Detroit automakers close in on foreign competition
DETROIT — Detroit’s automakers continued to narrow the quality gap with foreign rivals, according to the 2008 Initial Quality Study by J.D. Power and Associates, the trusted report that measures defects and design problems within the first 90 days of ownership.
Consumers reported an average of 1.18 problems per vehicle in this year’s study, and quality has improved so much across the board that the differences between brands are so small that they now are measured in the tenths and hundredths of problem per vehicle.
For example, the difference between Toyota, the highest-ranked mainstream brand, and Ford, now is eight-hundredths of a problem per vehicle.
“We’re splitting hairs,” said Dave Sargent, vice president of automotive research at J.D. Power and Associates. While he was reluctant to call the difference a tie, he said: “They’re very close.”
Among Detroit’s automakers, Ford Motor Co. turned in the strongest performance in this year’s new-car quality study, with several notable accomplishments. General Motors Corp. performed respectably but showed room for further improvement. Meanwhile, Chrysler posted needed gains but still found itself trailing much of the industry.
For the third consecutive year, the products built at the General Motors assembly plant in Janesville trailed the Toyota Sequoia in Power’s full-size sport utility vehicle segment.
This year, the Chevy Tahoe was second, while the GMC Yukon was third. Last year, their big brothers—the Chevy Suburban and GMC Yukon XL—finished second and third to Sequoia.
Those GM products are made in Janesville; Arlington, Texas, and Silao, Mexico.
Earlier this week, GM said it plans to close its Janesville plant. The Arlington plant will be the automaker’s sole producer of big SUVs as the Silao plant will primarily build pickup trucks.
Ford, which has been making significant quality strides in recent years, continued to rake in the accomplishments.
Its Mercury brand was the top-performing domestic brand in the study, with 1.09 problems per vehicle. That placed Mercury right between Toyota with 1.04 and Honda with 1.10.
The company’s volume Ford brand improved for the fifth straight year and now is hot on the heels of Honda, with 1.12 problems per vehicle. That is just two-hundredths of a problem more per vehicle.
Ford also had 10 vehicles ranked in the model-segment awards, with three first-place winners. That included the Lincoln Navigator, the Ford E-Series van and the Mazda MX-5 Miata. Ford Motor Co. owns a controlling stake in Mazda.
Across town, GM had plenty of good news, too.
Six of GM’s eight brands improved in this year’s studies, and half ranked above average. That included Cadillac, Chevrolet, Pontiac and Buick.
Ten GM vehicles ranked in the model-segment awards. And while GM, like Ford, took three first-place awards, they were in critical categories.
The Chevrolet Malibu, which launched in the fall, took the top spot in the highly competitive midsize car category. The Chevrolet Silverado LD was the top-ranked large pickup, and the Pontiac Grand Prix sedan was the highest ranked large car.
Meanwhile, Chrysler continued to improve but generally trailed much of the industry.
Top models
2008 Initial Quality Study by J.D. Power and Associates
Cars
Subcompact: Honda Fit
Compact: Honda Civic
Compact sport: Mazda MX-5 Miata
Compact premium sport: Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
Entry premium: Infiniti EX-Series
Midsize premium: Infiniti M-Series
Full-size premium: Lexus LS
Midsize: Chevrolet Malibu
Full-size: Pontiac Grand Prix sedan
Trucks
Compact SUV/crossover: Honda CR-V
Midsize SUV/crossover: Dodge Durango
Full-Size SUV/crossover: Toyota Sequoia
Midsize premium SUV/crossover: Lexus RX
Full-size premium SUV/crossover: Lincoln Navigator
Full-size pickup: Chevrolet Silverado
Midsize pickup: Dodge Dakota
Van: Ford E-Series
Jun 5, 2008 at 9:05 p.m.
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GM says they want to beat Toyota, but in the 80's, they must have thought if you can't beat them, join them. And that's what they did with joint ventures that continue into today (Toyota matrix = Poniac Vibe) They have had the resourses for years to make themselves better but until recently they have just started to embrace the changes and do them. They have rushed the process so much they have made mistakes and products have suffered and the workers get the blame. Don't get me wrong, quality has came along ways in the last 10 years but they still need to improve and get out of the shadow of the foreign auto makers and make a name for themselves. As John Dohner Jr. said, "We need to take back America!"
Jun 5, 2008 at 8:41 p.m.
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The Detroit automobile manufacturing management should still be embarrassed that they have to catch up with the Japanese. They should be ashamed for their pressuring decades of gutless politicians into letting the CAFE standards be toned down or bypassed with "truck" classifications. They should have been fired for falling so far behind in market trends.
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