Cars and Drivers

5 Best (and 5 Worst) Cars for Initial Quality in 2016

Paul Ausick

Published: June 22, 2016 1:55 pm

Last Updated: January 13, 2020 6:30 am

Initial quality for new cars purchased this year rose to a seven-year high and, for the first time since 2006, non-premium brands outscored premium brands, with a non-premium brand claiming the top spot for the first time in 27 years. The average score for all brands was 105 problems reported per 100 vehicles sold (PP100), compared with 112 for 2015.

The data were reported Wednesday in the J.D. Power 2016 U.S. Initial Quality Study. The study examines problems reported by vehicle owners during the first 90 days of ownership. As in golf, lower scores are better.

For only the second time in the 30-year history of the survey, the Detroit Three posted a lower combined average number of problems (103 PP100) than all imported brands combined (105 PP100).

Renee Stephens, vice-president of J.D. Power’s U.S. automotive quality group, said:

Manufacturers are currently making some of the highest quality products we’ve ever seen. Tracking our data over the past several years, it has become clear that automakers are listening to the customer, identifying pain points and are focused on continuous improvement. Even as they add more content, including advanced technologies that have had a reputation for causing problems, overall quality continues to improve.

Among U.S. automakers, the most improved was Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. (NYSE: FCAU), where both the Jeep and Chrysler brands improved by 28 points over their 2015 scores.

General Motors Co. (NYSE: GM) received seven model-level awards, including top compact sport utility vehicle (SUV) (Chevy Equinox), top large SUV (Chevy Tahoe) and top light-duty and top heavy-duty pickups (Chevy Silverado).

Ford Motor Co. (NYSE: F) improved its brand score from 107 PP100 in 2015 to 102 this year, and the company’s Lincoln badge improved from 102 last year to 96 this year, tied with GM’s Buick and Toyota Motor Corp.’s (NYSE: TM) Lexus.

The top five nameplates in initial quality and their number of problems per 100 vehicles were:

• Kia, 83
• Porsche, 84
• Hyundai, 92
• Toyota, 93
• BMW, 94

The five lowest scoring nameplates and their scores were:

• smart, 216
• Fiat, 174
• Volvo, 152
• Land Rover, 132
• Mini, 127

Methodology: J.D. Power’s 2016 U.S. Initial Quality Study is based on responses from more than 80,000 purchasers and lessees of new 2016 model-year vehicles surveyed after 90 days of ownership. The study is based on a 233-question battery organized into eight problem categories designed to provide manufacturers with information to facilitate the identification of problems and drive product improvement. The study was fielded from February through May 2016.