3rd Nov 2008, 13:19

It was in a professional office with a broad range of staff aged 19-58 who own amongst others Peugeot, Audi, Daihatsu, Skoda, Hyundai, VW, Ford etc - it is not an official survey, just an interesting insight into what people think with a quick poll.

Interestingly, the Skoda is owned by the youngest member of staff who adores it and also looked at the actual Chevrolet Kalos I wrote this report about. She thought the Kalos was dated, cheap and truly awful in comparison.

The Hyundai is owned by the oldest member of staff who is about to replace it with another Hyundai, would not buy Skoda and thought Chevrolet only sold pick-ups.

The Peugeot owner was gobsmacked at the new Skoda Superb and thought the Cee'd was nearly as good as a Golf.

The Audi driver thought they were all *%^*, but did concede that the Procee'd did look cool. Like me, he could not understand why Chevrolet launched old Daewoos to break into the UK market.

Curious...!! I would generally agree that older drivers choose Skoda, Hyundai and Kia over Citroen etc - a good point, but I think this is more down to the image thing than age. People who are self-assured and care less about what others think are often older. As I have got older, my values have changed and what I liked 10 years ago is very different now, and will probably be different in another 10 years. I now rate reliability first, then comfort, then equipment, then other things.

If we were all the same, life would be boring I suppose.

I am still learning - most car sales seem to be based on opinion not fact, and many people will rigidly support a brand in the face of compelling evidence against it.

The main thing is that you are happy with the car you chose - not what others think of it, so if you love your Kalos, Lacetti or whatever, great! Let others choose what they want and laugh at them if you like if it makes you feel better!

3rd Nov 2008, 16:27

I don't know many young people driving Chevrolet's around me... plenty of young people zipping about in Fabia vRSs thinking they are Lewis Hamilton though. And quite a few young people in Hyundai Coupes.

Regardless of the other makes, I think anyone with any sense or car knowledge now views Skoda as a respectable make, and the residuals reflect this.

4th Nov 2008, 03:44

Ref: crash test comment 03 Nov 07.29.

Yes, the crash test for the 1998 Hyundai Accent was horrific - in 1998 Euroncap rated it as 1.5 star rating which was appalling.

But, amazingly, Chevrolet got the SAME appalling 1.5 star rating, in 2006 with the Aveo in the same test.

Great work Chevrolet, in getting the same result as the 1998 Accent with your new model in 2006. Appalling.

Interestingly the latest Hyundai got the full 5 stars - now that's progress...

And you say Chevrolet is better than Hyundai?

4th Nov 2008, 07:17

I think it's remained a mystery to Chevrolet and GMDaewoo how the Aveo got that score, and I would concede that the Aveo model should either be deleted or replaced swiftly to protect the Chevrolet name. Nevertheless, if you actually looked at the NCAP pictures of the Accent and Aveo, there is no chance the occupant of the Accent could survive. The structure of the Aveo looked relatively intact.

Yes I do think Chevrolet is better than Hyundai... the Chevrolet brand holds greater equity, and the new models released by Chevrolet are more than likely to have better quality and more desirable compared to Hyundai/Kia etc. Chevrolet's Research and Development budget is more than likely much higher than the Hyundai/Kia group.

I have to say I don't have any mates who drive Hyundai/Kia/Skoda's... most wouldn't be seen dead in them.. I guess the only reason is for cheaper insurance as these cars are not likely to be stolen by anyone.

4th Nov 2008, 09:10

If they have such a budget, why do they launch such poor cars?

I guess the Skoda/Hyundai insurance is cheaper as you are less likely to injure your passengers compared to a Chevrolet.

Chevrolet has no brand equity in the UK. Maybe when they launch a decent car, it will improve. Matiz or Kalos or Aveo anyone? No? Oh well.

4th Nov 2008, 09:19

The disgruntled Chevrolet owner really needs to accept that more people in the UK seem to view the Chevrolet brand as being less desirable than the others such as Kia, Hyundai and certainly Skoda. If they have such big budgets for research and development then they aren't using them well enough.

US car standards are not upto European ones, just look at the excellent Ford range over here, and then the not so excellent Ford range over in the US.

4th Nov 2008, 12:30

"Chevrolet has no brand equity in the UK. Maybe when they launch a decent car, it will improve. Matiz or Kalos or Aveo anyone? No? Oh well."

The reality...

"Chevrolet wins number one spot in value car market.

Sales up 81.4 per cent compared to 2007."

Chevrolet has the brand equity that Hyundai/Kia can never hope to have. This is of course fueling Chevrolet's sales in the UK.

4th Nov 2008, 14:56

As a person from the US, I can tell you in the UK and the EU that the Chevrolets they sell you over there are not remotely close to the Chevrolets sold in the US. Sure - we have the Chevy Aveo, but most anyone knows it basically a Daewoo with a Chevy badge stuck on it. It's too bad you don't get other Chevrolets like the newer Malibu. That's a really nice car. I've heard that the Chevy Cruze will be available in the EU first. I'll be curious about that one.

4th Nov 2008, 15:49

Yeah, Britain gets the cack models, but US gets the OK cars which aren't Daewoo.

Wouldn't drive a Kalos, Matiz or Lacetti.

5th Nov 2008, 06:15

The reason I keep insisting that the Chevrolets are no better, and aren't percieved as being better than the other makes is that I have an impartial opinion, owning none of those cars, rather than defending one that I own.

5th Nov 2008, 06:52

Good point. I too am impartial and own none of the brands mentioned- I drive a Daihatsu, but have driven and compared all the models I have mentioned. Opinion only really counts with facts to back it up; like the crash tests results etc.

I look forward to fairly inspecting the new Chevrolet models to see if they can improve on their current situation in the UK.

5th Nov 2008, 13:04

I'll tell you something... opinion translates into sales... I really don't think Skoda/Hyundai/Kia/Proton etc will ever get the younger car driver vote simply due to their image perception. In a world where designer clothes count, electrical goods branding.. image matters.. maybe not to older people.. but it's often the younger drivers that the manufacturers are after. They have the disposable income to sustain the car companies in the longer term.

Chances are my next new car will be a Vauxhall Astra/Chevrolet Cruze/Mazda 3/Toyota Auris, depending on test drives and what the offers are in Spring 2009.