Porsche still best-quality

PORSCHE and, wait for it, Ford have taken out top honours in the latest quality survey announced by highly regarded US automotive industry watcher JD Power and Associates.

While the famed German sportscar-maker was named top automotive nameplate for the second consecutive year (and also took out the "compact premium sporty car" award), the Ford Motor Company attracted five of this year's top model segment awards – more than any other car-maker – within the JD Power and Associates 2007 Initial Quality Study released last week.

Some 14 FoMoCo models placed in the top three of their respective segments, but big winners were the Ford Mustang, Lincoln Mrk LT, Lincoln MKZ, Mazda MX-5 and Mercury Milan. The result helped Lincoln climb from 12th last year to third in 2007.

Meantime, Porsche topped the overall nameplate ranking with an average of 91 problems per 100 vehicles (PP100) - far better than the industry average of 125 PP100.

Second was Lexus (94 PP100), ahead of Lincoln (100 PP100), Honda (108 PP100) and Mercedes-Benz (111 PP100), which improved its rank by a study-best 20 positions this year, or 28 PP100. Second-biggest quality mover was Land Rover (up 34 PP100, but still bottom-of-list with 170 PP100), behind Saab, which improved its initial quality by 34 PP100.

The redesigned S-class helped Mercedes’ overall cause by improving 63 PP100 to 72 PP100, to tie with Audi’s A8 as the vehicles with the fewest problems. Both Mercedes and Toyota scored three segment awards each, with the latter claiming gongs for the E-class, SL-class and S-class, and the former honoured for its 4Runner, Sequoia and Tacoma off-roaders.

Honda increased its overall standing from sixth last year to become the top non-premium brand in 2007 and also won segment awards for its new Civic and CR-V, while Kia notched up the largest non-premium brand rank improvement by moving from 24th last year to 12th in 2007. Its Rio won the sub-compact category for the second consecutive year.

Left: Ford Mustang and Audi A8.

The 2007 Initial Quality Study, which comprises a 228-question survey, is based on responses from more than 97,000 purchasers and lessees of new 2007 model-year cars and trucks surveyed after 90 days of ownership. It is widely regarded as the industry benchmark for both new-vehicle design quality and build quality.

JD Power research has showed the automotive industry has improved in quality at the rate of six percent per year for the past 20 years and that, on average, a vehicle redesign increases problem counts by 10 PP100.

"Ideally, manufacturers should aim to achieve high initial quality when launching a new model, since this builds a strong foundation for future years and can become a differentiating factor relative to the competition," said JD Power and Associates director of product research and analysis, Neal Oddes.

"One year after launch, initial quality begins to improve by an average of 7 PP100. If a model launches with lower initial quality, it is more difficult for the manufacturer to keep pace with the competition over time."Meantime, a North American car factory has received JD Power's Platinum Plant Quality Award for the first time since 1999. Ford's Wixom assembly plant in Michigan, which produces the Lincoln Town Car, averages just 35 PP100.

2007 JD Power IQS Nameplate Ranking (PP100):

1	Porsche	91
2	Lexus	94
3	Lincoln	100
4	Honda	108
5	Mercedes-Benz	111
6	Jaguar	112
7	Toyota	112
8	Mercury	113
9	Infiniti	117
10	Ford	120
11	Scion	123
12	Hyundai	125
13	Kia	125
14	Buick	127
15	Chevrolet	129
16	Volvo	129
17	Acura	130
18	GMC	131
19	Nissan	132
20	Saturn	132
21	BMW	133
22	Pontiac	133
23	Saab	133
24	Subaru	133
25	Cadillac	135
26	Audi	136
27	Chrysler	151
28	Suzuki	153
29	Mitsubishi	155
30	Dodge	156
31	Volkswagen	160
32	Jeep	161
33	Hummer	162
34	Mazda	163
35	Land Rover	170

2007 JD Power IQS Segments Awards (PP100):
Sub-Compact Car:

1	Kia Rio
2	Honda Fit (Jazz)
3	Hyundai Accent

Compact Car:

1	Honda Civic
2	Toyota Corolla
3	Hyundai Elantra sedan

Compact Sporty Car:

1	Mazda MX-5
2	Scion tC
3	Subaru Impreza

Compact Premium Sporty Car:

1	Porsche Boxster
2	Mercedes-Benz CLK
3	Mercedes-Benz SLK

Entry Premium Car:

1	Lincoln MKZ
2	Acura TSX
3	Cadillac CTS

Mid-size Premium Car:

1	Mercedes-Benz E-class
2	Lexus GS350/430/400H
3eq	Inifinti M-Series
3eq	Volvo S80

Large Premium car:

1eq	Audi A8
1eq	Mercedes-Benz S-class
3	Lexus LS460

Premium Sporty Car:

1	Mercedes-Benz SL
2	Porsche 911
3	Lexus SC430

Mid-size Sporty Car:

1	Ford Mustang
2	Toyota Solara
3	Chevrolet Monte Carlo

Mid-size Car:

1	Mercury Milan
2eq	Ford Fusion
2eq	Mitsubishi Galant

Large Car:

1	Toyota Avalon
2eq	Ford Five Hundred
2eq	Mercury Montego

Compact SUV:

1	Honda CR-V
2	Nissan Xterra (X-Trail)
3	Hyundai Tucson

Mid-size SUV:

1	Toyota 4 Runner
2	Toyota Highlander
3	Mercury Mountaineer

Large SUV:

1	Toyota Sequoia
2	Chevrolet Suburban
3	GMC Yukon

Mid-size Premium SUV:

1	Lexus RX350/400h
2	Lincoln MKX
3	Lexus GX470 (Prado)

Large Premium SUV:

1	Lincoln Mark LT
2	Lincoln Navigator
3	Hummer H2

2007 JD Power Assembly Plant Quality Awards (PP100):
North/South America:

Platinum	Ford, Wixom, Michigan (Lincoln Town Car)	35
Silver	GM, Oshawa2, Ontario, Canada (Buick LaCrosse, Pontiac Grand Prix)	42
Bronze	American Honda, East Liberty, Ohia (Civic sedan, Element)	44

Asia-Pacific:

Gold	Toyota, Kyushu, Japan (Lexus ES/IS/RX, Toyota Kluger)	41
Silver	Toyota, Fujimatsu, Japan (Toyota Prius)	44
Bronze eq	American Honda, Sayama, Japan (Acura RL/TSX, Honda Accord/CR-V)	47
Bronze eq	Amercian Honda, Suzuka, Japan (Honda Civic Hybrid sedan, Civic sedan, Fit, S2000)	47

Europe:

Gold	BMW, Regensburg, Germany (BMW 3 Series coupe/sedan)	37
Silver	Mercedes-Benz, Sindelfingen, Germany (Mercedes C/CL/CLS/E/S-class)	41
Bronze	Audi, Neckarsulm, Germany (Audi A6/A8/RS4/S6/S8)	44