Kia tops J.D. Power quality rankings

Kia took the top spot in J.D. Power’s annual report card on vehicle quality for a second consecutive year, as industry ratings reached a new record and domestic brands maintained their edge over foreign rivals.

Kia, with 72 problems reported per 100 vehicles, was able to retain its No. 1 position despite a shake-up in the 2017 U.S. Initial Quality Study rankings that included significant shifts with the German and Japanese brands — most notably, Toyota and Lexus — falling behind many U.S. and Korean brands.

“This is without question the best quality the world has ever seen,” Dave Sargent, vice president, global automotive at J.D. Power, said when releasing the results at an Automotive Press Association meeting in Detroit. “The industry is picking up steam and really improving the quality of their vehicles.”

In its first year as a standalone brand, Hyundai’s luxury Genesis brand debuting at No. 2, with 77 problems reported per 100 vehicles. Porsche, with 78 problems, dropped to third — its lowest ranking since 2015.

Ford and Ram, both with 86, rounded out the top five brand positions — marking the highest positions in the study for both brands and the first time since 2011 that two Detroit brands have ranked that high.

Sargent said Ford’s improvement, up from 11th in 2016, was largely because of its new Sync 3 infotainment system, a replacement for its previous Sync and MyFord Touch system that plagued the brand’s rankings in recent years.

J.D. Power 2017 U.S. Initial Quality Study

Nameplate IQS ranking		Problems per 100 vehicles
Kia		72
Genesis		77
Porsche		78
Ford		86
Ram		86
BMW		88
Chevrolet		88
Hyundai		88
Lincoln		92
Nissan		93
Volkswagen		93
Mini		94
Buick		95
Toyota		95
Industry Average		97
Lexus		98
GMC		99
Chrysler		102
Mercedes-Benz		102
Acura		103
Cadillac		105
Honda		105
Dodge		106
Infiniti		107
Jeep		107
Subaru		113
Audi		115
Mazda		125
Land Rover		131
Mitsubishi		131
Volvo		134
Jaguar		148
Fiat		163