'Product & AS No.1' Volvo, The Secret to Satisfying Demanding Korean Consumers...

Comparison of Domestic and Imported Cars This Year
Top Scores in 5 of 11 Categories Including Interior, Safety, and Advanced Features
AS Satisfaction Ranks 2nd Overall, Boosting Competitiveness

In the 2023 automotive survey conducted by the automotive research company Consumer Insight, Volvo Cars ranked first in product satisfaction for the fourth consecutive year. This survey, which targets over 100,000 car consumers, compared domestic and imported cars together for the first time this year.

The product satisfaction section surveyed 7,298 people who purchased a new car within the past year. Volvo scored 868 points, more than 60 points higher than the industry average of 807 points. Among the 11 evaluation categories, Volvo received the highest scores in five areas including exterior design, interior design, safety, seats, and advanced features and devices. Although Volvo is known as a symbol of safety, consumer satisfaction was high across the overall vehicle product quality, not limited to safety.

'Product & AS No.1' Volvo, The Secret to Satisfying Demanding Korean Consumers...

Next-generation T map integrated infotainment system applied to Volvo Cars. In Seoul, real-time signal information can be viewed.
[Photo by Volvo Cars Korea]

In the AS (After Service) satisfaction survey, Volvo ranked second overall, following Lexus. It was the highest among European brands, recording 856 points, a 10-point increase from last year. This survey targeted 34,504 people who had experience using official service centers. Consumer Insight evaluated, "Volvo, which has emerged as a service leader in a short period, is a remarkable case."

The rise in Volvo’s product and AS competitiveness is attributed to multifaceted investments. Together with Tmap Mobility, Volvo invested 30 billion KRW to jointly develop an integrated Tmap infotainment service, which has been improved to provide a personalized mobility experience. Tmap has been further advanced, and a Tmap Store supporting various entertainments has been added. The Tmap navigation system, based on Seoul’s next-generation intelligent transportation system (C-ITS), allows users to check real-time signal information, remaining signal time, and optimal intersection passing speed. Additionally, it is possible to save personalized routines that integrate indoor temperature settings, music playback, and more, based on usage history or settings by day or time.

[Photo by Volvo Cars Korea]

The Tmap Store offers third-party applications (apps). It supports news, audiobooks, stock market information, full-screen web surfing, and video viewing. Online video services (OTT) such as Wavve, which allows viewing of terrestrial TV, latest movies, dramas, and entertainment shows, as well as in-car payment for fuel, will be updated within the year.

Investment in the service network has also been steady. The number of service centers increased from 14 in 2015 to 32 currently. This year alone, service investment reached about 111 billion KRW, with expansions and relocations of service centers in Ilsan, Daejeon, and Jeonju. The goal is to expand the service network beyond the sales growth rate. Other factors contributing to high customer satisfaction include the personal dedicated service (VPS) introduced first in the industry in 2016, warranty services up to 5 years or 100,000 km, a lifetime warranty system for genuine parts replaced at official centers, and consultation services that allow real-time monitoring of center status and visit reservations. For electric vehicle customers, Volvo is increasing specialized technicians and offers an 8-year or 160,000 km free warranty on high-voltage batteries.