Survey: Kudos for today's auto quality
The 2012 Honda Civic Si Sedan. Credit: AP
DETROIT -- Consumers continue to be baffled by new technology such as voice-activated controls in their new vehicles, but overall, automotive quality in the United States has never been higher, J.D. Power and Associates said Wednesday.
Owner complaints about technology continued to hurt Ford Motor Co.'s standing in the influential annual survey of new-vehicle buyers. Ford fell to 27th from 23rd a year ago.
Just two years ago, before MyFord Touch and Ford's voice-activated Sync control systems were rolled out to more models, Ford was fifth in the survey, the best showing among non-luxury brands.
This year, Honda Motor Co. grabbed the coveted spot as the top non-luxury brand in the survey, which expanded to include 34 auto brands, up from 32 a year ago.
For the second straight year, Lexus, Toyota Motor Corp.'s luxury brand, topped the survey, which asks owners to rate the quality of vehicles in the first 90 days of ownership.
Hands-free devices not recognizing voice commands has become the most often reported problem cited in the survey, said Dave Sargent, vice president of global automotive at J.D. Power and Associates.
Overall on the list that includes luxury brands, Japanese automakers -- with Honda in fifth place, Toyota running eighth and Mazda Motor Corp. tied for 10th -- were the top performers among non-luxury automakers.
Sargent said GM's showing was above the industry average for the first time since 2009, and collectively GM brands performed at the highest level in the survey's 26-year history.
Reuters
