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J.D. Power's 2005
Standouts For
Initial Quality
By Marc Lachapelle
Corporate giants General Motors and Toyota took the lion's share of the various awards in the latest Initial Quality Study, produced by survey experts J.D. Power and Associates.
Indeed, GM and Toyota, the world's two largest carmakers according to sales volume, have taken the top spot in 15 of the 18 categories covered by this latest study.
For this year's report, the J.D. Power team compiled responses from more than 62,000 buyers and lessees of new 2005 model year vehicles. The survey respondents were asked to rate their vehicles after the first three months of use.
The exhaustive questionnaire touches on 135 different attributes, spread across nine categories. They include ride quality, handling, braking, engine and transmission performance, plus a vast array of typical problem areas on new vehicles.
The annual Initial Quality Survey also establishes an overall score in Problems Per 100 Vehicles (or PP100, its well-established yardstick) for the various nameplates, and it hands out awards for overall plant quality worldwide.
A Repeat Performance
Toyota is certainly no stranger to these Initial Quality study, its Lexus and Toyota models having had a dominant presence in their findings for most of the awards' 19 years. For this new study of new 2005 models, Toyota Motor Corporation products have been ranked first in 10 of the 18 segments covered by the survey.
Among notable performers is the Lexus SC 430 sport-luxury roadster, which has not only been anointed as the best entry in the Premium Luxury Car category, but also as the Highest-Ranked of all models in the study, for a second year in a row.
Among other winners in this group, the Lexus GX 470 switched places at the top with its stable mate, the Lexus LX 470 in the Premium Luxury SUV class, while the Lexus RX330 and the Lexus GS 300 and Lexus GS 430 duo were repeat awardees in the Entry Luxury SUV and Mid Luxury Car segments, respectively.
The other Lexus and Toyota segment winners were the Toyota Prius, in Compact Car, the Lexus IS 300/ IS 300 SportCross, in Entry Luxury Car, the Toyota Sienna, for Compact Vans, the Toyota RAV4, as Highest Ranked Entry SUV and the Toyota 4Runner, in the Midsize SUV segment.
American Winners
General Motors is another standout in these 2005 Initial Quality rankings. Including its five category award winners, GM placed a total of 15 different models in the top tier of the various classes.
The Chevrolet Malibu and Malibu Maxx, most notably, were jointly rated highest in the fully competitive Entry Midsize Car category, while GM models swept all podium spots in the Premium Midsize Car class, with the Buick Century leading the Chevrolet Impala and Pontiac Grand Prix as its equal first runners-up.
The other class winners for GM were the Buick LeSabre, in Full-Size Car; the Chevrolet Suburban, the top-rated Full-Size SUV and, finally, the GMC Sierra 2500HD and 3500 duo as highest-ranked Heavy Duty Full-Size Pickups.
Ford models were highest ranked in two categories. The Ford Explorer Sport Trac repeated as the top-rated Compact Pickup, with the Ford Ranger as first runner-up, while the Ford F-150 took over from the Toyota Tundra as the best-rated Light Duty Full-Size Pickup.
Plant Quality Awards
The quality story doesn't end there this year for 'the General', since GM manufacturing units took all three medals awarded for 'North/South America plant quality'. Canadian workers can be rightfully proud that the Oshawa #2 and Oshawa #1 plants - where several of the cars mentioned above are built - received the coveted Gold and Silver Plant Quality Awards, while the Bronze went to the Hamtramck, Michigan facility.
Still, the Platinum Award for worldwide plant quality went to Toyota's Tahara, Japan facility, for a fourth consecutive year. Toyota's Higashi-Fuji plant and Nissan's Tochigi factory, both in Japan, took the Silver and Bronze awards for the Asia Pacific region.
The Jaguar plant, in Halewood, U.K. (part of Ford's Premier Auto Group), earned the Gold Plant Quality Award for Europe, while BMW's Regensburg, Germany plant took the Silver medal. The Bronze was shared by BMW's Munich plant, and Porsche's original venue, in Zuffenhausen, near Stuttgart.
Notably Improved
Also noteworthy is the impressive rise of the GM-owned Hummer brand in the overall quality of its vehicles. Hummer improved its rating by 36 per cent, as its PP100 score dropped from 173 for 2004 models, to 115 this year. By the same token, the Hummer brand rose from the 38th and last spot in the 2004 Nameplate rankings, to 10th place on this year's list, neatly above the industry average of 118 PP100. This performance is due, in great part, to the Hummer H2 model, which improved its PP100 score by a solid 63 points.
The resurgent Nissan brand also achieved a much improved rating in the latest IQS, with an overall nameplate PP100 score that rose from a lowly 154 in last year's study, to a more competitive 120 for 2005 models.
The Quest minivan was Nissan's - and the whole survey sample's - most improved model, but even a PP100 score reduced by a stunning 104 points was not good enough for a place on the podium in the Compact Van category, topped by the Toyota Sienna, ahead of Chrysler's Town & Country and the Dodge Caravan and Grand Caravan.
By contrast, the Nissan 350Z turned the tables on its top rivals, the Honda S2000 and Porsche 911, and took the top rank in the Premium Sports Car class.
Another model that showed notable progress is the new-for-2005 Kia Spectra, with a PP100 improvement of 64 points, enough to earn the 1st runner-up spot in Compact Car, just ahead of two perennial standouts: the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla.
TOP VEHICLES BY CATEGORY:
Compact Car
Highest Ranked Model: Toyota Prius
1st runner-up: Kia Spectra
2nd runner-up (tie): Honda Civic
2nd runner-up (tie): Toyota Corolla
Entry Midsize Car
Highest Ranked Model: Chevrolet Malibu & Malibu Maxx
1st runner-up: Hyundai Sonata
2nd runner-up: Volkswagen Jetta
Premium Midsize Car
Highest Ranked Model: Buick Century
1st runner-up: (tie): Chevrolet Impala
1st runner-up: (tie): Pontiac Grand Prix
Full-Size Car
Highest Ranked Model: Buick LeSabre
1st runner-up: Mercury Grand Marquis
2nd runner-up: Ford Five Hundred
Entry Luxury Car
Highest Ranked Model: Lexus IS 300/ IS 300 SportCross
1st runner-up: Jaguar X-Type
2nd runner-up: Cadillac CTS
Mid Luxury Car
Highest Ranked Models: Lexus GS 300 & GS 430
1st runner-up: BMW 5-Series
2nd runner-up: Cadillac DeVille
Premium Luxury Car
Highest Ranked Model: Lexus SC 430
1st runner-up: Lexus LS 430
2nd runner-up: Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
Sporty Car
Highest Ranked Model: Scion tC (not sold in Canada)
1st runner-up: Acura RSX
2nd runner-up: Ford Mustang
Premium Sports Car
Highest Ranked Model: Nissan 350Z
1st runner-up: Honda S2000
2nd runner-up: Porsche 911
Compact Van
Highest Ranked Model: Toyota Sienna
1st runner-up: Chrysler Town & Country
2nd runner-up: Dodge Caravan & Grand Caravan
Entry SUV
Highest Ranked Model: Toyota RAV4
1st runner-up: Mitsubishi Outlander
2nd runner-up: Hyundai Tucson
Midsize SUV
Highest Ranked Model: Toyota 4Runner
1st runner-up: Mitsubishi Endeavor
2nd runner-up (tie): Honda Pilot
2nd runner-up (tie) Nissan Murano
Full-Size SUV
Highest Ranked Model: Chevrolet Suburban
1st runner-up: Chevrolet Tahoe
2nd runner-up: Toyota Sequoia
Entry Luxury SUV
Highest Ranked Model: Lexus RX330
1st runner-up: BMW X3
2nd runner-up: Infiniti FX35 & FX45
Premium Luxury SUV
Highest Ranked Model: Lexus GX 470
1st runner-up: Lexus LX 470
2nd runner-up: Lincoln Navigator
Compact Pickup
Highest Ranked Model: Ford Explorer Sport Trac
1st runner-up: Ford Ranger
2nd runner-up: Subaru Baja (discontinued in Canada)
Light Duty Full-Size Pickup
Highest Ranked Model: Ford F-150
1st runner-up: Cadillac Escalade EXT
2nd runner-up: Toyota Tundra
Heavy Duty Full-Size Pickup
Highest Ranked Models: GMC Sierra 2500HD and 3500
1st runners-up: Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD and 3500
2nd runners-up: Dodge Ram 2500 and 3500
NAMEPLATE RANKINGS
• Lexus - 81 PP100
• Jaguar - 88 PP100
• BMW - 95 PP100
• Buick - 100 PP100
• Cadillac - 104 PP100
• Mercedes-Benz - 104 PP100
• Toyota - 105 PP100
• Audi - 106 PP100
• Infiniti - 109 PP100
• Hummer - 110 PP100
• Hyundai - 110 PP100
• Honda - 112 PP100
• GMC - 113 PP100
• Lincoln - 113 PP100
• Acura - 116 PP100
• Industry Average: 118 PP100
• Jeep - 120 PP100
• Mercury - 120 PP100
• Nissan - 120 PP100
• Chrysler - 121 PP100
• Chevrolet - 127 PP100
• Ford - 127 PP100
• Mitsubishi - 129 PP100
• Pontiac - 129 PP100
• Dodge - 130 PP100
• Mini - 130 PP100
• Scion - 134 PP100
• Saab - 136 PP100
• Saturn - 136 PP100
• Subaru - 138 PP100
• Kia - 140 PP100
• Volvo - 140 PP100
• Porsche - 147 PP100
• Volkswagen - 147 PP100
• Land Rover - 149 PP100
• Mazda - 149 PP100
• Suzuki - 151 PP100
Source: J.D. Power and Associates 2005 Initial Quality Study
Standouts For
Initial Quality
By Marc Lachapelle
Corporate giants General Motors and Toyota took the lion's share of the various awards in the latest Initial Quality Study, produced by survey experts J.D. Power and Associates.
Indeed, GM and Toyota, the world's two largest carmakers according to sales volume, have taken the top spot in 15 of the 18 categories covered by this latest study.
For this year's report, the J.D. Power team compiled responses from more than 62,000 buyers and lessees of new 2005 model year vehicles. The survey respondents were asked to rate their vehicles after the first three months of use.
The exhaustive questionnaire touches on 135 different attributes, spread across nine categories. They include ride quality, handling, braking, engine and transmission performance, plus a vast array of typical problem areas on new vehicles.
The annual Initial Quality Survey also establishes an overall score in Problems Per 100 Vehicles (or PP100, its well-established yardstick) for the various nameplates, and it hands out awards for overall plant quality worldwide.
A Repeat Performance
Toyota is certainly no stranger to these Initial Quality study, its Lexus and Toyota models having had a dominant presence in their findings for most of the awards' 19 years. For this new study of new 2005 models, Toyota Motor Corporation products have been ranked first in 10 of the 18 segments covered by the survey.
Among notable performers is the Lexus SC 430 sport-luxury roadster, which has not only been anointed as the best entry in the Premium Luxury Car category, but also as the Highest-Ranked of all models in the study, for a second year in a row.
Among other winners in this group, the Lexus GX 470 switched places at the top with its stable mate, the Lexus LX 470 in the Premium Luxury SUV class, while the Lexus RX330 and the Lexus GS 300 and Lexus GS 430 duo were repeat awardees in the Entry Luxury SUV and Mid Luxury Car segments, respectively.
The other Lexus and Toyota segment winners were the Toyota Prius, in Compact Car, the Lexus IS 300/ IS 300 SportCross, in Entry Luxury Car, the Toyota Sienna, for Compact Vans, the Toyota RAV4, as Highest Ranked Entry SUV and the Toyota 4Runner, in the Midsize SUV segment.
American Winners
General Motors is another standout in these 2005 Initial Quality rankings. Including its five category award winners, GM placed a total of 15 different models in the top tier of the various classes.
The Chevrolet Malibu and Malibu Maxx, most notably, were jointly rated highest in the fully competitive Entry Midsize Car category, while GM models swept all podium spots in the Premium Midsize Car class, with the Buick Century leading the Chevrolet Impala and Pontiac Grand Prix as its equal first runners-up.
The other class winners for GM were the Buick LeSabre, in Full-Size Car; the Chevrolet Suburban, the top-rated Full-Size SUV and, finally, the GMC Sierra 2500HD and 3500 duo as highest-ranked Heavy Duty Full-Size Pickups.
Ford models were highest ranked in two categories. The Ford Explorer Sport Trac repeated as the top-rated Compact Pickup, with the Ford Ranger as first runner-up, while the Ford F-150 took over from the Toyota Tundra as the best-rated Light Duty Full-Size Pickup.
Plant Quality Awards
The quality story doesn't end there this year for 'the General', since GM manufacturing units took all three medals awarded for 'North/South America plant quality'. Canadian workers can be rightfully proud that the Oshawa #2 and Oshawa #1 plants - where several of the cars mentioned above are built - received the coveted Gold and Silver Plant Quality Awards, while the Bronze went to the Hamtramck, Michigan facility.
Still, the Platinum Award for worldwide plant quality went to Toyota's Tahara, Japan facility, for a fourth consecutive year. Toyota's Higashi-Fuji plant and Nissan's Tochigi factory, both in Japan, took the Silver and Bronze awards for the Asia Pacific region.
The Jaguar plant, in Halewood, U.K. (part of Ford's Premier Auto Group), earned the Gold Plant Quality Award for Europe, while BMW's Regensburg, Germany plant took the Silver medal. The Bronze was shared by BMW's Munich plant, and Porsche's original venue, in Zuffenhausen, near Stuttgart.
Notably Improved
Also noteworthy is the impressive rise of the GM-owned Hummer brand in the overall quality of its vehicles. Hummer improved its rating by 36 per cent, as its PP100 score dropped from 173 for 2004 models, to 115 this year. By the same token, the Hummer brand rose from the 38th and last spot in the 2004 Nameplate rankings, to 10th place on this year's list, neatly above the industry average of 118 PP100. This performance is due, in great part, to the Hummer H2 model, which improved its PP100 score by a solid 63 points.
The resurgent Nissan brand also achieved a much improved rating in the latest IQS, with an overall nameplate PP100 score that rose from a lowly 154 in last year's study, to a more competitive 120 for 2005 models.
The Quest minivan was Nissan's - and the whole survey sample's - most improved model, but even a PP100 score reduced by a stunning 104 points was not good enough for a place on the podium in the Compact Van category, topped by the Toyota Sienna, ahead of Chrysler's Town & Country and the Dodge Caravan and Grand Caravan.
By contrast, the Nissan 350Z turned the tables on its top rivals, the Honda S2000 and Porsche 911, and took the top rank in the Premium Sports Car class.
Another model that showed notable progress is the new-for-2005 Kia Spectra, with a PP100 improvement of 64 points, enough to earn the 1st runner-up spot in Compact Car, just ahead of two perennial standouts: the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla.
TOP VEHICLES BY CATEGORY:
Compact Car
Highest Ranked Model: Toyota Prius
1st runner-up: Kia Spectra
2nd runner-up (tie): Honda Civic
2nd runner-up (tie): Toyota Corolla
Entry Midsize Car
Highest Ranked Model: Chevrolet Malibu & Malibu Maxx
1st runner-up: Hyundai Sonata
2nd runner-up: Volkswagen Jetta
Premium Midsize Car
Highest Ranked Model: Buick Century
1st runner-up: (tie): Chevrolet Impala
1st runner-up: (tie): Pontiac Grand Prix
Full-Size Car
Highest Ranked Model: Buick LeSabre
1st runner-up: Mercury Grand Marquis
2nd runner-up: Ford Five Hundred
Entry Luxury Car
Highest Ranked Model: Lexus IS 300/ IS 300 SportCross
1st runner-up: Jaguar X-Type
2nd runner-up: Cadillac CTS
Mid Luxury Car
Highest Ranked Models: Lexus GS 300 & GS 430
1st runner-up: BMW 5-Series
2nd runner-up: Cadillac DeVille
Premium Luxury Car
Highest Ranked Model: Lexus SC 430
1st runner-up: Lexus LS 430
2nd runner-up: Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
Sporty Car
Highest Ranked Model: Scion tC (not sold in Canada)
1st runner-up: Acura RSX
2nd runner-up: Ford Mustang
Premium Sports Car
Highest Ranked Model: Nissan 350Z
1st runner-up: Honda S2000
2nd runner-up: Porsche 911
Compact Van
Highest Ranked Model: Toyota Sienna
1st runner-up: Chrysler Town & Country
2nd runner-up: Dodge Caravan & Grand Caravan
Entry SUV
Highest Ranked Model: Toyota RAV4
1st runner-up: Mitsubishi Outlander
2nd runner-up: Hyundai Tucson
Midsize SUV
Highest Ranked Model: Toyota 4Runner
1st runner-up: Mitsubishi Endeavor
2nd runner-up (tie): Honda Pilot
2nd runner-up (tie) Nissan Murano
Full-Size SUV
Highest Ranked Model: Chevrolet Suburban
1st runner-up: Chevrolet Tahoe
2nd runner-up: Toyota Sequoia
Entry Luxury SUV
Highest Ranked Model: Lexus RX330
1st runner-up: BMW X3
2nd runner-up: Infiniti FX35 & FX45
Premium Luxury SUV
Highest Ranked Model: Lexus GX 470
1st runner-up: Lexus LX 470
2nd runner-up: Lincoln Navigator
Compact Pickup
Highest Ranked Model: Ford Explorer Sport Trac
1st runner-up: Ford Ranger
2nd runner-up: Subaru Baja (discontinued in Canada)
Light Duty Full-Size Pickup
Highest Ranked Model: Ford F-150
1st runner-up: Cadillac Escalade EXT
2nd runner-up: Toyota Tundra
Heavy Duty Full-Size Pickup
Highest Ranked Models: GMC Sierra 2500HD and 3500
1st runners-up: Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD and 3500
2nd runners-up: Dodge Ram 2500 and 3500
NAMEPLATE RANKINGS
• Lexus - 81 PP100
• Jaguar - 88 PP100
• BMW - 95 PP100
• Buick - 100 PP100
• Cadillac - 104 PP100
• Mercedes-Benz - 104 PP100
• Toyota - 105 PP100
• Audi - 106 PP100
• Infiniti - 109 PP100
• Hummer - 110 PP100
• Hyundai - 110 PP100
• Honda - 112 PP100
• GMC - 113 PP100
• Lincoln - 113 PP100
• Acura - 116 PP100
• Industry Average: 118 PP100
• Jeep - 120 PP100
• Mercury - 120 PP100
• Nissan - 120 PP100
• Chrysler - 121 PP100
• Chevrolet - 127 PP100
• Ford - 127 PP100
• Mitsubishi - 129 PP100
• Pontiac - 129 PP100
• Dodge - 130 PP100
• Mini - 130 PP100
• Scion - 134 PP100
• Saab - 136 PP100
• Saturn - 136 PP100
• Subaru - 138 PP100
• Kia - 140 PP100
• Volvo - 140 PP100
• Porsche - 147 PP100
• Volkswagen - 147 PP100
• Land Rover - 149 PP100
• Mazda - 149 PP100
• Suzuki - 151 PP100
Source: J.D. Power and Associates 2005 Initial Quality Study
