(WWJ) -- It’s not always about price, if you want quality in a new vehicle.
Ram finished first in JD Power’s annual Initial Quality Study, followed by Chevrolet, Hyundai, Kia, Buick and Nissan. You had to go down to 8th place before you found a premium brand, Porsche.
“The mass market brands are definitely outpacing premiums right now,” says Frank Hanley, senior director of auto benchmarking at J.D. Power.
Technology is the main issue. Premium brands have more of it, and debut technology early. In some cases, there are still bugs to be worked out. In other cases, consumers find it confusing.
“There’s a lot more opportunity for problems in these premium vehicles, and we’re definitely seeing that in the data.”
Other issues include warnings that are sometimes annoying, as well as warnings that customers don’t understand.
There’s a new problem that, Hanley says, took researchers by surprise.
“Americans always used to love the new car smell, when you got it,” he said. “We actually paid for air fresheners that smelled like it. There seems to be a tide turning where we’re getting more complaints about that smell.”
The main complaints are that there is too much of a “chemical smell” in vehicles, as well of complaints about “musty, moldy smells.”
J.D. Power’s Initial Quality Study is in its 38th year. It’s based on responses from 99,144 purchasers and lessees of 2024 model year vehicles. They are surveyed after ninety days of ownership.
For the first time, this year’s study also included data from issues reported to new car dealers.
Hanley says quality, in general, has improved over the years. Certain companies stood out more than others this year.
“General Motors was actually the most awarded corporation in the industry this year,” he said. “Very strong performance from General Motors overall. We also see very good improvements from Hyundai-Kia.”
While Dodge finished last in the list of brands, Hanley said that was somewhat misleading. Part of that was due to the retirement of the Charger and Challenger, which tended to be high quality vehicles.
That leaves Dodge with just two models, the Durango, and the Hornet, which is in its debut year.
“Launch vehicles can be a bit more problematic than existing vehicles, just because it is all new.”