Buyers praise Lexus and Toyota, boo Hummer
Mercedes-Benz conspicously absent from top awards
Buyers praise Lexus and Toyota, boo H2
Highlights from the USA Today article:
Japanese and German auto manufacturers still dominate a leading measure of quality, while U.S. automakers are improving but still below the industry average.
Among individual brands, General Motors' popular Hummer scored dead last in J.D. Power and Associates' 2003 Initial Quality Survey. Buyers of the giant sport-utility vehicle apparently were surprised by its gas-guzzling ways.
The survey is based on buyers' reports of problems during the first 90 days of ownership.
Toyota topped automakers in the survey for the fourth consecutive year with 115 problems per 100 vehicles.
The industry average was 133. Its Lexus luxury division beat all other brands, with 76 complaints per 100 cars. The brand average also was 133.
But Toyota as a whole had one of the biggest year-over-year declines, dropping 7%. Honda, No. 4 in overall quality, was down 11%.
Among brands, GM's Cadillac and Buick finished in the top five. But Hummer, the hot-selling big SUV inspired by the military Humvee and built off the Chevrolet Tahoe platform, scored 225 problems per 100 vehicles.
Fuel economy and wind noise were tops among customer complaints, said Don Dees, Chrysler president of quality. The use of cell phones has made consumers demand "living-room quiet" in their vehicles, he said.
Auto Spies perspective: Congrats to Lexus for another great showing! MB and BMW better pray that Lexus doesn't fix the one remaining check off point, that stops customers from buying their cars..BORING, unelegant designs. If they ever fix that (It looks like they're moving in the right direction with the 2004 LS and 2005 GS), those guys are gonna take it in the shorts, because their reliability has been less than stellar, lately. The first company that can combine the gorgeous designs of MB, with the reliability and dealer trearment of Lexus, will be UNSTOPPABLE!
Other results:
Ford Motor, under fire for falling quality scores, was second to Toyota in vehicles leading specific segments. Taking top honors: Mercury Sable sedan, Ford Crown Victoria sedan, Ford F-Series light-duty pickup, Mazda B-Series pickup, Mazda Miata. Ford owns a controlling stake in Mazda.
Suzuki was the most improved nameplate, rising 31% to 26th place.
Cadillac CTS, in its first year, came in second to the Lexus ES 300 in quality among specific models.
Chevy Malibu, Pontiac Grand Am and Hyundai Sonata beat perennial top-sellers Honda Accord and Toyota Camry among entry midsize cars.
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