People Want Efficiency Without Sacrificing Power, Ford Survey Reveals

When it comes to purchasing a new car, there are many factors that people look at before narrowing down their options. Class of car is the most obvious one, picking a car that suits their needs, but there are also a multitude of different considerations. The results of a recent survey that Ford Motor Company conducted in the region are rather surprising. 

9,500 people across 11 markets in the Asia Pacific region were surveyed- 786 of which were here from Malaysia itself. Among the Malaysian respondents, 87% of respondents prioritized fuel efficiency over everything else- with the most popular rationale being to save money. Being environmentally friendly and high fuel price concerns were also popular rationales. 

For many Malaysians, saving fuel is done through special tactics. Filling up fuel to redeem points, waiting for lower fuel prices, and discount coupons are popular methods to mitigate the cost of refuelling. Less than half of Malaysian respondents say they are willing to change the way they drive, while only 36% of respondents are willing to drive less in order to save fuel. 

Perhaps more worryingly is the fact that a good 37% of respondents do not consider the total cost of ownership of a car, and do not consider spending more money at time of purchase on a more efficient engine that will give them returns in the long run. The silver lining to this is that 52% of respondents will look into buying a car with better fuel efficiency, 39% will buy an electric or hybrid vehicle, and 21% plan to downsize to a smaller vehicle. 

But the caveat is that 68% of respondents still require power. This kind of mentality would usually be associated with those who have long commutes to deal with, but even city residents considered power as a relatively high requirement. The only reasonable solution is a downsized, turbocharged motor- which is a great description for Ford's Ecoboost range of engines.