Long-term dependability improved in 25 of 36 vehicle brands compared with last year, according to J.D. Power and Associates’ 2010 Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS). And the industry average improved from 170 problems-per-100 (PP100) vehicles in 2009 to just 155 in 2010, continuing a steady trend of industry-wide improvement. 

Among those making big leaps in the rankings were Porsche, which moved up ten spots to top the brand listings and Lincoln, which gained six spots to rank second.
The study, which measures problems experienced by original owners of three-year-old (in this case 2007 model-year) vehicles, includes 198 different problem symptoms across all areas of the vehicle.

Perception doesn’t match performance
Among new-vehicle shoppers, Power says, perception of quality and dependability is the most influential factor in their decision to purchase a specific vehicle model. For some brands, however, consumer perceptions have not kept pace with their actual performance, according to the study.

The study finds that several brands that perform well in long-term dependability in 2010 are avoided at relatively high rates due to consumer concerns about dependability (based on the J.D. Power and Associates 2009 Avoider Study). Cadillac, Ford, Hyundai, Lincoln and Mercury are among the brands with the greatest lags between dependability performance and consumer perception.

"Producing vehicles with world-class quality is just part of the battle for automakers; convincing consumers to believe in their quality is equally as important," says David Sargent, vice-president of global vehicle research at J.D. Power and Associates. "It takes considerable time to positively change consumer perceptions of quality and dependability – sometimes a decade or more – so it is vital for manufacturers to continually improve quality and also to convince consumers of these gains."

Broad mix of category winners
Japanese models captured nine segment awards, while North-American brands took seven and European models three. For the first time in more than a decade, a North-American model – the Cadillac DTS – experienced the lowest incidence of problems.

Toyota claimed four segment awards – the most for any nameplate in 2010. Honda garnered three segment awards, Lincoln two, and BMW, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Ford, Lexus, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz and Mercury one each.

Porsche’s lead in the overall nameplate rankings in the 2010 VDS is consistent with its performance in the J.D. Power and Associates 2007 Initial Quality Study, which measures new-vehicle quality at 90 days of ownership. In fact, most of the brands that scored above average in that IQS study also ranked above average in VDS. The only exceptions were Kia, Jaguar and SCION, which fell below the industry average in VDS ranking.

Lincoln improved by six rank positions from 2009 to follow Porsche in second place. Rounding out the top five nameplates were Buick, Lexus and Mercury (not sold in Canada). Of the brands sold in Canada, Toyota ranked fifth.

North-American models among ten best
Seven of the 10 models with the lowest incidence of problems in the industry were Ford and General Motors models, including the 2007 model-year Buick Lacrosse, Buick Lucerne, Cadillac DTS, Ford Five Hundred, Lincoln MKZ, Mercury Milan, and Mercury Montego.

The Cadillac DTS had the fewest problems in the industry, with just 76 problems per 100 vehicles.
Overall vehicle dependability has improved by 7 percent in 2010 to an average of 155 PP100, compared with 167 PP100 in 20092-a rate that is consistent with historical industry gains. In addition to the improvement in overall dependability, the rate of component replacement has also been reduced from 2009. Approximately 65 percent of owners indicate they replaced a vehicle component in 2010, compared with 68 percent in 2009.

"The improvements in long-term dependability and component replacement rates are good news for both consumers and manufacturers," said Sargent. "Manufacturers benefit from lower warranty expenses, while consumers incur lower maintenance and repair costs, as well as less inconvenience."

The study also finds that long-term dependability has a significant positive effect on repurchase intent. Among owners who say they did not experience problems with their vehicle, 43 percent indicate they "definitely will" repurchase their current brand. This figure declines to 28 percent among owners who say they experienced at least one problem with their vehicle.
The 2010 Vehicle Dependability Study is based on responses from more than 52,000 original owners of 2007 model-year vehicles. The study was fielded between October and December 2009.

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