The latest Chevrolet Malibu has collected honor after honor -- including a recommendation from
Consumer Reports -- but it is still having difficulty gaining traction with American consumers,
Kevin Helliker and John D. Stoll report. The Toyota Camry outsold it, 437,000 to 177,000, last year in the U.S., according to Autodata Corp.
Call it lingering pessimism. "A perception of
inferior quality is the most serious problem facing GM," aside from its financial predicament, says David Cole, chairman of the Center for Automotive Research in Ann Arbor, Mich.
It took
decades for Toyota and Honda to steal big chunks of the market from Detroit, and it will take years to steal it back. "It takes word of mouth," admits Bennie Fowler, vp of global quality for Ford, but
he predicts that "it won't be long before a Ford vehicle takes its rightful place in the customer's garage."
The problem, of course, is that the U.S. auto industry can't wait very long
for buyers to return. But the current financial crisis could actually play in its favor. A just-released R.L. Polk survey of 713 vehicle owners found that 72% were extremely, very or somewhat likely
to "consider buying a domestic vehicle to support the U.S. economy."
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