Study: Korean-made cars have fewest problems among non-luxury models
According to J.D. Power’s 2015 U.S. Initial Quality Study.
It’s getting easier to own a car, according to the results of J.D. Power’s 2015 Initial Quality Study (IQS), which showed initial quality of new vehicles improved 3 percent from 2014.
The global marketing information services firm measured problems experienced by roughly 84,000 new-car buyers or lessees during the first 90 days of ownership, and evaluated initial quality based on the number of problems experienced per 100 vehicles (PP100). Korean car brands took the lead for quality this year, having the fewest problems per 100 vehicles and outperforming both Japanese and American brands.
“[Korean brands] are stepping up the improvements on existing models, but are also working up front to launch vehicles with higher quality,’’ Renee Stephens, vice president of U.S. Automotive at J.D. Power, said in a statement.
Korean brands Kia and Hyundai both placed in the top five brands for initial quality, and for the first time in the study’s history, Kia led all non-premium nameplates in initial quality.
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These are the 20 longest-lasting vehicles, according to car search engine iSeeCars:
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Japanese brands took a hit and, in another study ‘first,’ fell below industry average. European brands also outperformed Japanese and domestic brands, with luxury European brand Porsche (80 PP100) ranking highest in initial quality for the third consecutive year.
“For so long, Japanese brands have been viewed by many as the gold standard in vehicle quality,’’ Stephens said.
What were the main problems reported?
For a third year in a row, buggy voice recognition and Bluetooth pairing for smartphones topped the list. Though 67 percent of all new vehicle owners have voice recognition technology in their cars, Stephens stated that the auto industry is struggling to keep pace with smartphone technology.
The top 5 brands, according to the 2015 IQS rankings:
1. Porsche (80 PP100)
2. Kia (86 PP100)
3. Jaguar (93 PP100)
4. Hyundai (95 PP100)
5. Infiniti (97 PP100)
If none of these car brands appeal to you, search Boston.com for thousands of new and used cars at all different price points.
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