Toyota NZ retains most reputable crown

Toyota New Zealand has been named the most reputable company in the country for the second year running.

The firm clinched top spot in the annual Kantar Corporate Reputation Index (CRI), which is its 11th year and measures consumer perceptions of New Zealand’s top 50 companies across four key pillars – trust, leadership, fairness, and responsibility. 

Among the top 10 companies, Toyota led in the trust and leadership sections and ranked among the top performers in fairness and responsibility.

Tatsuya Ishikawa, Toyota NZ chief executive, says the recognition reflects the strength of the Toyota team and the trust customers place in the brand.

“This award belongs to the people who bring Toyota to life every day, from our national customer centre in Palmerston North, through to our vehicle operations plant in Thames, and the 60 Toyota stores rooted in communities across Aotearoa, New Zealand,” he adds. 

“But it’s also thanks to the thousands of customers who choose Toyota and give us the opportunity to earn their trust through every interaction.

“Our ambition has always been to be more than just a car company. We want to be a trusted partner in our customers’ lives and a responsible contributor to New Zealand’s future whether that’s through safer vehicles and educated drivers on our roads, lower emissions, or stronger local connections.”

Ishikawa, pictured, notes Toyota stores invest in their businesses and the communities they’re part of to help make a “meaningful difference”. 

This ranges from supporting local sports clubs to mental health and wellbeing initiatives, and local conservation efforts to youth development.

“At our core, we’re a mobility company but it’s the strength of our relationship with customers that drives our success,” he continues. 

“That relationship doesn’t begin and end with a purchase. We work hard to anticipate needs, resolve issues quickly, and deliver a seamless experience at every stage. How we look after our customers after a purchase is so important to us.”

Established by Kantar and Wright Communications in 2015, the CRI uses Kantar’s RepZ framework to assess standardised reputation attributes of a business.

Toyota NZ took the number-one spot this year ahead of Pak’nSave and Air New Zealand respectively.

Elsewhere in the rankings, AA Insurance secured sixth spot and fuel retailer Gull was 15th.