Automotive
The 2023 J.D. Power Initial Quality Study has been released, unveiling a concerning trend within the automotive industry. While there are signs of improvement in vehicle inventory, pricing, and the provision chain, the study highlights a decline in vehicle quality in comparison with the previous 12 months.
The study, which surveyed owners of 2022-model-year vehicles, aimed to evaluate the typical rate of problems per 100 vehicles (PP100) through the first 90 days of ownership. Unfortunately, the outcomes showed that overall problems exceeded the previous 12 months’s record high. In 2020, the typical was about 166 problems per 100 vehicles, which dropped to 162 in 2021. Nonetheless, for 2022, the typical increased to 180 problems, and in 2023, it rose further to an industry average of 192 PP100—an alarming increase of 30 problems per 100 vehicles in only two years.
On a positive note, Dodge emerged because the brand with the bottom variety of problems per 100 vehicles at 140, reclaiming the crown from last 12 months’s winner, Buick. Dodge’s success contributes to parent company Stellantis securing three wins in 4 years. The highest 10 brands include Dodge, Ram, Alfa Romeo, Buick, Chevrolet, GMC, Porsche, Cadillac, Kia, and Lexus. Notably, Maserati showed significant improvement, as did Alfa Romeo, which surpassed premium-class competitors like Porsche and Cadillac.
Nonetheless, the industry is just not without its challenges, as highlighted by Frank Hanley, the senior director of auto benchmarking at J.D. Power. He emphasized that the automotive industry is at an important crossroad, with manufacturers facing persistent problems from previous years and a rise in latest varieties of problems. Modern vehicles, while incorporating exciting technologies, have gotten more complex and will not at all times satisfy owners.
The study revealed that infotainment stays a consistent source of problems, but this 12 months, issues with features gained prominence. Surprisingly, some seemingly easy features, similar to door handles, became problematic, especially in electric vehicles (EVs). Lane departure warning and forward collision/automatic emergency braking systems were also ceaselessly cited issues. Notably, vehicles equipped with Google’s Android Automotive Operating System showed a major difference of 25.1 PP100 in comparison with those without the software.
Despite these challenges, owners expressed barely higher satisfaction with manufacturer smartphone apps. In the electrical vehicle segment, Tesla, Lucid, Polestar, and Rivian couldn’t be officially ranked as a result of a scarcity of access to owners in states requiring manufacturer consent. Nonetheless, survey responses suggested that these brands would have been at the underside of the list, with Tesla’s PP100 increasing from 240 in 2022 to 257 in 2023.
The 2023 J.D. Power Initial Quality Study points to a critical juncture for the automotive industry, urging manufacturers to handle each persistent and emerging issues to make sure the satisfaction of increasingly discerning vehicle owners. View the total study at J.D. Power’s website here.
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This Article First Appeared At www.automotiveaddicts.com
