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Quality review gives U.S. autos the edge
WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif., (UPI) -- U.S. automakers edged out imports in a frequently-cited annual review of initial vehicle quality, J.D. Power and Associates said Friday.
Vehicles in the annual review are measured by PP100 or problems per 100 vehicles. With that in mind, the lower the score, the better.
Domestic brands in 2010 scored an average 108 PP100, an improvement of 4 PP100 from 2009, the auto research firm said. Imported brands scored an average 109 PP100 this year.
"This may mark the turning point for U.S. brands as they try to win the battle against negative perceptions of their quality," said David Sargent, vice president of automotive research at J.D. Power and Associates.
Sargent said it would take time to prove that U.S. automakers can be consistent in their pursuit of higher quality.
"There is still a long road ahead," he said.
As a whole the industry scored an average 109 PP100 for 2010 in initial quality, one tick higher than the previous year.
Among automobile plants worldwide, the Daimler assembly plant in East London, South Africa, was given the firm's Platinum Plant Quality Award for "the fewest defects and malfunctions worldwide."
The Daimler plant, which produces the Mercedes-Benz C-Class vehicle averaged 28 PP100.
WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif., (UPI) -- U.S. automakers edged out imports in a frequently-cited annual review of initial vehicle quality, J.D. Power and Associates said Friday.
Vehicles in the annual review are measured by PP100 or problems per 100 vehicles. With that in mind, the lower the score, the better.
Domestic brands in 2010 scored an average 108 PP100, an improvement of 4 PP100 from 2009, the auto research firm said. Imported brands scored an average 109 PP100 this year.
"This may mark the turning point for U.S. brands as they try to win the battle against negative perceptions of their quality," said David Sargent, vice president of automotive research at J.D. Power and Associates.
Sargent said it would take time to prove that U.S. automakers can be consistent in their pursuit of higher quality.
"There is still a long road ahead," he said.
As a whole the industry scored an average 109 PP100 for 2010 in initial quality, one tick higher than the previous year.
Among automobile plants worldwide, the Daimler assembly plant in East London, South Africa, was given the firm's Platinum Plant Quality Award for "the fewest defects and malfunctions worldwide."
The Daimler plant, which produces the Mercedes-Benz C-Class vehicle averaged 28 PP100.
