Hyundai rises to top non-luxury nameplate in 2006 J.D. Power Initial Quality Survey

Westlake Village, California – While Porsche and Lexus were ranked #1 and #2 in the 2006 J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality Survey (IQS) released yesterday, the big surprise was Hyundai which moved up to the #3 spot ahead of Toyota, Jaguar, Honda, Cadillac, Infiniti, GMC and Acura, rounding out the top ten.

Hyundai moved up from #11 in the 2005 IQS to #3 in 2006, but the survey company stressed that different methodology used in the 2006 IQS means that it cannot be compared directly to previous IQS surveys. (See “J.D. Power and Associates redesigns Initial Quality Survey.”)

Hyundai highlights include a top ranking for the Hyundai Tucson in the compact multi-activity vehicle (MAV) segment, and top-three segment performances for the redesigned Sonata and all-new Azera, as well as the Elantra and Tiburon.

Lexus models ranked highest in every segment in which they competed. In addition, the LS 430 ties the Porsche Cayman for having the fewest quality problems in the industry. Other top-ranking Lexus models include: IS 250/IS 350, ES 330, SC 430, GX 470 and LX 470.
Toyota remains a quality benchmark, capturing five model-level awards-for the Corolla, Solara, Camry, Highlander and Sequoia-more than any other non-luxury brand.

Porsche and Lexus lead the luxury brands, while Hyundai, Toyota and Honda set the pace among non-luxury brands. Averaging just 91 problems per 100 (PP100) vehicles, Porsche tops the overall nameplate rankings. Porsche’s success can be partly attributed to the all-new Cayman, which tops the compact premium sporty car segment. Porsche is followed in the rankings by Lexus, Hyundai, Toyota and Jaguar, respectively.

Honda also maintains its position as a quality leader. Although Honda does not receive any awards outright, five Honda models rank among the top three of their respective segments.

Other nameplates receiving model awards in 2006 include Chevrolet, Chrysler, Ford, Kia, Mazda, Pontiac and Suzuki.

The 2006 Initial Quality Study is based on responses from 63,607 purchasers and lessees of new 2006 model-year cars and trucks surveyed after 90 days of ownership.

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