Toyota Beats GM 7:4 In J.D.Power Dependability Study, Volkswagen Decimated

Bertel Schmitt
by Bertel Schmitt

Toyota swept J.D. Power and Associates 2013 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study with its Lexus brand on top and by earning seven segment awards—more than any other automaker in 2013. General Motors received four segment awards and had Buick in place 6 and Chevrolet barely above average, while Volkswagen is an also-ran.

The study measures long-term dependability of three-year-old models. The dependability of models that were new or substantially redesigned for the 2010 model year averages 116 problems per 100, compared with 133 PP100 for models that were unchanged from the 2009 model-year.

“There is a perception that all-new models, or models that undergo a major redesign, are more problematic than carryover models,” said David Sargent, vice president of global automotive at J.D. Power and Associates. “Data from the 2013 VDS suggests that this is not the case. The rapid improvement in fundamental vehicle dependability each year is more than offsetting any initial glitches that all-new or redesigned models may have.”

2013 VDS Nameplate Ranking Problems per 100 VehiclesMake PP100 Lexus71Porsche94Lincoln112Toyota112Mercedes-Benz115Buick118Honda119Acura120Ram122Suzuki122Mazda124Chevrolet125Industry Average 126Ford127Cadillac128Subaru132BMW133GMC134Scion135Nissan137Infiniti138Kia140Hyundai141Audi147Volvo149MINI150Chrysler153Jaguar164Volkswagen174Jeep178Mitsubishi178Dodge190Land Rover220

Among the top three automakers, the study will cause sever finger pointing at Volkswagen that finds itself on rank 28 of 32. Even after Volkswagen’s former head of quality assurance, Martin Winterkorn, advanced to CEO, the brand languishes at the bottom of the scale, outclassed by “da scheppert nix” Hyundai and Kia.


Bertel Schmitt
Bertel Schmitt

Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.

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  • 84Cressida 84Cressida on Feb 13, 2013

    But I thought Toyotas were unreliable junk bought by sheep because CR and the media were in on the conspiracy to make this myth that Toyotas are reliable?

  • 340-4 340-4 on Feb 13, 2013

    Know what I'd like to see? A comprehensive survey that shows you the average and mean warranty repair costs for a particular vehicle over time. And repair costs out of warranty, say over 5 years. That would paint a picture, wouldn't it? VW would do even worse than this. Ten cheap problems on a Dodge are better than two hideously expensive failures on a VW, but not according to JD Power. New metrics are needed.

  • Laserwizard Laserwizard on Feb 14, 2013

    Toyota quality? The most recalled brand of vehicle over the past several years. If that isn't an indication of quality, I don't know what is!

  • ZekeToronto ZekeToronto on Feb 14, 2013

    My years as a new car dealer taught me that what people really resent is unscheduled repair visits--I.e. problems that can't wait until the next service to be dealt with. True or not, people value their time highly. They don't necessarily care how much a warranty repair costs the manufacturer (especially if they're the kind of buyer who trades when the warranty's up) but they sure care about being inconvenienced. A smart dealer can sell the worst-performing brand and still achieve high CSI if they find creative ways to minimize/eliminate inconvenience for their customers.

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