JD Power released the results of its 2021 U.S. Initial Quality Study (IQS) today, finding that new-vehicle quality has improved two percent overall from 2020. While a positive for the industry, the slight improvement is a decrease in the rates found in previous years, which average three percent over the last decade. Technology and infotainment systems are the primary areas slowing improvement in initial quality and remain the most significant problem areas for new-vehicle owners.
"Owners are caught in the middle when vehicle and phone technologies don't properly connect," said Dave Sargent, vice president of automotive quality at JD Power. He continued to say that "with more vehicles being fitted with the wireless technology owners want, the study reveals an increase in connectivity problems between smartphones and vehicles, leaving many owners unhappy."
JD Power measures initial quality by the number of problems per 100 vehicles (PP100) owners experience within the first 90 days of ownership. A lower score indicates fewer problems and higher quality. The industry average for 2021 is 162 PP100, an improvement of 4 PP100 from 2020. Overall, 20 of 32 brands improve their quality scores from the previous year.
Key findings from JD Power's 2021 IQS include:
For the first time since the study's inception, Ram is the highest-ranked brand in overall initial quality. Ram's score of 128 PP100 lands it at the top, followed by Dodge at 139 PP100, and a tie between Lexus and Mitsubishi at 144 PP100. Nissan rounds out the top-scoring group with 146 PP100. Hyundai Motor Group is the parent corporation to receive the most model-level awards with seven, followed by Toyota Motor Corporation with five and BMW AG with four.
The IQS also looks at the manufacturing facilities that produce vehicles with the fewest defects or malfunctions. Toyota Motor Corporation's Motomachi 2 plant in Japan, which builds the Lexus LC, receives the Platinum Plant Quality Award for producing vehicles with the fewest defects. Two plants receive the Gold Plant Award:
The JD Power 2021 U.S. Initial Quality Study analyzes responses from 110,827 buyers and lessees of new 2021 model-year vehicles. Study participants are asked 223 questions across nine categories that include infotainment, features, interior, powertrain, and more.
JD Power is the source of information for this article. It was accurate on August 31, 2021, but it may have changed since that date.
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