Domestics surpass imports as a whole in 2010 J.D. Power APEAL study

Michael Harley — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 18:00:00 +0000

Filed under: Etc., Marketing/Advertising, Audi, BMW, Chevrolet, Ford, Jeep, Mercedes-Benz, Suzuki, Volkswagen

Click above for gallery of the graphics from J.D. Power and Associates

Porsche once again grabs the top spot (for the sixth time in a row) in the J.D. Power and Associates 2010 Automotive Performance, Execution, and Layout (APEAL) Study. This year's study asked 76,000 owners 90 days after purchasing their 2010 model-year cars "how gratifying their new vehicle is to own and drive." The answer, for the first time since 1997, was that the domestic brands were more "appealing" as a whole than the imports (the domestics earned a score of 787 on a 1,000-point scale - 13 points greater than the imports).

When it comes down to specific awards (as shown in the segment-level graphics), Ford leads with five. The automaker earned one each for the Expedition, Explorer Sport Trac, Flex, Fusion and Taurus. Audi, BMW, Chevrolet, Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen each garner two awards. The Ford Taurus and Chevrolet Avalanche, both segment leaders, are the only two models that ranked highest in the 2010 APEAL study and in the 2010 Initial Quality Study (IQS) announced in June. Suzuki is credited with the greatest improvement this year, while Jeep drops one slot from last year's 2009 APEAL Study and falls to the bottom of the list for 2010. Check out the gallery for the graphics, and read the full press release after the break.

Gallery: J.D. Power 2010 APEAL Awards

[Source: JDPower.com]

Continue reading Domestics surpass imports as a whole in 2010 J.D. Power APEAL study

Domestics surpass imports as a whole in 2010 J.D. Power APEAL study originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 15 Jul 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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J.D. Power 2010 Initial Quality Study released, first time ever domestics lead imports

Michael Harley — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 18:00:00 +0000

Filed under: Car Buying, Etc., Plants/Manufacturing, Marketing/Advertising, Acura, Ford, Lexus, Lincoln, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota

Click above for a gallery of graphtastic images from J.D. Power and Associates

J.D. Power and Associates has released its 2010 Initial Quality Study (IQS) and Porsche has earned back the top spot that was occupied by Lexus in last year's study. The annual J.D. Power study measures IQS based on problems reported per 100 vehicles (PP100) - a lower score means a lower rate of problem incidences and higher quality.

Domestic brands, as a whole, demonstrated higher initial quality than import brands for the first time in an IQS (impressive, as the company has been conducting the study for 24 years). "Domestic automakers have made impressive strides in steadily improving vehicle quality, particularly since 2007," said David Sargent, vice president of global vehicle research at J.D. Power and Associates. "This year may mark a key turning point for U.S. brands as they continue to fight the battle against lingering negative perceptions of their quality." According to J.D. Power, the industry average for initial quality is 109 problems per 100 vehicles (PP100) in 2010 (that is a slight increase from 108 PP100 in 2009). However, initial quality for domestic brands as a whole has improved to an average of 108 PP100, slightly better than the initial quality of import brands, which average 109 PP100 in 2010.

Acura made an impressive improvement in the 2010 study. The automaker climbed from 111 PP100 in 2009 to just 86 PP100 in 2010, earning second spot just under Porsche (83 PP100). Mercedes-Benz (87 PP100) earned third position with Lexus (88 PP100) immediately following. Ford (93 PP100) and Lincoln (106 PP100) also earned Top 10 positions. Interestingly enough, Toyota (117 PP100) fell from its seventh position in 2009 to 21st in the 2010 study. The complete J.D. Power press release and charts can be found after the jump and in the gallery below.

Gallery: 2010 J.D. Power and Associates IQS

[Source: J.D. Power and Associates]

Continue reading J.D. Power 2010 Initial Quality Study released, first time ever domestics lead imports

J.D. Power 2010 Initial Quality Study released, first time ever domestics lead imports originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 17 Jun 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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