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What do J.D. Power's quality ratings really measure?

Check these recently released J.D. Power Initial Quality Study (IQS) results. Do they raise any questions in your mind? Premium sports-car maker Porsche sits in first place for the third straight year, so are Porsches really the best-built cars in the U.S. market? Korean brands Kia and Hyundai are second and fourth, so are Korean vehicles suddenly better than their US, European, and Japanese competitors? Are workaday Chevrolets (seventh place) better than premium Buicks (11th), and Buicks better than luxury Cadillacs (21st), even though all are assembled in General Motors plants with the same processes and many shared parts? Are Japanese Acuras (26th) worse than German Volkswagens (24th)? And is "quality" really what it used to be (and what most perceive it to be), a measure of build excellence? Or has it evolved into much more a measure of likeability and ease of use? To properly analyze these widely watched results, we must first understand what IQS actually studies, and what the numerical scores really mean. First, as its name indicates, it's all about "initial" quality, measured by problems reported by new-vehicle owners in their first 90 days of ownership. If something breaks or falls off four months in, it doesn't count here. Second, the scores are problems per 100 vehicles, or PP100. So Power's 2015 IQS industry average of 112 PP100 translates to just 1.12 reported problems per vehicle. Third, no attempt is made to differentiate BIG problems from minor ones. Thus a transmission or engine failure counts the same as a squeaky glove box door, tricky phone pairing, inconsistent voice recognition, or anything else that annoys the owner. Traditionally, a high-quality vehicle is one that is well-bolted together. It doesn't leak, squeak, rattle, shed parts, show gaps between panels, or break down and leave you stranded. By this standard, there are very few poor-quality new vehicles in today's U.S. market. But what "quality" should not mean, is subjective likeability: ease of operation of the radio, climate controls, or seat adjusters, phone pairing, music downloading, sizes of touch pads on an infotainment screen, quickness of system response, or accuracy of voice-recognition. These are ergonomic "human factors" issues, not "quality" problems. Yet these kinds of pleasability issues are now dominating today's JDP "quality" ratings.

Porsche tops J.D. Power quality index as Korean brands soar

While complaints about infotainment systems remain a thorn in the side of automakers for J.D. Power's annual Initial Quality Study, there's a lot to celebrate this year. The average number of problems reported per 100 vehicles fell to 112 in 2015 – a three-percent improvement compared to 116 in 2014. The results of this year's survey are based on the responses of over 84,000 people about problems within the first 90 days of buying or leasing a 2015 model-year vehicle. For the third consecutive year, Porsche tops the rankings with an average of 80 problems per 100 vehicles. Although, that's slightly more than the 74 the German sportscar maker scored in 2014. "While the Japanese automakers continue to make improvements, we're seeing other brands, most notably Korean makes, really accelerating the rate of improvement," Renee Stephens, vice president of US automotive quality at J.D. Power, said in the study's release. In fact, Kia ranks as one of the biggest movers in this year's list. The Korean brand jumped to second place from seventh last year. The company had an average of 86 problems per 100 vehicles, a 20-point improvement. Third place went to Jaguar with an average of 93 problems reported, versus last year's second-place finish with 87 of them. Fourth place was Hyundai, and fifth-place Infiniti also earned a gold star for improvement with 97 issues per 100 vehicles – 31-points better than last year. Fiat still anchored the bottom of the list. However, its 161 problems this year is a lot better than the 206 in 2014. Ranked by nationality, Korean brands (Hyundai and Kia) are now leading the industry in initial quality with an average of 90 problems reported per 100 vehicles. According to J.D. Power, this is the first time Europe's figure beat Japan with 113 and 114 issues, respectively. The American brands also averaged 114. Whereas General Motors dominated last year, the segment awards are spread out in 2015. GM, Hyundai, Nissan, and Volkswagen Group are all tied with four models each earning prizes. For more information, you can also see all of the graphs, here. J.D.

2019 Hyundai Tucson revised with new styling and convenience tech

The Hyundai Tucson gets significant updates for the 2019 model year, with freshened styling all around to bring its look in line with the brand-new Kona and Santa Fe crossovers, revised engine options, and more of the safety and convenience technology that buyers have come to expect from the small crossover category. Gone is the 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine option in the Tucson, replaced by a naturally aspirated 2.4-liter engine with 181 horsepower and 175 pound-feet of torque. This same engine was just announced for the 2018 model year, available exclusively in the Tucson Sport, but the 2019 refresh puts the uprated mill in the SEL, Sport, and Limited trims. A 2.0-liter engine is standard in Value and SE trim levels, where it makes 164 hp and 151 lb-ft. The Tucson gets redesigned fascias front and rear, with Hyundai's latest "cascading grille" design. Unlike the Santa Fe and Kona, the Tucson has traditional single-unit lighting clusters that extend from the top corners of the grille. A smaller, angular set of driving lights sit well below the headlights. Interior changes are less noticeable, but the addition of optional second-row USB charging ports and Qi wireless smartphone charging add convenience to upper trim levels. A seven-inch touchscreen comes standard and includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Forward Collision Avoidance and Lane Keeping Assist are standard on all 2019 Hyundai Tucson models. A surround-view monitor, pedestrian detection, high-beam assist, rain-sensing wipers, smart cruise control with stop-and-go, and a driver attention warning system are optional. Expect to see the 2019 Hyundai Tucson in dealerships this fall. In the meantime, check out our high-res image gallery above, and stay tuned for more — Hyundai is rumored to have an N-branded high-performance version of the Tucson in the works. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.