I found these statistics very interesting from a JD Power survey of Jeep Wrangler owners vs the average compact SUV buyer:
Quote:
J.D. Power classifies the Wrangler as a compact SUV, and there are many differences between Wrangler owners and compact SUV owners as a whole. For example, 70% of Wrangler owners are men, compared to 50% for the overall segment. They are younger, too, with a median age of 53 years (vs. 59 for the segment). A Wrangler owner’s median annual household income is $141,477 (vs. $92,841).
Most Wrangler owners agree that they prefer to buy a vehicle from a domestic company (75% vs. 63%). They are also more likely to agree that their friends and family think of them as someone who knows a great deal about autos (74% vs. 56%).
Wrangler owners are not as concerned about fuel economy, reliability, or high maintenance costs. Just 30% agree that a first consideration when choosing a vehicle is miles per gallon (vs. 67% for the segment), 90% agree that reliability is a first consideration (vs. 96%), and 81% agree that they avoid vehicles they think will have high maintenance costs (vs. 91%).
At the same time, 90% of Wrangler owners agree that they like a vehicle that stands out from a crowd (vs. 67%), and just 21% agree that a vehicle is just a way of getting from place to place (vs. 44%).
Safety and environmental friendliness are less important to Wrangler owners. Just 76% agree that they’re willing to spend more in order to ensure that their vehicle has the latest safety features (vs. 81%), and 38% agree that they are willing to pay more for a vehicle that is environmentally friendly (vs. 56%).
Owners say their favorite things about the Wrangler are (in descending order) the exterior styling, interior design, visibility and safety, engine/transmission, and infotainment system. Owners indicate their least favorite things about the Wrangler are (in descending order) the climate control system, driving dynamics, seats, storage and space, and fuel economy.
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https://www.jdpower.com/cars/expert-...etorque-review
30% of Wrangler owners say fuel economy is a first consideration, and they chose a Wrangler? 90% say reliability and 81% say maintenance costs are a first consideration.
Are these owners ignorant, or do they deceive themselves into thinking other vehicles in the segment don't get better fuel economy or have better reliability? I wonder why off-road ability wasn't mentioned, because that might explain the answers, assuming top off road performance was a first consideration and fuel economy and reliability are first after that.
As a disclaimer, this isn't a knock at people who enjoy owning a Wrangler. If you know me, I'm perfectly fine with any reasoning for people wanting what they want. I just wonder if there are many uninformed, or many that are willfully blind? I'm not singling out Wrangler owners either, but more wondering in general if consumers say they value one thing, but actually value another over that?