J.D. Power 2014 U.S. Initial Quality Study

New vehicle buyers in the United States are most likely to experience problems during the first 90 days of ownership if their purchase is a recently-launched model, and they live in an area that experiences harsh winters.

That’s according to the just-published results of the J.D. Power 2014 U.S. Initial Quality Study. As the survey’s name suggests, it examines what issues arise soon after delivery and gives a score based on the number of problems per 100 vehicles (PP100).

Consumers are questioned on eight areas, namely the exterior, seats, driving experience, engine and transmission, controls and displays, interior, heating and ventilation, and audio / communication / entertainment / navigation systems.

The average grade achieved in the 2014 IQS was 116 PP100, a slight rise compared to 2013’s 113 PP100. But interestingly a much higher mean score of 128 PP100 was reported for newly-introduced vehicles. That was mainly due to drivers struggling with technology-focussed features such as Bluetooth, audio controls and voice recognition.

There was also a definite regional split. While customers in the north east and mid-west recorded 117 PP100, the figure for those in the south and west was 114 PP100. This particular disparity is thought to be primarily caused by differing weather conditions.

Overall, Porsche accrued the least number of issues. The only other brands that managed to get less than 100 PP100 were Jaguar, Lexus and Hyundai.

J.D. Power 2014 U.S. Initial Quality Study Brand Ranking

Within the individual product segments, General Motors earned the most outright or tied honours thanks to the Buick Encore, Chevrolet Malibu, Chevrolet Silverado HD, Chevrolet Suburban, GMC Terrain and GMC Yukon.

J.D. Power 2014 U.S. Initial Quality Study Car Segments

J.D. Power 2014 U.S. Initial Quality Study SUV-MPV-Pick-Up Segments

Related posts:
2014 What Car? / J. D. Power survey
2014 World Car Awards winners
2014 NACTOY winners

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