Hybrid auto owners loyalIn U.S. 47%, compared with 35% overall, buy car of the same make in next purchase, study reports.

DETROIT -- Hybrid car owners are some of the most loyal in the U.S. market, with nearly half purchasing a vehicle of the same make when they buy another car, according to a study released Monday by an automotive data company.

Forty-seven percent of hybrid buyers buy a vehicle of the same make, compared with 35 percent of buyers overall, according to Experian Automotive, a division of global information provider Experian, whose North American headquarters are in Costa Mesa, Calif. Eighteen percent of hybrid car buyers even buy the same model, compared with 12 percent overall.

Scott Waldron, president of Experian Automotive, said the results show hybrid manufacturers have a clear advantage in attracting and maintaining customers. That's critical, since overall loyalty to car firms has been steadily slipping over the last decade. One percentage point in loyalty can transfer to thousands of sales, he said.