New vehicle quality has improved by 4 per cent from 2017 and reached its best level ever, according to J.D. Power’s 2018 U.S. Initial Quality Study (IQS), which measures the quality of new cars 90 days of ownership.
This is the fourth consecutive year that new vehicle quality has shown improvement.
“There’s no question that most automakers are doing a great job of listening to consumers and are producing vehicle quality of the highest caliber,” said Dave Sargent, Vice President of Global Automotive at J.D. Power. “That said, some vehicle owners are still finding problems. As vehicles become more complex and automated, it is critical that consumers have complete confidence in automakers’ ability to deliver fault-free vehicles.”
The recently released study takes into account 33 brands total. It is based on the response of around 76,000 car buyers and lessees of new, 2018 model-year vehicles, who were directed to fill out a 233-question survey meant to provide carmakers with information that can help identify problems and drive product improvement, according to Genesis Motors Canada.
Hyundai’s luxury division, Genesis, was ranked highest among all automotive brands in the study, with sister company Kia in second place and Hyundai third. J.D. Power measures initial quality based on the number of problems experienced per 100 vehicles (or PP100) within the first 90 days of ownership. The lower the score, the better the quality.
New vehicle quality in the 2018 study improved across six of the eight categories measured, as 21 of the 31 automotive brands in the study demonstrated better results this year. This is partly a result of issues with the infotainment system having decreased, although problems with driver assistance systems have gone up.
“As we look to the future, avoiding problems with safety and driver assistance technology is critical,” Sargent said. “In an era of increasingly automated vehicles, vehicle owners have to be comfortable using foundational technologies like lane keep assistance and collision avoidance. Otherwise, automakers will not easily overcome consumer resistance to fully automated (driverless) cars.”
Please see below for the list of vehicles ranked in the IQS study:
