Berjaya Auto Philippines, the country’s sole distributor of Mazda vehicles, was able to top the J.D. Power 2016 Philippine Customer Service Index Study, ranking highest in customer satisfaction with its commendable after-sales service throughout all dealerships.
The survey examines dealership performance through five factors, namely (in order of importance) service quality (29 percent); service initiation (26 percent); vehicle pick-up (17 percent); service facility (14 percent); and service advisor (14 percent). Brand performance is then measured on a 1,000 point scale, with a higher score indicating higher customer satisfaction. A total of 11 brands were included in the study.
Mazda was able to score 845 points overall, well above the industry average of 822. However, the latter figure went down from 837 points in 2015, indicating that more and more consumers are flocking towards service centers, straining their capacity to serve efficiently.
“Despite more service reminders being sent to customers for routine maintenance, customers are not reciprocating by making appointments for their service visit,” said Loïc Pean, senior manager at J.D. Power. “We still see six in 10 walk-in customers and this exacerbates the capacity crunch at the dealerships. Dealerships have to be resolute to educate their customers to get into the habit of making appointments else it will be a formidable task for dealers to manage unscheduled workload and maximize throughput.”
Berjaya Auto also teased the all-new Mazda CX-3 freestyle crossover ahead of its launch at the 6th Philippine International Motor Show this coming September 14 to 18 at the World Trade Center.
“The new CX-3 is one of the most highly anticipated vehicles we have ever unveiled in the Philippine market,” shared Steven Tan, president and CEO of Berjaya Auto Philippines. “Its stylish looks, unmatched performance, and impeccable build quality make it a vehicle that only Mazda could have created. We are confident this crossover for the new generation will give its future owners an uncompromising and unfettered driving experience worthy of their active and expressive lifestyles.”
Following the brand’s Kodo Soul of Motion design philosophy, the CX-3 features a bold front face with a nose that sits higher than a regular car. Seven slim fins occupy the pentagonal grille whose three-dimensional wings extend outward to the headlights. The side profile features rear-leaning A-pillars, while the blacked-out D-pillars with integrated quarter windows blend seamlessly with the rear glass. At the back are dual muffler tips, a three-dimensional lift gate, and short rear overhang.
Inside the cabin is a driver-oriented interior with an Active Driving Display HUD sitting atop the meter cluster; soft-touch panels with suede trimmings, and metallic and piano black accents; leather seats; 7-speaker with amplifier Bose entertainment system; and a 7-inch touch screen monitor at the center stack which houses the MZD-CONNECT infotainment system.
The vehicle stands on either 16 or 18 inch aluminum wheels and is driven by a 2.0L SkyActiv-G 4-cylinder DOHC 16-valve gasoline direct injection engine which produces 148 ps @ 6000 rpm and 192 Nm of torque @ 2800 rpm. The powerplant is paired to a six speed SkyActiv-Drive automatic transmission with sports mode.
It is set to be available in three variants locally: the base FWD Pro in either crystal white pearl or dynamic blue color options will sell for PHP 1,280,000; the mid-tier FWD Sport in crystal white pearl, soul red, jet black, or trim-exclusive titanium flash colors will retail for PHP 1,380,000; and the top of the line AWD Activ will come in an additional ceramic finish (on top of the colors mentioned above) at a tag of PHP 1,480,000.