Richard Yarrow’s opinion for www.startrescue.co.uk, providing low cost Breakdown Cover.
I blogged last week about the anniversaries coming up in 2011 and a colleague who saw the posting reminded me of another, which while not technically in 2011, has just taken place in December 2010. It was exactly 20 years ago that a new car brand launched in the UK. Its significance is interesting; its models are expensive, their conservative styling doesn’t appeal to everyone, but its customer service and impressive scores in owner satisfaction surveys have genuinely reshaped what drivers come to expect from their dealer. Not worked it out? It’s Toyota’s upmarket brand Lexus.
It arrived in the UK in late 1990 with a single model, the LS 400 saloon powered by a very refined 4.0-litre V8 engine. It’s pictured above with the firm’s current flagship, the LS600hL, in the foreground.
The plan was a simple one; cut the mustard against the established European prestige marques, set new standards in technology and equipment levels, and whip the opposition on keeping customers happy.
I would argue it’s done all three, but where Lexus stands out is on the last of these.
Today Lexus commands near-universal respect for its performance in the independent annual UK customer satisfaction survey carried out by JD Power. Lexus has been the top-ranked manufacturer for the past 10 years. Having never been an owner – and given what a Lexus costs, not likely to be anytime soon – I’ve no direct experience. But everyone I’ve spoken to speaks very highly of the whole experience. And that’s not something you can say about many automotive brands.
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