Hyundai’s new-vehicle quality is among the best in the industry, as the company ranked as the second-highest non-premium brand in J.D. Power’s 2018 Initial Quality Study (IQS) in the United States of America.
Hyundai was one of the most improved brands, moving from sixth to third overall and reducing problems per 100 vehicles (PP100) by 14. Genesis, Hyundai Motor Company’s premium brand, took the top spot in the study, followed by Kia (2nd) and Hyundai (3rd) – all 3 brands representing the Hyundai Motor Group.
In the model segments, the Hyundai Tucson was the highest-ranked small SUV and the fourth-best model overall, while the Santa Fe ranked second in the midsize SUV segment. Hyundai’s Ulsan plant in South Korea, which produces the Tucson, was awarded the Bronze Plant Assembly Line Quality Award for the Asia Pacific region.
J.D. Power measures initial quality by the number of problems owners experience per 100 vehicles (PP100) during the first 90 days of ownership, with a lower score reflecting higher quality. Hyundai had 74 PP100, outpacing the industry average of 93 PP100.
The 2018 US IQS is based on responses from 75 712 purchasers and lessees of new 2018 model-year vehicles who were surveyed after 90 days of ownership.
“Customers of the Hyundai brand can feel confident that they are selecting a new vehicle that has one of the best initial and long-term quality rankings in the entire automotive industry,” said Omar Rivera, director for quality and service engineering at Hyundai Motor America.
“JD Power’s IQS is the industry benchmark for new-vehicle quality, and our 2018 ranking is a result of an enterprise-wide commitment to producing vehicles of the highest quality and educating customers on how to use their car’s technologies and features.”
Hyundai’s strong showing in JD Power IQS follows its third-place non-premium ranking in J.D. Power’s 2018 Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS). The Tucson also ranked highest in its class in that study.
The JD Power IQS is based on a list of 233 questions organized into eight vehicle categories which is designed to provide manufacturers with information to help identify problems and drive product improvement. The study was fielded from February to the end of May 2018. For more information about the 2018 U.S. IQS, visit http://www.jdpower.com/resource/us-initial-quality-study-iqs .
