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New-vehicle quality in South Africa has improved considerably, with the quality gap between passenger vehicles and pick-ups narrowing by more than 50 percent from 2008 to 2010.
The latest JD Power and Associates 2010 initial quality study listed the top five South African automakers in descending order as Mercedes-Benz (103 problems/100 vehicles), Honda (121), Audi (133), BMW (138) and Mazda (142).
There were reports on models from Chevrolet, Honda, Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, VW and Volvo.
Brian Walters, vice-president of JD Power Europe and Africa research operations, said: “The improvement in new-vehicle quality is due to a combination of widespread improvements in existing models and the phasing out of old designs that had lower levels of initial quality."
FEWER PROBLEMS, BETTER QUALITY
The study is a customer-driven measure of problems experienced during the first three to seven months of ownership and examines 228 individual problem symptoms across nine factors: vehicle exterior; driving experience; features/controls/displays; audio/entertainment/navigation; seats; heating, ventilation and aircon; interior; engine/transmission; other problems.
All problems are identified as the number reported per 100 vehicles (PP100) with lower scores indicating fewer problems and better quality.
Among passenger vehicles, 2010 initial quality averaged 184 PP100 against 245 in 2008. There were similar gains among pick-ups with initial quality averaging 227 PP100 in 2010 against 333 in 2008.
While initial quality is on average higher for passenger vehicles than bakkies, the gap between the two segments has narrowed from 88 PP100 in 2008 to 43 in 2010.
2010 IQS ranking highights
Models that received initial quality awards:
Lower small car segment: Honda Jazz (for a sixth consecutive time).
Lower compact car segment: Hyundai i10.
Upper small car segment: Volkswagen Jetta.
Medium car segment: Mercedes-Benz C-Class.
Compact SUV segment: Nissan X-Trail.
Medium SUV segment: Volvo XC60.
Compact pick-up segment: Chevrolet Corsa Utility.
The East London Mercedes-Benz assembly plant that produces the C-Class has for the third consecutive year ranked highest among South Africa plants in initial quality. Such plants are ranked based solely on the number of defects and malfunctions in vehicles produced at the plant. Second and third were Toyota Prospecton and GM Struandale.
The study dound that the number of quality problems experienced has a direct impact on customer recommendation rates. Among customers who experience one or no problems, 82 percent say they “definitely would” recommend their vehicle to a friend, relative or colleague.
Among customers who report two or more problems, the recommendation rate declines to 57 percent.
Since its launch in the US in 1987, the IQS has become a quality standard used by almost every automotive manufacturer around the world.
The 2010 SA IQS was based on a representative sample of more than 7700 new-vehicle owners who bought between November 2009 and June 2010.
2010 SA Initial Quality Study
Brand ranking
Mercedes-Benz – 103
Honda – 121
Audi – 133
BMW – 138
Mazda – 142
Kia – 145
Volvo – 145
Suzuki – 147
Toyota – 172
Hyundai – 179
Land Rover – 184
Passenger vehicle average – 184
VW – 183
Chevrolet – 200
Daihatsu – 200
Ford – 212
Nissan – 260
Renault – 285
Top vehicles per segment
Pick-ups
Toyota – 165
Opel -200
Isuzu – 216
Pick-ups segment average – 227
Ford – 264
Nissan – 288
Top vehicles per segment
Lower compact car
Hyundai i10 – 130
Chevrolet Spark – 170
Lower small car
Honda Jazz – 100
Mazda2 – 120
Opel Corsa – 122
Upper small car
VW Jetta – 113
Audi A3 – 130
Mercedes A-Class 130
Medium car
Mercedes C-Class – 97
Audi A5 – 98
Compact SUV
Nissan X-Trail – 112
VW Tiguan – 121
Honda CR-V – 125
Medium SUV
Volvo XC60 – 127
Toyota Land Cruiser Prado – 184
Compact pick-up
Chevrolet Corsa Ute – 163
Opel Corsa Ute – 200
The latest JD Power and Associates 2010 initial quality study listed the top five South African automakers in descending order as Mercedes-Benz (103 problems/100 vehicles), Honda (121), Audi (133), BMW (138) and Mazda (142).
There were reports on models from Chevrolet, Honda, Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, VW and Volvo.
Brian Walters, vice-president of JD Power Europe and Africa research operations, said: “The improvement in new-vehicle quality is due to a combination of widespread improvements in existing models and the phasing out of old designs that had lower levels of initial quality."
FEWER PROBLEMS, BETTER QUALITY
The study is a customer-driven measure of problems experienced during the first three to seven months of ownership and examines 228 individual problem symptoms across nine factors: vehicle exterior; driving experience; features/controls/displays; audio/entertainment/navigation; seats; heating, ventilation and aircon; interior; engine/transmission; other problems.
All problems are identified as the number reported per 100 vehicles (PP100) with lower scores indicating fewer problems and better quality.
Among passenger vehicles, 2010 initial quality averaged 184 PP100 against 245 in 2008. There were similar gains among pick-ups with initial quality averaging 227 PP100 in 2010 against 333 in 2008.
While initial quality is on average higher for passenger vehicles than bakkies, the gap between the two segments has narrowed from 88 PP100 in 2008 to 43 in 2010.
2010 IQS ranking highights
Models that received initial quality awards:
Lower small car segment: Honda Jazz (for a sixth consecutive time).
Lower compact car segment: Hyundai i10.
Upper small car segment: Volkswagen Jetta.
Medium car segment: Mercedes-Benz C-Class.
Compact SUV segment: Nissan X-Trail.
Medium SUV segment: Volvo XC60.
Compact pick-up segment: Chevrolet Corsa Utility.
The East London Mercedes-Benz assembly plant that produces the C-Class has for the third consecutive year ranked highest among South Africa plants in initial quality. Such plants are ranked based solely on the number of defects and malfunctions in vehicles produced at the plant. Second and third were Toyota Prospecton and GM Struandale.
The study dound that the number of quality problems experienced has a direct impact on customer recommendation rates. Among customers who experience one or no problems, 82 percent say they “definitely would” recommend their vehicle to a friend, relative or colleague.
Among customers who report two or more problems, the recommendation rate declines to 57 percent.
Since its launch in the US in 1987, the IQS has become a quality standard used by almost every automotive manufacturer around the world.
The 2010 SA IQS was based on a representative sample of more than 7700 new-vehicle owners who bought between November 2009 and June 2010.
2010 SA Initial Quality Study
Brand ranking
Mercedes-Benz – 103
Honda – 121
Audi – 133
BMW – 138
Mazda – 142
Kia – 145
Volvo – 145
Suzuki – 147
Toyota – 172
Hyundai – 179
Land Rover – 184
Passenger vehicle average – 184
VW – 183
Chevrolet – 200
Daihatsu – 200
Ford – 212
Nissan – 260
Renault – 285
Top vehicles per segment
Pick-ups
Toyota – 165
Opel -200
Isuzu – 216
Pick-ups segment average – 227
Ford – 264
Nissan – 288
Top vehicles per segment
Lower compact car
Hyundai i10 – 130
Chevrolet Spark – 170
Lower small car
Honda Jazz – 100
Mazda2 – 120
Opel Corsa – 122
Upper small car
VW Jetta – 113
Audi A3 – 130
Mercedes A-Class 130
Medium car
Mercedes C-Class – 97
Audi A5 – 98
Compact SUV
Nissan X-Trail – 112
VW Tiguan – 121
Honda CR-V – 125
Medium SUV
Volvo XC60 – 127
Toyota Land Cruiser Prado – 184
Compact pick-up
Chevrolet Corsa Ute – 163
Opel Corsa Ute – 200
