Buick, Jaguar Tops For Vehicle Dependability
By Michelle Krebs March 19, 2009
By Michelle Krebs
WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif. - Buick and Jaguar ranked highest in vehicle dependability, in a tie for first place in the J.D. Power and Associates 2009 Vehicle Dependability Study released Thursday morning.
Buick climbed to the top this year from sixth place in the 2008 rankings; Jaguar moved up from 10th place. Both surpassed Toyota and its luxury division Lexus, though Toyota and Lexus immediately followed in the No. 3 and 4 spots while also nabbing the most individual categories for vehicle dependability.
"Buick has ranked among the top 10 nameplates each year since the study was last redesigned in 2003, while Jaguar has moved rapidly up the rankings," David Sargent, vice president of automotive research at J.D. Power and Associates, said in a statement.
"Lexus remains a very strong competitor in long-term quality. In particular, the Lexus LS 430 sets the industry standard for dependability, with fewer problems reported than any other model in the study," Sargent added.
The J. D. Power study measures problems experienced by original owners of three-year-old (2006 model year) vehicles. This year the study has been redesigned to include 202 different problem symptoms across all areas of the vehicle. Overall dependability is determined by the level of problems experienced per 100 vehicles, with a lower score reflecting higher quality.
Consumers: Hanging Onto Cars Longer
Vastly improved vehicle dependability has been a double-edged sword for manufacturers. Indeed, vehicle dependability, quality and reliability, all of which have improved across the board for manufacturers in recent years, is today's price of entry. But it also has allowed consumers to hold onto their vehicles longer and postpone purchases of new cars, a factor contributing to dismal new car sales right now.
The average age of trade-ins has been edging higher every year since 2004, according to recent data compiled by Edmunds.com, parent of AutoObserver.com, last month. That puts average age of a trade-in is nearly six years old, more than a year older than its counterpart five years ago. In 2004, the average trade-in was 4.32 years old. For 2008, the average trade-in was 5.3 years old. In the first two months of this year, the age jumped to 5.95 years old, according to Edmunds.com's calculations.
"This makes vehicle dependability even more critical," noted J.D. Power's Sargent. "Automakers have improved long-term dependability by an average of 10 percent each year since the inception of the study, which is a testament to the industry's commitment to continuously improve and sustain quality, especially long-term quality."
While vehicle dependability is hurting manufacturers now because owners are holding onto their current vehicles longer, Sargent insists improved dependability will help manufacturers in the long-run. "Making improvements in long-term quality not only satisfies customers who are holding onto their vehicles longer, but it will also influence their decisions when they return to the new-vehicle market or are seeking to purchase a pre-owned vehicle," he said.
Further, the study found that the frequency and severity of component replacement has a particularly strong impact on customer loyalty intentions. Component areas for which the impact is greatest include engine and transmission. When engine components are replaced or rebuilt, just 11 percent of customers say they definitely intend to purchase or lease another vehicle of the same make, compared with nearly 40 percent among owners who report replacing no components.
To that end, the study found Buick, Lincoln, Mercury and Jaguar owners were less likely to replace components than owners of other vehicle brands. While component replacement rates are similar for premium and non-premium makes, there are notable differences between vehicle segments, J.D. Power pointed out. Owners of models in the premium sporty vehicle segment are least likely to replace components, while owners of models in the van segment are most likely to replace components.
Toyota/Lexus Nab Most Top Segment Spots
Toyota grabbed five segment awards -- more than any other nameplate in 2009 -- for the Highlander, Prius, Sequoia, Solara and Tundra. Lexus followed with four segment awards for the ES 330 (in a tie with the Acura RL), GX 470, SC 430 and the LS 430, which had the lowest problems per 100 vehicles at 61 of all vehicles in the survey.
"This is great news and timely for both our customers and our dealers, especially in today's market where consumers are re-evaluating their purchase intentions on everything from groceries to large-ticket items, like vehicles," Toyota said in a statement. "They're separating needs from wants, and focusing on a product's overall value and long-term quality, dependability and reliability. Consumers can utilize the VDS, among other tools such as the Internet, in the research and decision-making process."
Lincoln captured two awards for the Mark LT and Zephyr. Models by Acura, Buick, Dodge, Ford, Honda, Mazda, Mercury, Nissan and Scion each rank highest in one segment.
SUBCOMPACT CAR
Scion xA
Runners-up: Suzuki Aerio, Chevrolet Aveo
COMPACT CAR
Toyota Prius
Runners-up: Toyota Matrix, Pontiac Vibe
COMPACT SPORTY CAR
Mazda MX-5 Miata
Runners-up: Subaru Impreza, Pontiac Solstice Convertible
MIDSIZE SPORTY CAR
Toyota Solara
Runners-up: Chevrolet Monte Carlo, Ford Mustang
MIDSIZE CAR
Buick LaCrosse
Runners-up: Toyota Camry, Mercury Milan
LARGE CAR
Mercury Grand Marquis
Runners-up: Buick Lucerne, Mercury Montego
COMPACT PREMIUM SPORTY CAR
Nissan 350Z
Runners-up: Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class, Acura RSX
ENTRY PREMIUM VEHICLE
Lincoln Zephyr (now renamed MKZ)
Runners-up: Cadillac CTS, Infiniti G-Series
MIDSIZE PREMIUM CAR
Acura RL, Lexus ES330 (tie)
Runner-up: Infiniti M-Series
LARGE PREMIUM CAR
Lexus LS430
Runners-up: Lincoln Town Car, Cadillac DTS
PREMIUM SPORTY CAR
Lexus SC 430
Runners-up: Porsche 911, Chevrolet Corvette
COMPACT MAV
Honda Element
Runners-up: Honda CR-V, Mitsubishi Outlander
MIDSIZE MAV
Toyota Highlander
Runners-up: Toyota 4Runner, Buick Rainier
LARGE MAV
Toyota Sequoia
Runners-up: Chevrolet Tahoe, Ford Expedition
LARGE PICKUP
Toyota Tundra
Runners-up: Ford F-150 LD, GMC Sierra LD
MIDSIZE PICKUP
Ford Ranger
Runners-up: Honda Ridgeline, Toyota Tacoma
VAN
Dodge Caravan
Runners-up: Ford Freestar, Toyota Sienna
MIDSIZE PREMIUM MAV
Lexus GX 470
Runners-up: Acura MDX, Lexus RX 330/RX400h
LARGE PREMIUM MAV
Lincoln Mark LT
Runners-up: Land Rover Range Rover Sport, Lincoln Navigator
Source: J.D. Power & Associates
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