RESEARCH PROBLEM:

The competition among the indian car industry is growing day-by-day. Especially, many foreign companies have kept their foot in the indian market, so each and every company is trying to survive in the market. Therefore the companies mainly focus on acquiring the new customers and also in retaining the existing customers through the service rendered by them. Also by satisfying the customer needs and expectations through new product development, by increasing the technology and features of the vehicles. The Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers, however, forecast a slowdown in the rate and predicted a 12-15 per cent growth in 2011-12 (but still it is in gradual growth rate). At present variety of factors, including good GDP growth, higher spending on infrastructure development, strong consumer confidence, government's focus on rural areas, moderate price hike by the auto makers despite steep rise in commodity rates and introduction of new models, helped the industry to survive in the market. The general expectation is that the Indian auto industry will undergo tremendous changes, with the opening up of the domestic market to imports and development of local assembly by leading MNCS. To meet the challenges ahead, vehicle manufactures will have to strive to cut costs further, improve productivity, enhance market orientation and successfully create a high level of consumer loyalty. The ultimate success of a car manufacturer is depending on one important factor i.e., now for the car manufacturers are able to convince the customers about the respective brands. In the present study, an attempt is made to study the consumer preference to Hyundai cars in Trichy city.

INTRODUCTION OF THE STUDY: This study helps to find the preferences of consumers towards the Hyundai cars. It mainly focuses on the Hyundai car users with special reference to Arasu Hyundai, Indian Car Industry is one of the most

Tiruchirapalli.. Now at the present scenario, the

competitive industries of the world. So the consumers is also differentiating while purchase. We surveyed that on what points (price, maintenance cost, comfort, mileage, brand, durability, looks, etc.) the consumers where differentiating between various models and brands. The main motive was to know what the consumer wants in the car these days.

KEY VARIABLES STUDIED: We studied the consumer preferences depending on the various variables such as price, maintenance cost, comfort, mileage, brand, durability, looks, etc. The surveyed people replied to us on the basis of ranking between 1 to 7. They ranked as per their thought and replied as. One of the survey questionnaire has been shown above which shows how people replied for the various variables. Then we studied these variables in the software SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences). On the basis of the results, we came to know that it is the price which matters most for the consumers in buying the cars, after that it is the maintenance cost, mileage, style, etc. On the basis the project is carried out.

OVERVIEW OF VARIOUS COMPANIES IN THE INDUSTRY Maruti Suzuki India Limited: The first company in India to mass-produce and sell more than a million cars. It is largely credited for having brought in an automobile revolution to India. To this day it is the market leader in India in its segment.

Hyundai Motors India Limited: Hyundai Motors is the world's Sixth Largest Automaker. Hyundai motors has various models of cars in the market. The one flag ship car for Hyundai is Hyundai Santro they are strong competitors for Maruti. Tata Motors: Tata Motors Ltd, is a part of Tata group. Its flagship model is Tata Indica V2. It is one of the most important car in the small car segment. GM Motors: General Motors is one of the largest car manufacturers in the world. In India it produces car with the brand name Chevrolet. It mainly produces luxury cars but also it has a model Chevrolet Spark which is a good competitor in small car market, in luxury market its main car is Chevrolet Optra. Mitsubishi Autos: Mitsubishi Autos has limited models in India, its flagship model is Mitsubishi Lancer,which is a luxury car in India. Skoda Motors: Making entry into India with its model Skoda Octavia, Skoda also serves niche segment of luxury car segment. With a very limited number of models in India.

Mahindra& Mahindra:
The story starts some time in the 1940s. Pandit Nehru has a dream of building a modern, industrially advanced nation. And inspired by Nehrus vision are two brothers, Kailash Chandra Mahindra and Jagadish Chandra Mahindra. K.C.Mahindra during his tenure in the United Stateshad met Berney Roos. Roos was the inventor of rugged General Purpose vehicle or the Jeep. The Jeep had earned reputation in the battle fields of World War II. On October 2nd 1945, the Mahindra brothers joined hands with Ghulam Mohammed to set up a company to assemble American Willys Jeeps in India. The collaboration between M&M and its original partner Kaiser Jeep Corporation and later American Motor Corporation is for the phased manufacture of CJ3B Jeep. The company is named Mahindra and Mohammed.

But after Independence Ghulam Mohammed migrates to Pakistan. With his departure Mahindra & Mohammed is renamed by Mahindra & Mahindra in 13thJanuary 1948. The first vehicles are assembled in Mazaogaon in Bombay.

The first M&M built Willys Overland Jeeprolled out of the Mazaogaon plant on 3 June 1949. Five years later, in 1954, the first completely indigenous Jeep rolled out of the factory floor. At one point 70 per cent of the sales were assured by army and government.

FIAT:
In 1951, PAL singed up with Fiat to assemble the Fiat 500 in India. In 1952, the tariff commission spelled out future for the auto industry indigenize or get out. Companies like Ford and GM, which had assembly operations in India, packed their bags and went home. But fiat decided to stick it out and committed itself full-fledged manufacture of the Millicentoin 1954. In sep 1964, PAL and FIAT launched the Fiat 1100 DELITE in India.The biggest customers for PALs were Bombays taxi drivers. The Padminies wereeasy for maintenance in terms of spares and labour cost, low on running cost, easy to drive and reasonably tough. It was everything that a taxi driver wants.