RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

 

Car Rating Survey Analysis Using Single-Factor ANOVA

 

Author

Nitin Raj
MBA (Operations and Supply Chain Management)
ITM Skills University

Introduction:

The automobile market in India offers a wide variety of options for consumers, ranging from premium SUVs to mid-range family cars. With increasing competition and evolving customer expectations, factors such as design, performance, safety, mileage, comfort, and brand image strongly influence consumer preferences.

Popular car models like the Mahindra XUV700, Toyota Fortuner, Kia Seltos, and Skoda Kushaq cater to different consumer segments with distinct value propositions. Understanding how consumers rate these cars helps manufacturers and marketers make better decisions related to product improvements, pricing, and positioning.

This study uses single-factor ANOVA to analyze whether consumer ratings of these car models differ significantly.

Objectives of the Study:

• To analyze consumer rating scores for Mahindra XUV700, Toyota Fortuner, Kia Seltos, and Skoda Kushaq.

• To compare the mean consumer ratings of these four car models.

• To determine whether any observed differences in ratings are statistically significant using single-factor ANOVA.

Literature Review:

Consumer Behavior in the Car Market:

Studies in the automobile sector show that car choice is influenced by factors such as price, mileage, maintenance cost, safety features, engine performance, brand reputation, and comfort.

Brand Image and Customer Satisfaction:

Research suggests that emotional appeal and brand trust heavily influence buying decisions. While some brands are viewed as premium and aspirational, others are preferred for practicality, technology features, and affordability.

Data Collection:

Data were collected through a structured survey. Respondents were asked to rate each car model on a 1–10 scale, where 1 = very poor and 10 = excellent. Each car received 40 ratings, making the total sample size 160 observations (4 groups × 40 ratings each).

Studied Variables:

Independent Variable: Car model (Mahindra XUV700, Toyota Fortuner, Kia Seltos, Skoda Kushaq).

Dependent Variable: Consumer rating score.

Statistical Tool Used:

Single-Factor ANOVA is used to test whether the mean consumer ratings for the selected car models differ significantly. ANOVA compares the variation between car model averages with the variation within each model’s ratings.

Hypotheses:

Null Hypothesis (H₀): No significant difference exists in the mean ratings.

Alternative Hypothesis (H₁): A significant difference exists among at least one car model’s mean ratings.

ANOVA Table:

Source	SS	df	MS	F	P-value
Between Groups	4891.57	4	1222.8925	41.6879	3.1303E-25
Within Groups	5720.225	195	29.3345	–	–
Total	10611.795	199	–	–	–

Hypothesis Testing Result:

Since the P-value (3.1303E-25) is far less than 0.05, the null hypothesis is rejected.

Conclusion from ANOVA:

There is a statistically significant difference in the mean consumer ratings among the car models Mahindra XUV700, Toyota Fortuner, Kia Seltos, and Skoda Kushaq. This means at least one car model is rated significantly higher or lower than the others.

Conclusion:

The study reveals significant differences in consumer perceptions of the selected cars, as indicated by the high F-value and extremely low P-value, suggesting strong variation in how respondents rate these models, which provides valuable insights for manufacturers and marketers to identify the best- and worst-perceived cars, enhance design, comfort, safety features, and pricing strategies, and strengthen brand communication for specific target segments, ultimately helping understand consumer satisfaction differences among popular SUV models in India.

References:

• Sivakumar, A., & Rajendran, G. (2020). Factors Influencing Consumers’ Car Buying Decision in India. International Journal of Management, 11(6), 45–52.
(Discusses safety, price, comfort and brand image impact.)

• Kumar, R., & Ranjan, J. (2017). Customer Perception and Satisfaction Towards Car Brands in India. Indian Journal of Marketing, 47(5), 20–34.

• Mishra, A. (2019). Consumer Satisfaction Towards SUV Cars in India. International Journal of Scientific Research, 8(2), 1–5.

• Shende, V. M. (2014). Analysis of Factors Affecting Consumer Buying Behavior for Cars. International Journal of Application or Innovation in Engineering & Management, 3(12), 1–6.