Michigan, US
In what is a major overhaul to what has long been recognized as a brand’s Initial Quality Study (IQS), JD Power has incorporated franchise dealership repair visits with the Voice of the Customer (VOC) to provide a full view of vehicle quality as it pertains to the model year 2024. A report unveiled today shows that the current benchmark for problems per 100 vehicles which is abbreviated as PP100 now averages 195.
This average has been beaten by mass market brands that have collectively scored 181 PP100 in a clear indication that they are conscious of the fact that the quality of vehicles on road needs to be improved. On the other hand, complex brands with complicated supply chain networks along with heavy dependence on connections rank a higher number of 232 PP100 due to problems emanating from new mob Sent.
Senior director of Auto Benchmarking at JD Power Frank Hanley added comment that while the technology is challenging the vehicle firms to maintain better quality, it has shown the more positive trend in such areas as voice recognition and parking cameras compared to the previous years.
Also Read: J.D. Power Study reveals surprises in 2024 U.S. Initial Quality
The survey also explores the attitudes toward Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) and Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs). Interestingly, even though the sustainability literature suggested that BEVs and PHEVs would be easier to maintain than traditional gas-powered vehicles, BEVs and PHEVs have higher numbers across all repair categories than the control group of traditional gas-powered vehicles. Newer BEVs and PHEVs owners claim their vehicles than gas-powered cars three times more frequently, suggesting that the sector still faces problems, according Hanley.
Specifically, gas- and diesel-powered vehicles average 180 PP100, while BEVs exhibit a higher rate at 266 PP100. Notably, Tesla's BEV quality has aligned closely with traditional OEMs this year, both scoring 266 PP100. This marks a shift from previous years where Tesla outperformed in this category, possibly impacted by the removal of traditional feature controls like turn signals and wiper stalks, which have received mixed feedback from Tesla owners.
Some of the important conclusions made in the 2024 study involve increasing annoyance with false alerts concerning security concerns such as rear-seat reminder alerts and ADAS. Further, the matters between the smartphone connection to vehicles through the Android Auto and Apple CarPlay remain an open issue; connectivity issues are the main challenge drivers face.
The next main issue of concern raised in the study is the issue of in-vehicle controls, which appear to persist to pose serious challenges, particularly in electric vehicles. The recent change to the use of buttons positioned on the steering wheel has also been a point of criticism amongst consumers, helping to account for higher scores in PP100 in this area than those labelled gas models.
Further, new cars with more superior features are seen to give uncomfortable smells inside the car and the smell from the heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems also indicate that vehicle comfort and customer satisfaction remain a pressing issue.
The annual IQS, established in 1988, is released this year and is the 38th edition, which was based on the survey of 99,144 new vehicle owners 90 days after the initial purchase. It is the first time, that also includes the so-called repair visit information in addition to conventional VOC data, which offers car manufacturers a broader view on quality problems over the entire period of vehicle ownership.
According to the initial quality study, the masses’ market brands that dominated were Ram, Chevrolet, and Hyundai, while the premium brands that performed well were Porsche, Lexus, and Genesis. Companies with model-level awards as key awards: General Motors has achieved the highest number with six, Hyundai Motor Group and Toyota Motor Corporation with four each.
The IQS takes place between July 2023 and May 2024 and targets 10 areas of the vehicle such as Infotainment, Advanced Driver Assistance Systems, Powertrain, Climate Control and others and is a way to foster ongoing development of automotive products and quality of new vehicles as perceived by buyers.