When it comes to purchasing new tires, there are some factors that drive consumer decisions more than others; at least, there are surveys that show clear winners when it comes to desired features. Today we're taking a look at data from two recent surveys on what traits tire buyers value most to see which factors come out ahead for respondents and what it means when there are differences. Before we get into the numbers, take a moment to think about what features and benefits you look for when shopping for tires. When you have your top five, continue reading to see how your values compare.
First up is a Consumers Report (CR) survey looking at which tire characteristics matter most to shoppers. The survey was open to CR members who made a purchase of one or more tires between fall 2019 and fall 2022.
Here are the top five characteristics and the percentage of respondents who rank that characteristic as "very important":
The results. . .aren't surprising. If you're paying good money for tires, you want them to deliver you and your family and friends safely to each destination. That means you need the handling to be responsive and the tire to do well when you're driving in a rain storm. Other factors, such as Appearance and Brand, were included on the list but came in towards the bottom.
And if you're wondering where tire price factors into everything, it's not as high as you think with this group. Only 40% of survey takers considered price to be very important when choosing tires—but as you'll see in a moment, not everyone agrees with this assessment.
An audience intelligence tool known as YouGov also conducted a survey on what factors consumers consider when purchasing tires. The YouGov survey doesn't specify if there was eligibility criteria for participants or how many respondents took part. The results have a time stamp of August 2022.
Looking at the results for US survey takers, here are the top five rankings:
It should be noted that "Handling" was included on the list but came in much lower (24%) compared to the CR survey where it ranks first (76%). It's also worth noting that Size, Traction, and Durability are not on the CR survey results. It can also be argued that Traction is relatable to "Wet Grip" and "Winter Grip" on the CR survey.
When it comes to surveys and comparing results, you need to look at variables.
In the case of these two studies, there are variables in the following categories:
The data from Consumer Reports appears to be from a more selective crowd where the members had to meet certain criteria to have their answers included. As paid members of a research-oriented publication, they are also likely to value different characteristics than the wider public.
The YouGov survey may have been open to more individuals across the United States, including more budget-conscious consumers. If so, this accounts for Overall Price gaining the #1 spot in this survey while not making the top five in the CR survey.
The surveys also aren't a 1:1 comparison as far as tire characteristics go, with the YouGov survey having more characteristics included.
What the results of both surveys agree on is the importance of tread life and traction/grip. These made the top five for both surveys. Treadwear came in at #3 for CR and Tread Life came in at #2 for YouGov. Wet Grip and Winter Grip came in at #2 and #5 respectively for CR and Traction came in #4 for YouGov. Based on these surveys, it seems clear is that everyone agrees that they want their tires to last long and provide dependable grip for safety.
Regardless of where these characteristics rank for you, we invite you to shop with us for tires in Egg Harbor Township, NJ if you're in the area. Whether you like having a mileage guarantee because you value tires with a long tread life, or you're an economical shopper with price and fuel economy on the mind, we have something for everyone.
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