Dodge and Kia rate highest in quality awards, Tesla unofficially last
Dodge was first American brand to be top in the survey’s history. Photo: Dodge
Dodge and Kia are the top brands in the USA when it comes to quality, while Tesla has ranked last according to a new survey.
The annual J.D. Power Initial Quality Study results have just been published, with Dodge the first domestic brand in the study’s history to rank highest.
J.D. Power is a global leader in consumer insights, advisory services and data and analytics.
This is the sixth consecutive year that Kia is the highest-ranked mass-market brand. Chevrolet and Ram place third in a tie. Genesis is the highest ranked premium brand for the fourth consecutive year in the study.
The study, now in its 34th year, examines problems experienced by owners of new 2020 model-year vehicles during the first 90 days of ownership. Initial quality is determined by the number of problems experienced per 100 vehicles (PP100), with a lower score reflecting higher quality.
The industry average — 166 problems per 100 vehicles — was higher than last year’s 93 problems per 100 cars because the study was redesigned this year for the first time since 2013, adding questions about a number of technologies that didn't exist in prior surveys.
"The higher problem levels we see in this year's study don't mean vehicle quality has worsened; rather, the redesigned study asks additional questions that allow owners to cite more of the problems that they are experiencing," said Dave Sargent, vice president of automotive quality at J.D. Power.
Dodge and Kia tie for highest in overall initial quality, each with a score of 136 PP100.
The study also found that only three luxury brands topped the industry average for problems per vehicle: Hyundai Motor Group's Genesis, Toyota's Lexus and General Motors' Cadillac.
"Premium brands generally equip their vehicles with more complex technology, which can cause problems for some owners," according to J.D. Power.
Tesla USA wouldn’t allow some of its customers to take part in the survey. Photo: Tesla
Tesla scored the worst with 250 PP100. The automaker is not officially ranked among other brands in the study, as it doesn’t meet ranking criteria.
“Unlike other manufacturers, Tesla doesn’t grant us permission to survey its owners in 15 states where it is required,” said Doug Betts, president of the automotive division at J.D. Power.
“However, we were able to collect a large enough sample of surveys from owners in the other 35 states and, from that base, we calculated Tesla’s score.”
Hyundai Motor Group, whose brands include Genesis, Hyundai and Kia, had the most vehicles top their segments for highest quality with seven. GM had six, BMW had three, Ford Motor had three and Nissan had three.
Almost one-fourth of all problems cited by new-vehicle owners relate to infotainment. Top complaints include built-in voice recognition; Android Auto/Apple CarPlay connectivity; touchscreens; built-in navigation systems; and Bluetooth connectivity.
