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Porsche Tops Overall Brand Ratings, But Lincoln Slides, in J.D. Power Report
WESTLAKE VILLAGE, California — Porsche topped the overall brand ratings for the third straight year in the 2008 J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality Study, while Lincoln fell from No. 3 to No. 15. The study results were released on Wednesday.
Infiniti was a strong performer in the annual study, rising from No. 9 to No. 2. Jeep was at the bottom of the heap in the study, with Mini ranked next to last.
Saturn also took a tumble, falling to No. 33 from its No. 20 ranking a year ago. Ford and Mercury performed well, ending up in the top eight.
J.D. Power and Associates applauded the auto industry in general for "a continued reduction in the level of defects and malfunctions" in vehicles. Overall quality improved by 6 percent in 2008 compared with 2007, the study found.
"This gain is driven not only by strong advances from many of the high-volume brands, such as Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota, but also by very significant improvements by many other automakers," said David Sargent, J.D. Power and Associates vice president of automotive research. "This industry-wide improvement is a testament to the effort that automakers are putting into listening to the voice of the customer."
The study found that new-vehicle sales patterns in 2008 shifted away from large cars and trucks toward smaller models. Sargent noted that "the good news for consumers in this difficult environment is that they can downsize with confidence, as there are many models with high initial quality in the smaller-vehicle segments."
For instance, the 2008 Honda Civic, CR-V and Fit captured three segment awards, more than any other nameplate in the 2008 Initial Quality Study.
The study named the Honda Fit as the highest-ranked subcompact car. The Honda Civic was the highest-ranked compact car, while the Mazda MX-5 Miata was the highest-ranked compact sporty car. The Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class was the highest-ranked compact premium sporty car, while the Infiniti EX-Series was the highest-ranked entry premium vehicle. The Lexus LS was the highest-ranked large premium car, while the Chevrolet Malibu was the highest-ranked midsize car. The Pontiac Grand Prix took home honors as the highest-ranked large car.
Also receiving segment awards were the Ford E-Series, Lincoln Navigator and Toyota Sequoia.
The Porsche 911 has the fewest quality problems in the industry, with 67 problems per 100 vehicles, the study noted.
The Mercedes-Benz assembly plant in Sindelfingen, Germany, won the Platinum Plant Quality Award for producing the vehicles with the fewest defects and malfunctions. The plant builds the Mercedes-Benz CL-Class, CLS-Class, E-Class sedan and wagon and S-Class.
What this means to you: Some reassuring words and concrete information from a highly respected independent source, especially as the market shifts toward smaller cars. — Anita Lienert, Correspondent
Infiniti was a strong performer in the annual study, rising from No. 9 to No. 2. Jeep was at the bottom of the heap in the study, with Mini ranked next to last.
Saturn also took a tumble, falling to No. 33 from its No. 20 ranking a year ago. Ford and Mercury performed well, ending up in the top eight.
J.D. Power and Associates applauded the auto industry in general for "a continued reduction in the level of defects and malfunctions" in vehicles. Overall quality improved by 6 percent in 2008 compared with 2007, the study found.
"This gain is driven not only by strong advances from many of the high-volume brands, such as Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota, but also by very significant improvements by many other automakers," said David Sargent, J.D. Power and Associates vice president of automotive research. "This industry-wide improvement is a testament to the effort that automakers are putting into listening to the voice of the customer."
The study found that new-vehicle sales patterns in 2008 shifted away from large cars and trucks toward smaller models. Sargent noted that "the good news for consumers in this difficult environment is that they can downsize with confidence, as there are many models with high initial quality in the smaller-vehicle segments."
For instance, the 2008 Honda Civic, CR-V and Fit captured three segment awards, more than any other nameplate in the 2008 Initial Quality Study.
The study named the Honda Fit as the highest-ranked subcompact car. The Honda Civic was the highest-ranked compact car, while the Mazda MX-5 Miata was the highest-ranked compact sporty car. The Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class was the highest-ranked compact premium sporty car, while the Infiniti EX-Series was the highest-ranked entry premium vehicle. The Lexus LS was the highest-ranked large premium car, while the Chevrolet Malibu was the highest-ranked midsize car. The Pontiac Grand Prix took home honors as the highest-ranked large car.
Also receiving segment awards were the Ford E-Series, Lincoln Navigator and Toyota Sequoia.
The Porsche 911 has the fewest quality problems in the industry, with 67 problems per 100 vehicles, the study noted.
The Mercedes-Benz assembly plant in Sindelfingen, Germany, won the Platinum Plant Quality Award for producing the vehicles with the fewest defects and malfunctions. The plant builds the Mercedes-Benz CL-Class, CLS-Class, E-Class sedan and wagon and S-Class.
What this means to you: Some reassuring words and concrete information from a highly respected independent source, especially as the market shifts toward smaller cars. — Anita Lienert, Correspondent
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