Truck Dependability Raises Industry Average in J.D. Power and Associates 1999 Vehicle Dependability Study
31 March 1999
Truck Dependability Raises Industry Average in J.D. Power and Associates 1999 Vehicle Dependability Study
List of Top 1994 Model-Year Vehicles Released
AGOURA HILLS, Calif., March 31 -- Improvement in the
light-truck segment for vehicle dependability largely accounts for a 6 percent
overall industry improvement in the J.D. Power and Associates 1999 Vehicle
Dependability Index (VDI) Study(SM). Traditionally, trucks as a whole have
been more problematic than cars, but both the initial quality and long-term
dependability of the truck segment has improved dramatically.
Lexus, for the fifth year in a row, achieves the highest vehicle
dependability ranking, followed by Cadillac and Mercedes-Benz, respectively.
Lexus has been ranked the number one nameplate in vehicle dependability every
year since its first year of eligibility in 1995.
"Overall improvements in long-term quality have moved consumer focus from
the basic occurrence of vehicle defects to an interplay of expected quality,
actual quality and the costs associated with such quality issues," said
Jonathan Power, manager of the VDI study at J.D. Power and Associates.
This year's VDI study includes a special analysis to determine the most
dependable 1994 model-year vehicles. This analysis is not only based on
vehicle defects, but also on an interplay of factors such as wear and tear,
mileage and price. The top 28 individual models represent a substantial mix
of both domestic and import vehicles and includes 12 of 14 automobile
segments.
"Among the top 28 models, the actual level of problems experienced is
about the same as what respondents expected," Power said. "The one exception
is the Mazda Miata, which shows a significantly lower level of problems than
owners expected. Some models, like the Subaru Legacy and Impreza, rate well
with respondents despite moderate performance in the area of vehicle defects.
In addition, the Chevrolet C/K pickup and the GMC Yukon show a strong level of
dependability among the popular pickups and SUVs."
Based on 32,000 owners of 1994 model-year vehicles, the VDI study is used
by automotive manufacturers as a benchmark of how vehicles perform beyond
typical warranty periods.
Headquartered in Agoura Hills, Calif., J.D. Power and Associates is a
global marketing information services firm operating in key business sectors
including market research, forecasting and customer satisfaction. The firm's
quality and satisfaction measurements are based on actual customer responses
from more than one million consumers annually. J.D. Power and Associates can
be accessed through the World Wide Web at http://www.jdpower.com. Media e-mail
contact: john.pepitone@jdpower.com. This press release is provided for
editorial use only.
No advertising or other promotional use can be made of the information in
this release or J.D. Power and Associates survey results without the express
prior written consent of J.D. Power and Associates.
J.D. Power and Associates 1999 Vehicle Dependability Study(SM)
Top 28 1994 Model-Year Used Vehicles in Dependability
(Models are Listed in Alphabetical Order Per Segment)
Ford Escort Compact Car
Honda Civic Compact Car
Subaru Impreza Compact Car
Toyota Corolla Compact Car
Toyota Tercel Compact Car
Buick Regal Coupe Premium Midsize
Honda Accord Premium Midsize
Subaru Legacy Premium Midsize
Toyota Camry Premium Midsize
Mercury Grand Marquis Large Car
Lexus ES 300 Entry Luxury
Audi 100/S4 Premium Luxury
BMW 5-Series Premium Luxury
Lexus GS 300 Premium Luxury
Lexus LS 400 Premium Luxury
Lexus SC 300/SC 400 Premium Luxury
Honda Prelude Sporty Car
Mazda Miata Sporty Car
Toyota Celica Sporty Car
Dodge Viper Premium Sports Car
*Toyota Supra Premium Sports Car
Toyota Pickup Compact Pickup
Toyota 4Runner Compact SUV
Chevrolet C/K Pickup Full-Size Pickup
Toyota T100 Pickup Full-Size Pickup
GMC Yukon Full-Size SUV
Toyota Land Cruiser Full-Size SUV
Toyota Previa Compact Van
Source: J.D. Power and Associates 1999 Vehicle Dependability Study(SM)
*Note: Small sample size
Charts and graphs extracted from this press release must be
accompanied by a statement identifying J.D. Power and Associates as the
publisher and the J.D. Power and Associates 1999 Vehicle Dependability
Study(SM) as the source. No advertising or other promotional use can be
made of the information in this release or J.D. Power and Associates
survey results without the express prior written consent of J.D. Power and
Associates.
J.D. Power and Associates 1999 Vehicle Dependability Study(SM)
Nameplate Performance Based on Problems Per 100 Vehicles
(Lower Score is Better)
Lexus 208
Cadillac 241
Mercedes-Benz 254
Infiniti 269
Buick 288
Toyota 291
Audi 292
Lincoln 300
Acura 318
BMW 325
Honda 326
Mercury 338
Subaru 347
Oldsmobile 353
Volvo 356
Geo 357
Nissan 364
Ford 365
1999 Industry Average = 375
Finishing below industry average in alphabetical order are: Chevrolet,
Chrysler, Dodge, Eagle, GMC, Hyundai, Isuzu, Jaguar, Kia, Mazda,
Mitsubishi, Plymouth, Pontiac, Saab, Saturn, Suzuki and Volkswagen.
Source: J.D. Power and Associates 1998 Vehicle Dependability Study
Charts and graphs extracted from this press release must be
accompanied by a statement identifying J.D. Power and Associates as the
publisher and the J.D. Power and Associates 1998 Vehicle Dependability
Study(SM) as the source. No advertising or other promotional use can be
made of the information in this release or J.D. Power and Associates
survey results without the express prior written consent of J.D. Power and
Associates.