The results of the JD Power 2018 US Initial Quality Study are out, with Korean automakers Genesis, Kia and Hyundai – which all fall under the Hyundai Group banner – taking the top three spots for overall initial quality.
“Initial quality” in this annual study – fielded from February to the end of May 2018 in the United States – is measured by the number of problems experienced per 100 vehicles (PP100) during the first 90 days of ownership, with a lower score reflecting higher quality.
In this latest study, JD Power says quality improved across six of the eight categories measured, with 21 of the 31 brands included improving their scores from 2017. In addition, the industry average of 93 PP100 is four units better than in 2017.
Genesis, a brand not offered in South Africa, ranked highest in overall initial quality with a score of 68 PP100. Kia (72 PP100) ranked second and Hyundai (74 PP100) third, marking the first time that three Korean brands are at the very top of the pile.
Porsche (79 PP100) took fourth and Ford (81 PP100) fifth. JD Power said that Mazda was the most-improved brand, with owners reporting 25 PP100 fewer problems than they did in 2017. Other brands with strong improvements included Mitsubishi (20 PP100 improvement), Hyundai (14 PP100 improvement) and Lexus (14 PP100 improvement).
Nissan (85 PP100), BMW (87 PP100) and Mercedes-Benz (92 PP100) snuck in above the industry average of 93 PP100, while Toyota managed 96 PP100. Volkswagen and Audi were ranked even lower with 103 and 105 PP100, respectively, while Volvo (122 PP100), Jaguar (148 PP100) and Land Rover (160 PP100) were the three worst performers in the study.
Check out the full brand rankings below…
