(June 21, 2018)  The Korean trio of Genesis, Kia, and Hyundai achieved a clean sweep of the top three nameplate rankings this year, leading the charge in terms of overall brand quality in the J.D. Power 2018 U.S. Initial Quality Study (IQS). 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.

The level of quality of today’s new vehicles reflects four consecutive years of improvement. In this year’s study, quality improved 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.


2018 Genesis G80

“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.”

Genesis ranked highest in overall initial quality among brands, with a score of 68 PP100. Kia (72) ranked second, and Hyundai (74) ranked third. Porsche (79) ranked fourth, and Ford (81) ranked fifth. Mazda is the most improved brand, with buyers experiencing 25 PP100 fewer than in 2017. Other brands with strong improvement scores include Mitsubishi (20 fewer PP100), Cadillac (15 fewer), Infiniti (15 fewer), Hyundai (14 fewer), and Lexus (14 fewer).


2018 Porsche 911 GTS

Key Findings

    • Of the eight categories measured, vehicle exterior now stands at 15.2 PP100, compared with 16.6 PP100 in 2017. This represents the highest improvement of any category in the 2018 study. Improvements include less wind noise and fewer paint imperfections. Significant year-over-year improvements also occurred in the seats (8.0 vs. 8.7 PP100) and vehicle interior (14.3 vs. 14.7 PP100) categories.

    • Of all models included in the study, the Porsche 911 achieved the best overall score at 48 PP100. This is also the lowest problem incidence ever recorded in this generation of the study (2013-2018).

    • All domestic automakers show faster improvement than the industry overall. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (7 PP100 improvement), Ford Motor Co. (5 PP100), and General Motors (5 PP100) all outpaced the industry average rate of improvement (4 PP100).

    • Audio/communication/entertainment/navigation (ACEN) remained the most problematic category for new-vehicle buyers. However, this area shows improvement for the third consecutive year, with the greatest improvement found in built-in voice-recognition systems.

    • However, problems with driver-assistance systems increased, as automakers added more advanced driver-assistance systems. The level is still low (3.5 PP100 on average), but has been increasing by about 20% annually for the past three years.

“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.”

The parent company receiving the most segment-level awards for its various models was Ford Motor Co. (five awards), followed by Hyundai Motor (four), and BMW, General Motors, and Nissan Motor (three each).

Ford models that ranked highest in their respective segments are the Ford Expedition; Ford Mustang; Ford Super Duty; Lincoln Continental; and Lincoln MKC. Highest-ranking Hyundai models included the Genesis G90; Hyundai Tucson; Kia Rio; and the Kia Sorento. Leading General Motors models included the Buick Envision; Chevrolet Silverado; and Chevrolet Silverado HD. Other highest-ranking models in their segments included the BMW 4 Series; BMW X1; BMW X6; Nissan Altima; Nissan Frontier; Nissan Maxima; Acura ILX; Dodge Grand Caravan; Mercedes-Benz GLA; and Toyota Corolla.

Among vehicle assembly plants, Toyota won the Platinum Plant Quality Award for highest initial quality for the Lexus LX and Toyota Land Cruiser SUVs it assembles at its Yoshiwara, Japan, plant. Plant quality awards are based solely on defects and malfunctions and exclude design-related problems.

Based on the study, J.D. Power offers the following consumer tips:

    • The maxim “Nobody makes a bad car or truck” is pretty much true: It’s hard to go wrong with any modern automaker. That said, some brands (and models) clearly offer a more satisfying early ownership experience than others, so do your research, and choose carefully.

    • Determine the areas in which problems most frequently occur. Are they relevant to the way you will use your vehicle?

    • Stay current with automakers’ announcements of improvements in their vehicles, and their efforts to remedy problems.