Source:
Detroit Free PressPOSTED: 1:55 P.M. JULY 15, 2010
U.S. automotive brands outpace rivals in new J.D. Power survey
BY GREG GARDNER
FREE PRESS BUSINESS WRITER
For the first time since 1997, domestic cars, on average, did better than their Asian and European competitors in J.D. Power and Associates survey measuring consumers’ reaction after owning the vehicle for 90 days.
Called the Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout Study, this survey asked more than 76,000 consumers to assess their vehicles on about 80 criteria. Powers’ researchers collected responses between February and May of this year. The scores are added and ranked along a 1,000-point scale. It is different from the company’s Initial Quality Survey which measures problems owners say they experienced in the three months after buying or leasing a vehicle.
Ford, which improved from 785 to 794, and Chevrolet, which climbed from 764 to 789, were major factors in bringing the Detroit brands’ collective average from 776 to 787. Import brands’ average fell from 781 to 774, reflecting Toyota’s fall to 745 -- second lowest of 33 brands -- from 756, and Honda’s slide to 766 from 778 last year.
For Chrysler, the results were mixed. Its Ram truck brand, which was measured separated for the first time, scored 780, slightly higher than the industry average of 778. But Jeep posted the lowest score at 727 and Chrysler and Dodge were below the industry average.
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http://www.freep.com/article/20100715/BUSINESS01/100715036/1318/U.S.-automotive-brands-outpace-rivals-in-new-J.D.-Power-survey