Eco-Bloggers Chat Up Toyota, General Motors and Honda

Based on an analysis of 40 million blog posts this year, Toyota, General Motors and Honda have a higher number of “green” positive mentions, according to J.D. Power and Associates' inaugural Environmental Sustainability Report.

The study is billed as the first comprehensive look at consumer conversations about environmental sustainability, global warming, purchase trends and user demographics, which are captured from online blogosphere conversations.

The report details discussions about the sustainability topic in general and also classifies brands based on both volume (measured by the number of new mentions per week, on average) and percentage of positive mentions.

General Motors, Honda and Toyota emerge as pacesetters and score in the top quadrant for both volume and the percentage of positive mentions.

Toyota leads General Motors in the total volume of posts, accounting for 14% of all posts regarding automotive brands and sustainability. General Motors is a close second in post volume with 11%.

Nissan outscores all other automotive brands in the percentage of positive discussion with 56%, but receives a lower overall volume.

“It is not unexpected that Toyota is mentioned frequently in the blogosphere by environmentally conscious consumers due to the success and popularity of the Prius,” says Chance Parker, vice president and general manager of the Web Intelligence Division at J.D. Power.

“What might be more surprising to some is the strong showing that GM has made within the blogging community that is concerned with environmental sustainability, Parker says. “All of the effort that GM has made to market its hybrid vehicles and future powertrains, such as the electric technology that will be featured in the Volt, appears to be resonating with consumers.”