LEASE POLICIES HELP DOMESTIC BRANDS STEAL MARKET SHARE FROM JAPANESE RIVALS

MIAMI – (November 9, 2011) – Ford, Chevrolet, Cadillac, Chrysler and BMW have been the biggest winners in terms of stealing market share from under-performing lease companies on the car leasing website LeaseTrader.com. Certain lease companies with unfavorable policies are retaining fewer drivers following a lease transfer according to data from LeaseTrader.com.

Japanese brands such as Honda, Acura, Nissan, Infiniti and Lexis have lease policies that score very low according to LeaseTrader.com users. More than 50 percent of the time a driver of one of these vehicles exits the lease with the intent of driving a different vehicle, and Ford, Chevrolet, Cadillac, Chrysler family vehicles and BMW have been the biggest winners during these transactions. For example, since the start of 2011, the majority of LeaseTrader.com customers exiting a Honda Accord, Toyota Camry or Nissan Altima have indicated their next vehicle to be a Ford Fusion, Chevy Cruze or Chevy Malibu. Lease customers exiting an Acura, Infiniti or Lexus have indicated their next vehicle to be a BMW 3 Series, Cadillac CTS or Mercedes C Class.

The below chart shows the top brands and vehicles losing customers in 2011 to rivals due to poor lease policies, lengthy transfer times and poor lease customer service. 

Vehicle Segment	Top Vehicles Exited by Volume	Top Vehicles Entered Post-Transfer
Midsize	Honda Accord	Ford Fusion
	Toyota Camry	Chevy Cruze
	Honda Civic	Chevy Malibu
	Toyota Corolla	Chrysler 200
	Nissan Altima	Ford Focus
Luxury	Top Vehicles Exited by Volume	Top Vehicles Entered Post-Transfer
	Infiniti G Sedan	BMW 3 Series
	Lexus IS 250	Mercedes C Class
	Acura TL	Cadillac CTS
	Lexus ES	BMW 5 Series

“Lease companies that score low on our customer brand retention levels should seriously consider revising their leasing policies because they are losing customers at a fairly significant pace,” said Sergio Stiberman, CEO and founder of LeaseTrader.com. "A leasing policy is just as important as the price to a leasing customer, and many drivers are taking a harder look and voting with their wallet."

Monthly sales are a good indicator of a brand’s performance at the new-car and retail level, but brand retention is one of the top indicators on LeaseTrader.com, which helps a person either exit a lease contract or take over someone else’s remaining short-term lease contract. For more than ten years, lease policy has been a key factor in a brand’s ability to keep its drivers once they exit their lease. In a recent report, LeaseTrader.com pointed out that many of the domestic brands and their lease companies scored high among customers compared with their Japanese counterparts.

About LeaseTrader.com

LeaseTrader.com, the most recognized name in car leasing, easily and affordably matches car shoppers with individuals looking to escape their auto lease. Visit www.LeaseTrader.com, on Twitter @Lease_Trader, or call 800-770-0207.