting in delay.

CHAPTER – 8

RECOMMENDATION AND

SUGGESTIONS

Must try to concentrate more on quality.

Must try to improve more & more adding features in existing models.

Must try to concentrate more on branding of the product.

Must try to control their prices and make their products price competent.

Must try to advertised as much as possible about the product as well as the brand.

Must try to develop a genuine image in the minds of the target consumer, so that it helps

to avoid brand switching and foster brand loyalty.

Must try to increase more & more after sales service so that the existing customer should

not be shifted to other brand.

CHAPTER – 9

BIBLIOGRAPHY

WEBSITES:

www.google.com

www.managementparadise.com

www.acnielsen.com

www.languages.ait.ac.th/el21meth.htm

BOOKS:

Marketing management: Philip Kotler

Research methodology: C.R.Kothari

ANNEXURE

Respondent’s name:-

Address:-

Telephone number: - (R) (O):-

Date of interview:-

Place of Main Interview: -

1.Street 2.Office 3.Home 4.Other

1. What is your Working status ?

a) Working b) Non working c) Retired d) Student

2. Which one brand comes to your mind when I say a ‘Sedan’?

3. What is /are awareness about the following make models?

a. Honda City i. Tata Indigo

b. Honda Civic j. Toyota Corolla Altis

c. Ford Fiesta k. Toyota Camry

d. Ford Ikon l. Skoda Laura

e. Hyundai Accent m. Skoda Octavia

f. Hyundai Verna n. Volkswagen Jetta

g. Fiat Linea o. Chevrolet Optra

h. Mitsubishi Cedia p. Maruti Sx4

4. What did u consider important when you bought this car?

a. Model b. Looks c. Design d. Space comfort

5. How did you compare that car?

a. Features b. Brand c. Luxury d. Comfortability

6. Transmission type?

a. Automatic c. Manual

b. Manual auto hybrid d. CVT

7. Fuel type

a. Petrol c. Diesel

b. LPG d. CNG

8. Why did u decide to purchase your make model?

a. Previous experience with the brand Good vehicle quality

b. Good reputation Luxury

c. Reliability of the car/brand... Vehicle performance

d. Interiors/Fittings Resale Value

e. Sporty Looks/Alloys /Spoiler/Bumpers Attractive design & styling

f. Festive Discounts/Discounts

9. What kind of information sources did you used to decide MAKE & MODEL

Purchases?

a. Family/ Friends/Relatives d. Newspapers/ magazines

b. Television e. Auto shows

c. Internet

10. Would you recommend your purchase CAR to a friend or relative?

a. Definitely would c. Probably would

b. Probably would not d. Definitely would not

11. What is your age group?

a. 18 – 25 b. 26 – 35 c. 36 – 45 d. 46 +

12. Which of the following group’s best describes your household’s total monthly income

before taxes?

a. Rs. 10000 or less c. 10000 to 50000

b. Rs. 50000 to 100000 d. 100000 & above