Toyota and Honda tops alternative ‘green’ vehicles in Asia

Regional-Brands Toyota and Honda are most associated with alternative vehicle development among Asian car consumers, according to a Synovate Motoresearch Alternative Fuels consumer study.

"Across Asia, Toyota is the brand considered to be doing the most to bring new technologies and alternatively fuelled vehicles to the market, with Honda a close second. Toyota presently dominates all markets except Indonesia, while Honda is the first choice for Indonesian consumers, the second choice for consumers in Malaysia and the Philippines and the third choice for Thai consumers," Jon O'Loughlin, global director of Synovate Motoresearch said.

Other brands Asian consumers associate with alternative fuel technology include Volkswagen, Ford and Mitsubishi.

While the study revealed a high level of awareness among consumers in Asia regarding alternative fuel vehicles it also highlighted negative perceptions regarding costs of ownership, the availability of the fuels and the reliability of such vehicles.

The study surveyed more than 3,000 consumers who currently own a new vehicle or intend to purchase one in the next year in China, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Thailand to determine their familiarity with alternative fuel technologies, their perceptions of alternative fuel vehicles and their likely purchasing behaviour.