If you’re looking for a new ride, one of the best sources of information about current models is J.D. Power’s Initial Quality Study. Every year, it polls tens of thousands of consumers to find out what kinds of problems they’ve had with their new cars, trucks, and SUVs during the first 90 days of ownership.
This year, South Korean brands Genesis and Hyundai topped Power’s list, along with their sibling Kia–which is, unfortunately, the only major automaker in America that doesn’t offer workplace protections to its LGBT employees. Will someone drag Kia into 2018, please?
Among the lowest-ranked brands, we find luxury stalwarts like Volvo, Jaguar, and Land Rover, while in the non-premium segment, there’s Chrysler, Mitsubishi, and Subaru. Here’s a chunk from Power’s press release:
New-vehicle quality—measured by the number of problems experienced per 100 vehicles (PP100) during the first 90 days of ownership—is at its highest level ever, having improved by 4% in the past year, according to the J.D. Power 2018 U.S. Initial Quality Study (IQS).SMAdditionally, the Korean trio of Genesis, Kia, and Hyundai achieve a clean sweep of the top three nameplate rankings this year, leading the charge in terms of overall brand quality.
The level of quality of today’s new vehicles reflects four consecutive years of improvement. In this year’s study, quality improves across six of the eight categories measured, with 21 of the 31 brands ranked in the study improving their quality from 2017. The industry average of 93 PP100 compares with 97 PP100 in 2017.
“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.”
Skim all the findings by category or make here.