Ford, which topped the satisfaction rankings for two consecutive years, has been relegated to the fifth position with a CSI of 104. While Honda Siel top scored with a CSI of 121, Hindustan Motors were the laggards managing a CSI of barely 89. The HM rating, however, does not include the consumer satisfaction for the Mitsubishi Lancer.

JD Power & Associates, a pioneer in drawing up satisfaction index in the automobile industry, evaluates the automobile companies based on five crucial parameters--problems experienced, service advisor, service performance, service timing and facility appearance. The 1999 survey evaluated responses from 2,200 self-driven customers who purchased their cars between January and September last year.

The JD Power survey puts Telco's CSI at 98 while Daewoo Motors ranks second with a CSI of 116. However, Telco's CSI does not include the performance of the Indica--the first Indian car--as the model was launched in December 1998.

Maruti Udyog, with a CSI of 112, ranks third in terms of satisfaction parameters. Mahindra & Mahindra has been voted seventh with a CSI of 103 followed by Fiat India (CSI 101). General Motors India has bagged the fourth slot with a CSI of 109.

The "problems experienced" category has been given the maximum weightage with 35 per cent, followed by service advisor and service performance with 28 per cent and 25 per cent, respectively. The survey provides a weightage of 6 per cent on service timing, while facility appearance has been accorded a five per cent weightage.

Out of the five parameters that determine the CSI ranking, Honda has topped on four with 73 per cent owners confirming that the car had not faced repair problems during the first 12-18 months. Daewoo Motors, however, took the prime slot in the "service advisor" category, which conveys that the first-point contact person in the organisation played a pivotal role in the overall satisfaction with quick understanding of the problem, promptness, quality and execution of the job.

In a parallel quality survey--JD Power India Initial Quality Study--the Mitsubishi Lancer has been adjudged winner this year pushing last year's winner Honda City to the second slot. The Lancer topped the league with 124 problems per 100 vehicles, while Tata Indica--the newest from the Telco stable--was ranked much lower than Maruti 800 and Zen with 396 problems per 100 vehicles. Daewoo Matiz has been put at the third slot with 153 problems per 100 vehicles, followed by the Hyundai Santro with 193 problems per 100 vehicles.