Lexus Tops in Quality Says J.D. Power: Industry quality improved overall

J. D. Power and Associates' 23rd annual auto industry initial quality study (IQS) ranked Lexus tops among 37 brands for the 2009 model year. Based on customer surveys, Lexus reclaimed its number 1 IQS ranking, pushing 3-year leader Porsche back to second.

Rapidly improving Cadillac and Hyundai took the next two slots with Honda rounding out the top five.

J.D. Power queried 80,900 purchasers and leasers of 2009 vehicles about problems experienced during the first three months of ownership. This latest survey contained 228 questions, the results tabulated to determine the number of problems experienced per 100 vehicles.

The 2009 industry average was 108 problems per 100 vehicles - an 8pct improvement over 2008's 118-per-100 average.

In all, 11 brands bettered the IQS industry average: Lexus (84 problems per 100), Porsche (90), Cadillac (91), Hyundai (95), Honda (99), Mercedes-Benz and Toyota (101), Ford (102), Chevrolet and Suzuki (103) and Infiniti and Mercury (106).

This marked the third straight year that J.D. Power has ranked Ford above the IQS average and the second straight year for Chevrolet. Overall, the Detroit 3 brands averaged 112 problems per 100 vehicles - four more than the industry average but 12 problems better than in 2008.

Another 11 brands were within 10pct of the IQS average: Nissan (110), Acura (111), BMW, Kia and Volkswagen (112), GMC (116), Buick (117) and Audi, Scion, Pontiac and Volvo (118).

Other brands whose initial problems were above Power's industry quality average of 108 included Saturn (120), Mazda (123) and Lincoln (129). Subaru, with the steadiest U.S. sales figures over the past year, registered 130 problems per 100 vehicles.

Those logging more than 130 problems were Dodge and Jaguar (134), Mitsubishi (135), Chrysler and HUMMER (136), Jeep (137), Saab and smart (138), Land Rover (150) and MINI (165), interesting as current sales are so good that the company is adding 17 new U.S. dealerships this year.

In the 10 categories for individual car models and eight for light trucks and multi-activity vehicles (MAVs), Lexus ranked best in five classifications: large premium car (LS), midsize premium car (GS), entry premium vehicle (IS), large premium mav (LX) and midsize premium mav (GX).

Another five Toyota-manufactured vehicles took top honors: compact sporty car (Scion tC), sub-compact car (Yaris), minivan (Sienna), large pickup (Tundra, tied with Ford F-150) and midsize mav (4Runner, tied with Chevy Trailblazer and Ford Edge).

Ford also nabbed midsize sporty car with its Mustang. Honda took two top rankings: midsize pickup (Ridgeline) and compact mav (CR-V, tied with Chrysler's PT Cruiser Wagon). Nissan's Z was top compact premium sporty car with the company's Altima, best midsize car. Best compact car was the Hyundai Elantra Sedan. The Mercury Sable was judged best large car with the GMC Yukon best large mav.

J.D. Power's Platinum Award for the world's best assembly plant went to Toyota's Higashi-Fuji operation in Japan. Gold Medals went to Honda's East Liberty, Ohio, plant and Daimler's East London, South Africa, facility.