Auto News 10 Worst Car Brands in Initial Quality

10 Worst Car Brands in Initial Quality

Jun 17, 2015
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10 Worst Car Brands in Initial Quality

The 2015 J.D. Power Initial Quality Study has been released and the industry as a whole has improved in initial quality.

For the first time in the 29-year history of the U.S. Initial Quality Study, Japanese automakers fell below the industry average, with only four of the 10 Japanese brands included in the study posting an improvement. While Porsche ranked highest in the study for the third consecutive year just as there are many familiar faces at the top of the list, the same it true at the bottom.

SEE ALSO: 2014 J.D. Power Initial Quality Study Slams Fiat

The study examines problems experienced by vehicle owners during the first 90 days of ownership. Each automaker’s initial quality is determined by the number of problems experienced per 100 vehicles, with a lower score reflecting higher quality.

10. Volkswagen

In the 2015 U.S. Initial Quality Study, Volkswagen owners reported 123 problems per 100 vehicles, slightly down from last year’s 128 count. Despite the minor improvement in initial quality, Volkswagen is ranked 10th out of all the automakers, compared to ninth last year. The German automaker’s ranking is interesting, considering other automakers within the Volkswagen Group excel in the Initial Quality Study, with Porsche topping the list and Audi earning awards for the Q3.

9. Scion

Another sub-brand that struggles despite having a strong parent brand is Scion. With 124 problems reported per 100 vehicles, Scion lands in the ninth position, but improves significantly compared to last year’s 140 problems and fourth place finish. Toyota, which is Scion’s parent brand, is ranked above the industry average of 112 problems with an initial quality of 104.

8. Acura

The trend continues with Acura, with owners reporting 126 problems per 100 vehicles compared to last year’s 131. Despite the better initial quality score, Acura maintains its position as the eighth worst automaker in initial quality, which again, is surprising considering Honda has an initial quality score of 111. Even with its troubles as a brand, the new Acura ILX was the second best model in the Small Premium Car segment.

7. Mitsubishi

Mitsubishi’s woes continue in the U.S. market, coming in as the seventh worst automaker in initial quality with 126 reported problems per 100 vehicles. It’s worth noting that Mitsubishi is much improved compared to last year, when vehicle owners reported 145 problems per 100 vehicles, making Mitsubishi the third worst automaker in 2014.

6. Land Rover

Being a luxury brand doesn’t automatically exempt your vehicles from having problems. With 134 reported problems per 100 vehicles, Land Rover is one of the few that saw more problems than last year, when the company had 127 problems per 100 vehicles. In 2014, Land Rover barely escaped being one of the top 10 worst automakers with an 11th spot finish, but 2015’s study wasn’t as good for the brand.

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5. Jeep

The first American automaker in the top 10 worst car brands in initial quality is Jeep, part of the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) brand. For the 2015 study, owners reported 141 problems per 100 vehicles, which helped Jeep dig out of its hole last year, where it was the second worst brand with 146 problems. Still, Jeep owners are reporting 30 problems more per 100 vehicles than the industry average and it’s just the beginning for FCA’s woes.

4. Subaru

Subaru has been enjoying a rise in sales with numerous record-breaking years in a row, but owners aren’t enjoying their brand new vehicles. This year, Subaru owners reported 142 problems per 100 vehicles, four more than last year when Subaru finished in sixth place.

3. Chrysler

Another brand in FCA’s portfolio, Chrysler, finished in third place this year, a massive drop compared to last year when Chrysler was actually better than the industry average. In the 2014 J.D. Power Initial Quality Study, Chrysler owners reported 111 problems per 100 vehicles, but in 2015 there were 143 problems. The significant increase should be alarming for Chrysler, which likely enjoyed its short stint towards the top half of last year’s study.

2. Smart

There weren’t enough Smart owners to poll last year, which excluded the German automaker from making the list. This year, Smart came in with a splash, finishing as the second worst car brand in initial quality with 154 reported problems per 100 vehicles. Maybe there’s a reason why there weren’t enough Smart owners to survey last year.

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1. Fiat

For at least another year, Fiat will be the worst brand in initial quality. Last year, the Italian automaker was slammed in the study with owners reporting 206 problems per 100 vehicles, an overwhelming amount over the industry average. This year, Fiat fared considerably better with 161 problems, but that’s nearly 50 more than the industry average of 112.

Filed under: Acura Chrysler Featured Articles Fiat Jeep Land Rover Luxury Cars Mitsubishi Scion SMART Volkswagen
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  • I’m surprised Acura is on the list considering it is the luxury brand of Honda. Therefore, Acura should be just as reliable as a Honda

  • timothyhood

    I’d like to see the numbers that don’t include people who can’t figure out how to use the touch screen interfaces. JD considers that a “quality” problem without any regard to whether it’s an ID10T error or bug in the software. If a systems has a learning curve or seems less intuitive, that should be reported elsewhere. Only true bugs should end up on the initial quality report. It’s no different than saying, for example, you don’t like how the cruise control works so that’s a quality problem.

  • narg

    So if it’s not idiot proof, is that not a problem?

  • narg

    Honda’s used to be reliable, like Toyotas… over 20 years ago. Today, no so much.

  • narg

    Personally, from what I see there is rarely a true “bad” car these days (single lemon cases not-withstanding of course.) Every maker knows the results of lists like this and try harder now than ever to keep quality as high as possible. Today’s quality overall is amazing compared to a decade or two ago. Though, these brands here I’d not put on a short list of buying options anyway. For many reasons beyond quality, though quality does play a factor.

  • jay mark

    OMG! Where’s the bigoted and biased rankings from Consumer Reports? Why, there isn’t an American vehicle on this list, just a list of foreign manufacturers, some with products assembled in the US.
    Now I have owned a VW Jetta (1987) and found it to be a fairly reliable vehicle. Gave me good fuel mileage, was peppy, comfortable and more. The dealer maintenance costs though were astronomical, so once the warranty expired, so did my visits to the dealership.
    Chrysler products? I owned them while they were still American, not German or Italian, and her again, other than a 1973 Dodge 1/2 ton with the old slant 6 (better known as the Hillside hemi), all were fairly decent and reliable. The ’73 Dodge pickup couldn’t pull itself up a hill if the wind was blowing downhill.
    All my GM (mostly Chevys and Chvey pickups) and all my Fords (mostly pickups) were dependable and cost efficient. The Chevy products always gave better fuel economy than the equivalent Ford model, but all did what I asked of them when I asked it, and all went well over 200,000 miles with only routine maintenance.
    Since getting my license in 1953, I have probably owned over 150 vehicles, for personal as well as business use. I now buy only all-American cars and trucks, meaning made by true US auto companies, and continue to get excellent service and dependability.

  • Hugh Jorgan

    FIAT:
    Fix It Again Tony

  • Hugh Jorgan

    Timothy, if that was the case the MyFordTouch screen would land Ford on this list. It’s so bad Ford is using a different software supplier next year.

  • Shiratori1

    Baseless statement.

  • Shiratori1

    Last time I checked, Jeep is an american brand.

    Troll harder next time.

  • jay mark

    @shi: Negative, so you need to update into the 21st century. Jeep is a division of Chrysler and Chrysler is wholly owned by the Italian company, Fiat.
    Have you been pulling a “Rip Van Winkle” for the past several years?
    I will forgive you that you do not stay up to date with the business news, but Fiat bought ALL of Chrysler from Mercedes-Benz many years ago and that ALL included Jeep, which now sports Fiat engines… maybe why they get a bum rating.
    If you still don’t believe me, google Fiat and their various brands.

  • Viper Gaming

    this article is biased. ford and gm have a whole crap load of problems too.

  • smartacus

    How many of Daimler’s smart fortwo problems were backseat related? :p

  • Mike

    90 days you moron. Ninety days is NOTHING.

  • Mike

    Bull. Toyota has been tops for years.

  • Craig

    This is simply NOT good enough. PROBLEMS? WHAT problems? They couldn’t find their favorite radio station? Or the engine blew up?

  • jay mark

    I guess if you encounter a ‘problem’ with your vehicle within the first 90 days, you’ll say “It’s nothing.”
    Chest shaver….

  • S.W.

    this countdown is bullshit
    there is no single american car that is better ranked a than a german or european car,
    besides that there is no way you can compare the performance of most european cars in the U.S.A because the gas there is a crab and 90 day ownership is, is nothing. I mean, ford and and GM have a lot more problems than smart
    better look up for a european ranking, those are good.

  • Kinetis

    So Scion is horrible at initial quality, but great at dependability as the 2012 Scion tC, xD, and xB all won awards for JD Power vehicle dependability studies for 2015 and those cars haven’t changed since 2012. The only way this makes sense is all the problem are coming from the FR-S?

  • Don Reeves

    I don’t understand why Subaru would be on this list. My 2015 Outback 3.6R is flawless. Maybe they need to ask more owners before rendering such a verdict…

  • Will the Broker

    Coming from the Auto Industry I never gave a grain of salt to J.D Power. Initial quality does not track the severity of issues. So a vehicle with 1 issue (a transmission failure for example) can out rank a vehicle that needed a few small adjustments. There was never a correlation between this survey and the actual long term reliability cost.

  • Gary W

    Looks like Fiat is still lacking in quality. There was a reason for the nick name,
    Fix It Again Tony or Fix It Again Tomorrow.

  • borgteam

    These JD power results show how to lie with statistics. Technically they aren’t lying but they are presenting this info in a way that makes things look BAD. Doesn’t this sound BAD.. The Jeep had 141 PROBLEMS, oh my!!! Oh wait, that’s 141 problem per 100 vehicles, but still, 141 is such a BIG number. But lets get rid of that 100 vehicle BS. The Jeep, in ONE FULL YEAR had 1.41 problems. Now it doesn’t sound like all that big a deal, one, maybe two trips to the dealer and most likely combined with an oil change.. And what did the AVERAGE vehicle have… 1.12 problems. Gosh, that’s a difference to the retail buyer of that horrible trouble prone jeep of an extra 0.29 problems. Call out the cavalry!!! And if we compare the jeep to a PERFECT vehicle, one that in the year had ZERO problems the jeep has all of 1.41 problems. Stop the presses!! It also fails to take into account if the average vehicle’s 1.12 problems was $400 worth of problems while the jeeps 1.41 problems amounted to $50 to reflash the computer and $40 to more securely fasten an errant rubbing hose. The WORST vehicle, the Fiat, at 206 “problems” (boy that sounds bad) is in reality 2 problems in the year, one more than the average vehicle. Is having TWO things go wrong instead of ONE thing go wrong in a year really of the slightest significance to the owner of one of these UNDER WARRANTY cars? It is important to the manufacturer because to them it’s real money on a million cars that need one extra repair, but to an owner it’s trivial. These JD power numbers are just plain stupid the way they are presented with the media making a big deal over “worst”. If you like the Fiat you should buy the Fiat, you’ll never notice that one extra warranty repair that you’ll experience over the “average” car.

  • ademello

    Strange to find Honda (Acura) and Subaru on the list. I have owned a 2014 RDX Tech for over a year with not a single problem. I also drive a 21-year Honda Accord with 226,000 miles that is more reliable than some new vehicles out there. IMO, long term reliability speaks volumes over some initial quality measurement. The concept of reliability is complicated because it combines not just engineering and manufacturing, but how well the owner takes care of the vehicle to the integrity and professionalism of the dealership or shop that maintains it. If anything goes wrong with any of these three aspects, you end up with a problematic vehicle. I think the truth only becomes apparent after 8-10 years of use. Initial quality is a confusing measurement promoted by those that build unreliable vehicles to
    obfuscate the truth. Educated consumers cannot be fooled.

  • bd

    Acura is having numerous issues with its new power-trains and other new tech offerings (the RLX, for instance, has had numerous issues) – which is why so many things have been delayed (numerous recalls in Japan).

    The ILX, otoh, was given a high rating since it doesn’t have the newer things which still have the bugs that need to be worked out.

  • Robert

    I have a Jeep Grand Cherokee and have had no problems with it. It has had many software updates which are usually applied when the vehicle is in for normal maintenance. I wonder if these software changes are included in the “troubles” that are reported. If so that is a seriously inflated problem count for the JGC. Btw the software updates take very little time and are mostly preventive.

  • YOU KNOW WHAT SUBARU MEANS? BULLSHIT!

  • Phil Navarro

    Robert, you’ve been quite lucky. My wife has a 2014 JGC. Never have they updated software unless I spend my own time finding the updates on line and requesting it to be done. Then I find out later that they are missed. Again. I don’t even want to get into 6 months waiting on a Safety Recall and a cracked radiator I pointed out to them…..Other than 9 service visits on a new vehicle, we still love the car/jeep, but hate the service or lack there of.

  • Robert

    Hi Phil, like you I have checked on what software is due on my car. I keep pretty good track but have not had to push my dealer into updating.Whenever I go in for service or even one of the recalls the vehicle is hooked up on line while I am watching. The Tech writer has a tablet kind of setup. It checks all software and recall data applicable to the vehicle and the dealer has them outstanding and completed by the time the car leaves.

    I have checked these updates against my online sources and they have not missed. Not in love with the process but it has been through.
    BTW mine is a 2014 JGC Summit

  • Phil Navarro

    Summit also. Like I said, we (my wife 99% driver) love the JGC.
    Our biggest issue was the ‘Lurch Forward’ affect, which was finally fixed (a month ago) through software and much complaining since day one. I have never had a chance to watch their work. If that’s what you call it. Ha.

  • Beau Hawkins

    Yeah, opening up my schedule, taking time (which is in short supply for me), and missing work on a brand new car is not acceptable. And somebody has to to figure out the best v worst for the car magazines, year over year. How should they accomplish this?

  • Karl Kimball

    I see someone has never had a brand new JEEP where the dealer says “we cannot replicate the problem sir or mam” , when the owner of said brand new vehicle has to bring in said vehicle repeatedly taking time out of their lives because it dies (STALLS) out in traffic, or doesn’t run correctly…… Repeatedly. It’s funny that you are such a large fanboy of JEEP to not understand that when these complaint percentages are published, it means that Jeep owners are complaining a hell of a lot more than the drivers of other product lines like Toyota, Ford or GM, and it is a very big deal no matter how you a fanboy for JEEP try’s and down-play 142 problems per 100 vehicles sold. Because that is a very large number of pissed of owners of new vehicles that have to deal with problems they simply do not need when they pay upwards of 30-40 grand for a new JEEP!

  • Karl Kimball

    The owners of the brand new vehicles are reporting the problems, that is how JD Powers is getting their information. You just happen to be one of the lucky ones that didn’t have a problem with your brand new Subaru.

  • Karl Kimball

    Can you please tell me where you can find those “all-American cars and trucks” you speak of here? Because the last two “American” vehicles I purchased were made in CANADA & MEXICO. And the last Japanese car I purchased was made in America.

  • Karl Kimball

    Jeep in an American brand my butt! Jeep is made by FIAT. Fiat is an Italian company!

    Do you know where Italy is? I will give you a clue.. It’s NOT in America!

    Obama with his corrupt auto industry bailout deals gave 50% of the company to the auto unions as payback for getting him elected, and GAVE the other 50% to FIAT of Italy.. Then two years latter FIAT purchased the other 50% from the auto unions. So FIAT (still of Italy) now owns 100% of Chrysler/Jeep. I think you might want to do some research before making completely stupid statements on the internet!

  • Karl Kimball

    Look at the comment I just posted above yours.. FIAT did not purchase anything from Mercedes Benz.
    FIAT again was given 50% of Chrysler/Jeep within the Obama auto industry bailouts in 2009, with their promise that they (FIAT) would produce a new futuristic fuel efficient engine. FIAT then purchased the other 50% of Chrysler/Jeep from the auto unions a little over two years ago. That is how they got control of the American icon JEEP.

  • Karl Kimball

    NO it is not. But trying to tell us that JEEP is quote: “an American brand” like you did above sure is about as baseless statement as one can claim!
    ROFL!!!

    And Toyota and Honda’s ratings and resale values across the board speak for themselves. Only a person that probably purchased something on the list above, and doesn’t want to talk about reality would say anything different.

  • jay mark

    Ah, so many fools, so few people with working brains. karl, I don’t give a crap that your Jap car was made (actually assembled here with Jap parts shipped here), my point is WHERE DOES THE MANUFACTURER’S PROFIT GO? To what country? If the profit goes to Japan, so do the jobs. If the profit goes to Germany, so do the jobs. If the profit goes to South Korea, so do the jobs.
    No foreign assembler of vehicles pays any corporate tax here, to cover the beautiful infrastructure, the protection of our military, etc. GM and Ford pay corporate tax here and the profit is used to develop better products.
    Is this concept of American jobs to hard for you to grasp? Ultimately, if the people here keep buying foreign vehicles, there will be NO middle class, there will be NO manufacturing jobs and those are the jobs that made up our American middle class that Owebama yaks about restoring, all the while he ‘negotiates’ another trade pact that puts US manufacturers at a disadvantage.
    Ask yourself, how did the US manage to win WW2? Answer, we were the manufacturing colossus of the world, providing not only ALL the US military requirements (and we were the ONLY nation that actually fought that war across two huge oceans), 35% of ALL Britain’s requirements and 30% of Russia’s requirements… all the while still supplying all the home front needs. I lived through that and I know our middle class was made up of actual manufacturing jobs,

  • Karl Kimball

    One) How in the hell does this “profit” made by giant conglomerations like GM or Ford benefit me as an American? When they are building all of their new plants in COMMUNIST CHINA, MEXICO, or CANADA… BIG MOUTH?
    TWO) All I did was ask you simple question, where as you blew your stinky load all over me. Go back and reread my question and tell where exactly did I ask you a question the was mean or out of line… LOSER. And BIG MOUTH, lets be clear here, I have more then likely purchased more AMERICAN NAMED vehicles in my 57 years through my businesses and through personal use then you have driven in your immature life. So how about you f off loser.

  • jay mark

    First, moron, I have owned well over 150 vehicles since acquiring my drivers license in 1953, both in my businesses, farm and personal use. Second, moron, how do the taxes paid by GM and Ford benefit you? By keeping your share of our government lower than is no taxes were paid, moron. Third, moron, the money that stays in this country benefits every American, can be sued for product development, jobs, etc.

    Like I said in my response to your inane rambling, so many fools, so few people with working brains. You ain’t in the brains camp, moron.
    Lastly, moron, we could be free of ALL foreign oil if our government weren’t tied so closely to the Arab nations. We have the ability to produce virtually 100% of our energy requirements and then ALL that money stays here as well.

    Think long and hard about our national debt (105% of our GDP, just like Greece which is in default), and try to envision who owns the bulk of that debt. Hint: Communist China, Japan and the Soviet Union (Russia), then Great Britain. Only one friend in that list.

    Maybe you don’t care that your children’s children will learn Mandarin, but I have served in the Marines in Southeast Asia (Vietnam, Cambodia, Japan, Korea) and there are no friends in that list, trust me, just as we have NO friends in the Arab world.
    BTW, I doubt like hell you owned any business that could be considered a start-up like I have. With your ‘knowledge’ of economics and how a dollar is made, you could have inherited a business, but never started one.

    Freaking chest shaver.

  • Karl Kimball

    So the complete and utter jackass can’t even answer a question about the idiotic statement YOU MADE about purchasing an “all-American cars and trucks” THAT SIMPLY DO NOT EXIST TODAY!
    And lets be clear here, you are the only one here bringing your “inane ramblings”! For the proof of your nuttiness and nonstop rambling is right above this comment! And the next.. And the next! So giant hypocrite must be your middle name Jay!
    And when I was a General Contractor running my own company, and the boss of upwards of 20 hard working people (of which I am retired from now) I myself purchased in excess of over a half a million dollars worth of AMERICAN GOODS each and every year for over thirty years! So I will let you do the math, your 150 used and or junk cars you say you bought over your lifetime doesn’t mean a whole hell of a lot here, son.

  • jay mark

    KMA karl: Once again, brain deadness survives within your gene pool. As I posted, you never owned any business you didn’t inherit because no fool like you could start and manage something ground up. BFD, you ’employed’ 20 hard working people. BFD. They most likely had to work hard to cover for your slack.
    Once again, moron, and this time I will type very, very slowly ’cause I know you cannot understand fast, it’s what nation lays claim to the final dollar, the ‘profit dollar’, moron.
    BFD, you say you purchased American goods for your ‘contracting business daddy gave you. BFD.
    I started three businesses, ground up and built them into decent businesses that employed, at one time, over 42 people. BFD.
    I also bought American goods for over the 40+ years I was in business, but, moron, we are talking her about AMERICAN jobs, not Koran, Japanese, Communist Chinese or German… AMERICAN jobs for AMERICAN workers by AMERICAN companies, not foreign corporations who pay no freaking taxes here, moron.
    Damn, your mother have any kids with working brain cells?

  • shadysam

    you failed to mention Canada and Britain was in that war before The americans were,so it was won by a coalition of countrys not just the US,,.history books are at the library give a read ,,you will see what im talking about,,,.

  • shadysam

    150 vehicles i can believe that,,,.now if only you had owned 15 to 20 japanese vehicles ,you will still be driving them today,not disposable fords and chevys,with there constant engine failures . and silly motor changes,over a 2 year period and union made garbage,,,.the only one that benefits here is the Union Worker ,,not the average worker in the real world so you buy the best non disposable car which would be Japenese.

  • shadysam

    i would say honda are most reliable,as they dont rust like toyotas,,,.and there motors run like forever,. thats a reliable vehicle…no major issues last forever,until you get sick of there looks,,then you buy another Honda styling is 100 percent over a toyota,,.

  • jay mark

    Can you name for me the Canadian steel foundries? Rubber mills? Perhaps you can show me where Canada got its bauxite? I lived through what you read about and I stand by my statement, the US and our manufacturing capabilities won WW2. For every Panzer, the US produced 15 Shermans; for every Junkers, the US produced twenty B24, B25, B17, etc. Who used our production besides the US? Canada and England and Russia. Look it up, the books are at the library.

  • Mike

    That might have been true of old Hondas. Not anymore. I’ve owned 3 new ones in the past few years. None of their body styles are lookers as of late. The Accord looks average at best. The Fit is horrendous, as is the CRV and the new Pilot. The Ridgeline has always been ugly. Hopefully the new one is an improvement. And their quality had been slipping, as well as Acura’s reliability. That’s one of the reasons the CEO of Honda just stepped down.

  • Karl Kimball

    I think you had better do some research before proceeding any further, because defending the so called AMERICAN automotive industry (as in General Motors) is now defending COMMUNIST CHINA.

    You might start by going to YouTube and watching “General Motors Has Become China Motors”. And take a look at the facts presented there with the use of CEO of government motors own words. Your tax scenario means absolutely nothing when America no longer exists because we have been taken over by Communist China, with the actions of Obama’s crony capitalism and General Motors!
    And as I have been saying since the very beginning, here, before you rudely attacked me for no apparent reason other then your stupidity, there is no such thing as an American car company anymore! PERIOD.

  • Matt M.

    FIAT……….Fix It Again Tony

  • Matt M.

    Done with Honda due to their arrogant attitude about warranty problems.
    Transmission failure at 80k miles on 2k4-5 Accords. Honda of America would not warrant the repair because I was not getting my vehicle serviced, yes that included oil changes, at a Honda dealer. What does changing the engine oil have to do with the transmission failing?

  • Matthew Todd

    You really should read all about Honda some time. They are not the heroes you are making them out to be. In any way, shape or form.

  • Matthew Todd

    “These JD power results show how to lie with statistics. Technically they aren’t lying but they are presenting this info in a way that makes things look bad”. Which is it?

    Fiat was at over 200 problems per 100 cars in 2014. They improved to 161 per 100 for 2015. Still pathetic and any Fiat buyer is the ultimate loser but at least they have the info.

    These ratings from year to year can show a pattern like GM as a whole doing well while the the Japs are dropping.

  • Matthew Todd

    My Mother fell for the crap and bought a Subaru pile. Been back to the dealer more than a dozen times in just over a year.

    Told her to support a Domestic brand but is a sheep like so many today who blindly follow without thought.

  • Matthew Todd

    Hurts to be a badge Ho I see.

    Much better cars from American brands out there. BMW rates 99, Chevy rates 101. Basically a statistical anomaly. So your heroes in Germany(Benz and especially VW rate lower) are building no better or far worse cars than a meat and potatoes Chevy and it costs an average of three times more to service and repair a German pile? Suckers still born every day I see.

  • Matthew Todd

    All Japanese brands still import ungodly numbers of vehicles and car parts every year keeping our trade deficits at record levels for decades as a whole. Tax breaks were given to the foreign brands on every level costing the USA billions overall in lost tax revenue. The average pay has gone from too high to no way to support a family of four on a starting wage at an auto plant. There needed to be a happy medium. Instead we sold our ass to the world as quickly as possible and killed millions of middle class Americans in the process. Those people had money and made it possible for so many others to have money. Now, fewer and fewer have money. Who is going to buy these new cars from any brand when the people building them cant afford one? The clerk at 7-Eleven? I doubt it and this is the future we have made for ourselves and children. This is so wrong on so many levels but the fact that the Japs have said again just recently how America is a pathetic culture and we are incapable of producing products worry of the Japanese it is sickening to see so many care so little what impact there purchases have. You and yours are simply supporting a culture that cares nothing about you in any way beyond your capacity to fill cargo ships with dollars bound for Japan. This attitude has killed the America I used to know.

    We are causing irreparable damage to our once great Nation and that is truly sad. GM and Ford the only American brands left, hard to imagine even 30 years ago.

  • timothyhood

    No, it’s not. If software crashes or had bugs, that’s a problem. If you don’t like how it works, that’s a personal preference. JD should track those kinds of things separately.

  • CEDUPZ

    missing work? Why most new car dealers now give loaners….

  • CEDUPZ

    Domestic brand? Like the Mexican made GM stuff or Chrysler stuff, or Ford Mexico? U.S. car mfgs are a joke..their marketing is pure BS.

  • timothyhood

    I’ve used MFT and it’s not bad to use. It did what it needed to do and never crashed.mi never saw any bugs.myes, I would have designed it differently, but that is not initial quality any more than, say, whether a manufacturer gives you push-button start or a keyed ignition. One may be easier to use, but it’s not a quality issue. This has only become an issue since in-car tech arrived. JD wasn’t counting people who didn’t like how radio controls were laid out or where the seat adjuster was located as “initial quality.” But, as cars get better, if JD doesn’t find something. Keep the numbers up, people will stop paying attention to their “data.”

  • CEDUPZ

    If it ain’t GERMAN, it ain’t a car. Simple, they invented it, they perfected it.

  • CEDUPZ

    FORD, fixed or Repaired Daily…found on road Dead

  • CEDUPZ

    Germans had SUPERIOR equipment, in everything, they just got ahead of themselves, and over reached their capacity….then all teh GERMAN scientists came here and that is why NASA and jets, and rockets, and cars exist GERMANS…heck even Les Paul guitars, Heinz Katsup, Kohler stuff, endless….Klein tools,

  • CEDUPZ

    UAW, see how Detroit looks now, look for the union Label….hahahahahahahahahaha

  • CEDUPZ

    Every one should be driving a PORSCHE!

  • herandnow

    I know a Tony that has a Rover, LOL! Another LOAD!

  • herandnow

    Come one now, Fiat doesn’t deserve its reputation? REALLY? really? Rovers are pretty much junk too.

  • herandnow

    Exactly, the Camry is now the MOST American sourced car. Heck a Corvettes transmission is made in MEXICO!

  • herandnow

    the Camry is the Most American Sourced Car made today.

  • herandnow

    Every single car made in Germany, Japan and S. Korea is made with Union Labor, so is EVERY Harley Davidson. They , meaning YOU, blamed unions till the companies went UNDER. Guess what , when you blame the wrong you never fix the problem, meaning what? Unions were NEVER THE PROBLEM.

  • herandnow

    you and your stupid politics in the equation, Chrysler WENT bankrupt BEFORE OBAMA ,during the last 4 months of the GW BUSH admin.

  • herandnow

    sorry, YOU ARE ENTIRELY WRONG, Fiat didn’t buy Chrysler from MERCEDES. Cerebrus Capital, a hedge fund , bought Chrysler from MERCEDES, Chrysler , under Cerebrus ownership , went bankrupt AFTER , and FIAT Bought Chrysler from Bankruptcy Court. The V8 in Jeeps is Chrysler Based. The Diesel is FIAT based. The 4 Cylinders are Fiat based.

  • herandnow

    sorry, the Ford Focus is total junk.

  • herandnow

    sure, that’s why the CRV is top rated in numerous publications and owners satisfaction.

  • timothyhood

    One can assume this comment is based on your own brand-loyalty bias and no actual experience with it. I happened to have just recently rented one from Enterprie and found it was quite competent–handled well, good ride, nice driveability, and surprisingly good gas mileage. I admit I haven’t driven most of its competitors, but I’m not commenting about them, either.

  • timothyhood

    Ha, ha, no one has ever heard that one before!

    I’ll bet it certainly wasn’t created by someone who was blindly brand loyal, because they were afraid to shop the competition in fear they might like it better.

  • CEDUPZ

    German unions ain’t the UAW. they actually want the companys to survive and prosper. Detroit, UAW, pretty under whelming, so are their products

  • jay mark

    The German ‘superior’ equipment froze up on the eastern front rendering that ‘superior’ equipment useless as teats on a boar hog. The German engineers were ‘adaptive’ in that they took an anti-aircraft gun and mounted that gun in a tank. The German rocket scientists were ahead of their time (read “Space” by James Michener, a novel based on the Allies capturing some rocket scientists), but to say that Germans are the best engineers is fatuous.
    Heinz was already in this country, Kohlers lived in Wisconsin, Klein Tools was already a business.
    Rather than try to prop up the losing side, re-read my posts regarding manufacturing in America and jobs for American workers.

  • Mike

    And ugly as hell.

  • CEDUPZ

    Even Lester Polfusz had a German grandfather, and he created the most iconic guitar ever. Kohlers started from where though, hmmmm, same with Heinz, and so many more. Heck, they even invented the electric hand drill in the 1800’s FEIN! Had an incandescent lamp before Edison got his going , Heinrich Goebels, lived in N.Y.C. Edison had more clout…they finally acknowledged Heinrich had it first after 10 years of court fights, by then it didn’t matter.

  • CEDUPZ

    German scientist also first to make Aluminum stuff! It just never ends, everything came from a German scientist.

  • dup

    This story is just a fable, but what about the facts? The first step
    in extracting aluminium was made by the famous Paracelsus in the 16th
    century. From alums he separated an «aluminous soil» which contained
    the oxide of a then unknown metal. In the middle of the 18th century,
    the experiment was repeated by Andreas Marggraf, a German chemist.
    He called the aluminium oxide ‘alumina’ (Latin word ‘alumen’ —
    astringent). From that moment, the scientific community was made aware
    the existence of aluminium. However, as it was not found in its pure
    form, it was not really recognized.

  • dup

    Audi pioneered Quattro for mass production cars…..also multi valve engines, GERMAN..first to use electronic fuel injection VW, GERMAN….

  • jay mark

    WHAT IS YOUR POINT? THE GERMANS LOST THE WAR PERIOD

  • CEDUPZ

    They invented everything we use…..the U.S. lost Vietnam, Korea, and now the sandbox….so what’s your point? Why 70+ years later, countries beg Germany for bailout help. Cus Germany is the richest most productive country in Europe (Netherlands is not too shabby either), setting the mfg standards of excellence. The U.S. lost the war with China, economic war..so what’s your point?

  • jay mark

    The Jhermans LOST the freaking war. The Jhermans vote socialist. The Jhermans didn’t invent the self starter, power steering, power brakes, airbags or anything else of lasting value. The Jhermans are also among the current laziest people on this earth.
    Give your bigoted and biased Jherman a rest.
    Oh, I forgot, your Jhermans perfected the gas ovens. I’m sure you are very proud of that Jherman accomplishment.
    Man, you are a Jherman moron.

  • Beau Hawkins

    Yeah, and I got one. I live in a city Best case scenario (car is still drive-able) driving across town to the dealership and getting the loaner is an hour of my time, minimal. 2 hours total counting the return. Did you read the post above mine? That poor guy is wasting MANY hours.

    If the car is immobile, there goes the rest of the day!

  • CEDUPZ

    sounds like a horrible life…now go hunt for food…..spoiled.

  • CEDUPZ

    no everybody has the same 24 day..why is yours less?

  • Beau Hawkins

    No thanks, I have money to buy that with, and a life…now troll off.

  • CEDUPZ

    crumple zones, ABS, electronic fuel injection (VW was first in production car),there houses are built with quality long lasting materials, from their own country, not defective Chinese wallboard! The intersate hwy system here is based on, now wait get this…..GERMAN AutoBAHN. Eisenhower seen it, and was impressed….so they even invented the roads to drive the cars they invented on! HAHA! They make the finest cutlery and tools Fein, Whia, Wera,Knipex, Wustof,Henkels….they even discovered how to get gas out of COAL! The entire Pharma industry was created out of GERMAN chemical companies, Bayer, Merck,etc

  • jay mark

    You keep forgetting the Jherman work on perfecting the gas ovens, the ‘medical’ experiments that led to the Jherman’drug’ manufacturing, the 6+ million Jews who were gassed, burned and tortured to death, that the Jhermans came up with the ‘final solution’ to the world’s problems with population…
    Yup, your vaunted Jhermans were certainly an innovative people.
    And all this ‘vaunted’ and they lost the war. Who would have thunk, Heinrich.
    Take your Jherman ideology and put it where the sun shouldn’t shine.

  • CEDUPZ

    And of course you are equally upset about all the African warlords that murder, pillage millions in Africa, right? Or are you just biased? Or the Japan death march, or the Rape on Nan King, or are you selective in your rage? 70+ years later, European countries asking Germany for financial help, hmmm, guess Germany is a better managed country? With factories that set the standard of mfg excellence. They over extended, kinda like USSR did, and hey, look what the U.S.A. is doing all over the world, over extended…does ya in…history do repeat itself. They still had superior equipment, even our helmets are their style now, they had that in the 30’s!

  • Glenn

    Mitsubishi makes great cars. Excluding normal brake and exhaust wear and tear, in 6 years I’ve had 2 technical failures with my Lancer GTS and that was the trunk latch and fuel door spring. Even the manual clutch is still going strong. If thats what the initial complaints are about I’ll take that any day. I’m not sure about this initial quality rating system.

  • relentlesslycaring

    There is one thing we should never forget and that is the fun factor, cost and reliability of a car. Be it a FORD or a BMW, which ever works best for you is what it is.
    American cars had their chance but through horrible management and greed by the unions they finally fizzled. They couldn’t offer the quality other companies had. I blame them.

  • relentlesslycaring

    Yes and consider the size of this country and it makes perfect sense but it’s not because of talent or commitment. It’s the size.
    As for American cars they had their chance and they blew it.

  • relentlesslycaring

    The Germans lost the war because Hitler ran the war and not his generals just like our politicians ran the Vietnam war.

  • relentlesslycaring

    There is absolutely no respect I get from a person when he calls names– no matter what the subject.

  • Cherokee L. smith

    All Mitsubishi Cars today are not made in Japan, they’re made in Thailand , Thailand cars breakdown easily
    Made of sesame and ginger spices to rust your axle and your suspension a lot,

  • Knuckles Mutatis

    The methodology of JD Powers is widely known to be a joke by those who look at this stuff seriously, but that aside, have you ever heard the phrase “anecdotal evidence”? – that is what you are using here, and it is not a valid argument for something.

  • Matt M.

    Does this Tony also have a “Tiger in his tank” 🙂