Surprise results for Australia’s most trusted car brands

Tesla has joined the ranks of Australia’s most trusted automotive brands, while household names have fallen out of favour with the motoring public.

Tesla has accelerated past luxury rivals to become one of the most trusted automotive brands, according to a survey of Australian motorists.

But the news isn’t as rosy for Holden, which has fallen out of favour following the end of local manufacturing.

Research published by Roy Morgan following a survey of 14,383 Australians shows Toyota is the most trusted automotive brand in Australia, a sentiment that rings true on the sales charts. Toyota will be the best-selling manufacturer in 2019, with its HiLux likely to be the most popular model.

Toyota’s HiLux is the most popular new car in Australia.

Mazda, the preferred brand for many private buyers, finished second on the list of trusted brands – and Roy Morgan’s buyer intention survey released earlier this year. Japanese marques Honda, Subaru and Nissan followed Honda and Toyota.

Hyundai and Kia also made the top 10, as did Ford and Mercedes-Benz.

Five years ago, the top 10 brands included BMW, Audi and Volkswagen, which didn’t make the list this year. Holden also dropped out of contention following its local factory closures.

Holden’s move toward utes and SUVs might struggle to find support from customers who place their trust in Mazda and Toyota. Photo: Thomas Wielecki

Roy Morgan chief executive Michele Levine says Holden’s result follows its decision to stop building cars in Australia.

“The poor result for Holden comes as Australia’s most iconic car company announced that its most recognisable car, the Holden Commodore, will be phased out over the next year,” she says.

“Without a local manufacturing base Holden has become just another importer and has fallen well behind other car brands over the last few years.

“The low Net Trust Score for Holden highlights the risk facing the General Motors subsidiary over the next few years without solid local support.”

Tesla has courted controversy with bold claims surrounding the outlandish Cybertruck, lengthy delays to the hotly anticipated Tesla Model 3 sedan, safety issues surrounding Autopilot driver aids and troubled quality control which cruelled its chances in News Corp Australia’s Car of the Year awards.

Tesla chief executive Elon Musk says the electric Cybertruck will go on sale soon, but safety authorities are less convinced. Photo: AFP

Nevertheless, it has a strong following from Australian motorists.

“Tesla’s strong showing as a one of the most trusted automotive brands in Australia is unsurprising given its eco-credentials and innovative brand reputation,” Levine says.

“Tesla appears to be shaping the future of the car industry.”

Australia’s most trusted auto brands:

1 – Toyota

2 – Mazda

3 – Honda

4 – Subaru

5 – Nissan

6 – Hyundai

7 – Tesla

8 – Mercedes-Benz

9 – Kia

10- Ford

Source: Roy Morgan

Originally published as Surprise results for Australia’s most trusted car brands