Consumer studies in the US, Britain, France and Germany carried out by Mercer Management Consulting indicate that motorists' loyalty to car brands has declined by 18 points from the index of 100 established by the firm's 1999 brand loyalty survey.

Mercer explains the negative trend in same-brand repurchase in terms of increased competition between manufacturers, the reappearance of brands extending the choice available, and low levels of satisfaction with dealers' performance in sales (quoted as 45%) and service (34%).

Paradoxically, the Mercer report suggests that its index of motorists' potential loyalty, measuring interest in brands in combination with buying intentions, has actually increased, while fewer survey respondents to the latest survey were driving the same brand they had owned previously.