The Wall Street Journal
February 22, 2017
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February 22, 2017
Dave Sullivan, an analyst at AutoPacific Inc., said Mazda Motor Corp. and Subaru are hot with ex-Volkswagen owners, according to the Tustin, Calif., firm’s research. Toyota Motor Corp.’s Prius and the diesel-powered Jaguar XE sedan are also popular picks.
A Subaru spokesman said recent buyer survey data “indicates an uptick among VW replacers—especially among those who have never owned a Subaru in the past.” He said the company’s rugged Outback is the leading model they purchase.
Matthew Welch, general manager of a Volkswagen dealership near Seattle where Ms. Curry shops said more than 40% of customers at his dealership participating in the program have come back to the brand, with the majority purchasing the new 2017 all-wheel-drive Golf Alltrack.
Volkswagen declined to furnish specific data on loyalty rates.
Mr. Kuhn, however, said most of the customers would want to keep their car because “there’s such a shortage of diesel (vehicles) in the market (and) there’s a lot of uncertainty about” when certain fixes for some of the affected diesels will be available.
But with few diesel options, Mr. Sullivan said he expects some diesel-enthusiasts are holding on to their cars and waiting for more diesels to come onto the market. Mr. Schuster said that because terms of the buyback are frozen until late next year, the bulk of consumers will wait until 2018 to initiate the buyback.
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