Lexus Takes Top Spot in Quality Rankings, Ford Drops

Lexus, the luxury brand of Toyota Motor Corp., took home the top ranking in J.D. Power & Associates 2011 Initial Quality Study, a prestigious and frequently cited report on vehicle quality.
Lexus Takes Top Spot in Quality Rankings, Ford Drops
6/23/2011
Updated:
10/1/2015

<a><img src="https://www.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2015/09/108359125.jpg" alt="ON TOP: A sign is displayed at Lexus of Marin on Jan. 26, in San Rafael, Calif. Lexus took home the top ranking in J.D. Power & Associates 2011 Initial Quality Study. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)" title="ON TOP: A sign is displayed at Lexus of Marin on Jan. 26, in San Rafael, Calif. Lexus took home the top ranking in J.D. Power & Associates 2011 Initial Quality Study. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)" width="320" class="size-medium wp-image-1802176"/></a>
ON TOP: A sign is displayed at Lexus of Marin on Jan. 26, in San Rafael, Calif. Lexus took home the top ranking in J.D. Power & Associates 2011 Initial Quality Study. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Lexus, the luxury brand of Toyota Motor Corp., took home the top ranking in J.D. Power & Associates 2011 Initial Quality Study, a prestigious and frequently cited report on vehicle quality.

Despite last year’s barrage of recalls at parent company Toyota, Lexus scored the best among new cars, with its LS full-size sedan the best car overall in initial quality.

J.D. Power, a subsidiary of McGraw Hill Companies, publishes the annual rankings, which is closely followed by the automotive industry.

Honda, Acura, Mercedes-Benz, and Mazda followed Lexus in the top five spots. Toyota came in at No. 7, and the best-ranked U.S.-based brand was Cadillac, a division of General Motors, which placed ninth.

The brand with the most quality problems was Dodge, with 137 quality issues reported per 100 cars on average. Suzuki was the second-worst, with 136 problems.

Exotic Features Drag Down Quality

J.D. Power noted that advanced technologies and electronics, including “infotainment” systems and sophisticated fuel-saving technologies, could prove faulty and drag down quality rankings of otherwise reputable firms.

Dearborn, Mich.-based Ford Motor Co., which came in at fifth place and first among mass market car manufacturers, dropped to 23rd on the 2011 list due to electronics.

J.D. Power cited consumer complaints regarding Ford’s relatively new MyFord Touch infotainment device, as well as a dual-clutch transmission system, which proved to be unreliable.

“Exciting models with the latest features are crucial for winning over today’s demanding consumers,“ said David Sargent, vice president of global vehicle research at J.D. Power, in a statement. ”However, automakers must not lose their focus on the importance of these models also achieving exceptional quality levels.”

The report noted that with higher gas prices, automakers have designed complex software for their engine and transmission systems to achieve as much efficiency as possible. However, such new systems are proving not as reliable. In addition, many information and entertainment systems with the latest bells and whistles, such as Bluetooth communications and voice activation, are still in their infancy and sometimes do not function as intended.