Consumer Reports-Toyota leads again, European brands the worst
11-09-04, 05:39 AM
#1
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Consumer Reports-Toyota leads again, European brands the worst
European vehicle reliability stalls
Consumer Reports annual survey of cars and trucks rates Asian brands on top, U.S. mixed, Europe worst.
By Brett Clanton / The Detroit News
Tuesday, November 9, 2004
European automakers fared the worst on Consumer Reports magazine's closely watched survey of vehicle reliability, with Asian brands dominating and Detroit automakers scoring mixed results.
Consumer Reports' New Car Preview 2005, which hits newsstands today, offers the first look at findings from an annual survey of about 5 million car and truck owners, who answer questions about problems with their vehicles during the past three years. Consumer Reports uses the data to make predictions about the reliability of 2005 models that are reaching showrooms this year. The magazine designates vehicles as "most reliable," "least reliable" or average.
The magazine weighs reliability heavily in determining whether it will ultimately recommend car or truck to readers. The recommendation can be crucial to a vehicle's success. About 40 percent of U.S. car buyers consult Consumer Reports before buying a new car or truck.
Among the 32 vehicles considered most reliable, 29 were built by Japanese companies, according to the survey.
Toyota Motor Co.p. led the pack with 16 models spread over its Toyota, Scion and Lexus brands, while Honda Motor Co. had seven models on the most reliable list, including two by its Acura brand.
General Motors Corp. was the only domestic company to make the most reliable list, scoring two spots, with its Pontiac Grand Prix and soon-to-be-discontinued Buick Regal.
Of the 38 models in the least reliability category, 20 were European, 13 were built by U.S. companies and five were Asian. Among the least reliable: the Ford F-150, the Volkswagen Touareg SUV, Jaguar X-Type sedan, BMW 5 Series sedan, Nissan Quest minivan and the Mercedes-Benz SLK roadster.
David Champion, director of automotive testing for Consumer Reports in East Haddam, Conn., said European automakers fared worst in the survey because of glitches with electrical and power systems.
"Mercedes, BMW and Jaguar tend to come out with the latest features more so than other manufacturers do," while Japanese automakers tend to keep their cars and processes more simple, he said.
The survey follows J.D. Power and Associates' most recent Vehicle Dependability Study of 3-year-old vehicles, which showed ''substantial quality gaps'' between domestic and European models. In the study, European vehicles had 49 more problems per 100 vehicles than did U.S. cars and trucks at three years of ownership.
Detroit automakers, however, should not be celebrating just yet. Consumers are still finding reason to complain about domestic models, he said.
"Sometimes it's the smaller aspects that become very annoying, like the cup holder lid that keeps on dropping off. It's not something that's going to stop you in the street driving along, but it's something that's really annoying that you use every day. It's that attention to detail that the domestics are missing."
But Consumer Reports did reward quality improvements at the Big Three by moving several vehicles into the "recommended" column, including the Chrysler Pacifica wagon, Cadillac CTS sedan and Ford Explorer Sport Trac truck.
The magazine only recommends a vehicle if it receives good consumer survey scores, passes internal driving tests and scores well on federal safety guidelines.
Big Three officials said better scores in some areas were proof that efforts to improve quality are paying off, but they acknowledged that low marks signal there is work to be done.
"One of the main things that still needs to change is consumer perception," said Sam Locricchio, a spokesman for DaimlerChrysler AG's Chrysler Group in Auburn Hills. While Chrysler has made big strides in improving quality during the last three years, the market is slow to give domestic automakers credit, he said.
GM spokeswoman Janine Fruehan agreed, saying the world's largest automaker has improved reliability by 40 percent during the last three years and cut warranty costs by 23 percent, but is still working to convince customers of quality gains. She would not comment directly on the Consumer Reports survey because she had not seen all the results.
"Quality is our highest priority," said Angie Kozleski, spokeswoman for Ford Motor Co. in Dearborn, who cited several studies showing improvements during the last four years.
Yet the Consumer Reports survey placed the company's new Ford F-150 pickup in the least reliable column, along with the Jaguar X-Type and S-Type sedans, produced by its British subsidiary. Though the findings are contrary to other consumer feedback, Kozleski said Ford "will go back and see what we can learn from the results."
Geoff Day, a spokesman for Mercedes-Benz, also said the Consumer Reports survey does not reflect what customers are saying about the luxury automaker's vehicles and runs counter to earlier positive reviews from the magazine.
"It is our feeling that the better measure of reliability is the fact that 72 percent of the over two million Mercedes-Benz vehicles that have been sold in the U.S. since the 1950's are still on the road today," he said.
The Consumer Reports New Car Preview 2005 will be followed by the more detailed Consumer Reports Annual Auto issue in April.
Source : Detroit News
Consumer Reports annual survey of cars and trucks rates Asian brands on top, U.S. mixed, Europe worst.
By Brett Clanton / The Detroit News
Tuesday, November 9, 2004
European automakers fared the worst on Consumer Reports magazine's closely watched survey of vehicle reliability, with Asian brands dominating and Detroit automakers scoring mixed results.
Consumer Reports' New Car Preview 2005, which hits newsstands today, offers the first look at findings from an annual survey of about 5 million car and truck owners, who answer questions about problems with their vehicles during the past three years. Consumer Reports uses the data to make predictions about the reliability of 2005 models that are reaching showrooms this year. The magazine designates vehicles as "most reliable," "least reliable" or average.
The magazine weighs reliability heavily in determining whether it will ultimately recommend car or truck to readers. The recommendation can be crucial to a vehicle's success. About 40 percent of U.S. car buyers consult Consumer Reports before buying a new car or truck.
Among the 32 vehicles considered most reliable, 29 were built by Japanese companies, according to the survey.
Toyota Motor Co.p. led the pack with 16 models spread over its Toyota, Scion and Lexus brands, while Honda Motor Co. had seven models on the most reliable list, including two by its Acura brand.
General Motors Corp. was the only domestic company to make the most reliable list, scoring two spots, with its Pontiac Grand Prix and soon-to-be-discontinued Buick Regal.
Of the 38 models in the least reliability category, 20 were European, 13 were built by U.S. companies and five were Asian. Among the least reliable: the Ford F-150, the Volkswagen Touareg SUV, Jaguar X-Type sedan, BMW 5 Series sedan, Nissan Quest minivan and the Mercedes-Benz SLK roadster.
David Champion, director of automotive testing for Consumer Reports in East Haddam, Conn., said European automakers fared worst in the survey because of glitches with electrical and power systems.
"Mercedes, BMW and Jaguar tend to come out with the latest features more so than other manufacturers do," while Japanese automakers tend to keep their cars and processes more simple, he said.
The survey follows J.D. Power and Associates' most recent Vehicle Dependability Study of 3-year-old vehicles, which showed ''substantial quality gaps'' between domestic and European models. In the study, European vehicles had 49 more problems per 100 vehicles than did U.S. cars and trucks at three years of ownership.
Detroit automakers, however, should not be celebrating just yet. Consumers are still finding reason to complain about domestic models, he said.
"Sometimes it's the smaller aspects that become very annoying, like the cup holder lid that keeps on dropping off. It's not something that's going to stop you in the street driving along, but it's something that's really annoying that you use every day. It's that attention to detail that the domestics are missing."
But Consumer Reports did reward quality improvements at the Big Three by moving several vehicles into the "recommended" column, including the Chrysler Pacifica wagon, Cadillac CTS sedan and Ford Explorer Sport Trac truck.
The magazine only recommends a vehicle if it receives good consumer survey scores, passes internal driving tests and scores well on federal safety guidelines.
Big Three officials said better scores in some areas were proof that efforts to improve quality are paying off, but they acknowledged that low marks signal there is work to be done.
"One of the main things that still needs to change is consumer perception," said Sam Locricchio, a spokesman for DaimlerChrysler AG's Chrysler Group in Auburn Hills. While Chrysler has made big strides in improving quality during the last three years, the market is slow to give domestic automakers credit, he said.
GM spokeswoman Janine Fruehan agreed, saying the world's largest automaker has improved reliability by 40 percent during the last three years and cut warranty costs by 23 percent, but is still working to convince customers of quality gains. She would not comment directly on the Consumer Reports survey because she had not seen all the results.
"Quality is our highest priority," said Angie Kozleski, spokeswoman for Ford Motor Co. in Dearborn, who cited several studies showing improvements during the last four years.
Yet the Consumer Reports survey placed the company's new Ford F-150 pickup in the least reliable column, along with the Jaguar X-Type and S-Type sedans, produced by its British subsidiary. Though the findings are contrary to other consumer feedback, Kozleski said Ford "will go back and see what we can learn from the results."
Geoff Day, a spokesman for Mercedes-Benz, also said the Consumer Reports survey does not reflect what customers are saying about the luxury automaker's vehicles and runs counter to earlier positive reviews from the magazine.
"It is our feeling that the better measure of reliability is the fact that 72 percent of the over two million Mercedes-Benz vehicles that have been sold in the U.S. since the 1950's are still on the road today," he said.
The Consumer Reports New Car Preview 2005 will be followed by the more detailed Consumer Reports Annual Auto issue in April.
Source : Detroit News
11-09-04, 06:32 AM
#2
Lexus Fanatic
There's a small typo in the "sedan" category...the Lexus G5300 should be GS300.
No arguements here. As I pointed out in my thread on auto magazines, CR in general is probably the best auto reliability source out there. The only possible glitch here ?.....they may not yet have the very latest data for the Hyundai Tiburon. If or when they do, I think that car will be removed from the "least reliable" category as all other current Hyundais have already been.
No arguements here. As I pointed out in my thread on auto magazines, CR in general is probably the best auto reliability source out there. The only possible glitch here ?.....they may not yet have the very latest data for the Hyundai Tiburon. If or when they do, I think that car will be removed from the "least reliable" category as all other current Hyundais have already been.
11-09-04, 05:19 PM
#3
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Here is the story in CNN
http://money.cnn.com/2004/11/08/pf/a...lity/index.htm
http://money.cnn.com/2004/11/08/pf/a...lity/index.htm
Consumer Reports: Most reliable cars
Sedans from VW, Mercedes, BMW fare poorly while Japanese models take the top spots.
November 8, 2004: 6:01 PM EST
NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - European sedans may have many wonderful attributes. Reliability, however, is not among them, according to the latest Consumer Reports reliability survey.
Small cars
These models earned ratings Most and Least reliable in Consumer Reports' 2004 reliability survey.
Most reliable Least reliable
Toyota Corolla Volkswagen Golf (turbo)
Scion xB Volkswagen Jetta (turbo)
Honda Civic Volkswagen New Beetle
Mazda3
Subaru Impreza
Toyota Echo
Mitsubishi Lancer (except Evo)
Source: Consumer Reports
Of the 11 sedans with the lowest predicted reliability, according to the survey, 10 were from European brands including Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar and BMW. Most Volkswagen models were rated far below average for reliability. The all-wheel drive Volkswagen Passat received the lowest reliability rating of any vehicle in the survey.
A spokesman for Volkswagen of America did not deny that the company's products have had problems.
The company has been working to track and correct reliability problems, he said, adding that customers should see results in upcoming redesigned 2005 versions of several of its cars.
Of the 32 car models with the highest reliability ratings, 29 were from Japan-based manufacturers. Toyota, with 16, and Honda, with 7, had the most vehicles with top reliability ratings. South Korean automaker Hyundai's Sonata earned a top spot in the ratings this year, a first for that manufacturer.
The Toyota Prius and Honda Civic gas/electric hybrid cars both were both listed among the most reliable vehicles.
The only cars from an American manufacturer to earn top scores were the Buick Regal, which has been discontinued for 2005, and non-supercharged versions of the Pontiac Grand Prix.
Among SUVs, Japanese brands monopolized the top spots. The Toyota Land Cruiser and Mitsubishi Endeavor were among the most reliable, according to the survey
The Toyota Tundra was the only pick-up truck to earn a top rating in the survey. The new Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon trucks both scored above-average. The redesigned Ford F-150, which had been among that company's most reliable products, slipped in the ratings this year.
The survey included responses from the owners of 810,000 vehicles. The survey was conducted in the spring of 2004 and covered 1997 to 2004 models. The ratings are based on the number of problems per 100 vehicles in the survey.
The reliability ratings form part of the data used to determine which models are recommended by Consumer Reports. Other factors include government crash and rollover tests and performance in Consumer Reports' own auto tests.
Sedans from VW, Mercedes, BMW fare poorly while Japanese models take the top spots.
November 8, 2004: 6:01 PM EST
NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - European sedans may have many wonderful attributes. Reliability, however, is not among them, according to the latest Consumer Reports reliability survey.
Small cars
These models earned ratings Most and Least reliable in Consumer Reports' 2004 reliability survey.
Most reliable Least reliable
Toyota Corolla Volkswagen Golf (turbo)
Scion xB Volkswagen Jetta (turbo)
Honda Civic Volkswagen New Beetle
Mazda3
Subaru Impreza
Toyota Echo
Mitsubishi Lancer (except Evo)
Source: Consumer Reports
Of the 11 sedans with the lowest predicted reliability, according to the survey, 10 were from European brands including Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar and BMW. Most Volkswagen models were rated far below average for reliability. The all-wheel drive Volkswagen Passat received the lowest reliability rating of any vehicle in the survey.
A spokesman for Volkswagen of America did not deny that the company's products have had problems.
The company has been working to track and correct reliability problems, he said, adding that customers should see results in upcoming redesigned 2005 versions of several of its cars.
Of the 32 car models with the highest reliability ratings, 29 were from Japan-based manufacturers. Toyota, with 16, and Honda, with 7, had the most vehicles with top reliability ratings. South Korean automaker Hyundai's Sonata earned a top spot in the ratings this year, a first for that manufacturer.
The Toyota Prius and Honda Civic gas/electric hybrid cars both were both listed among the most reliable vehicles.
The only cars from an American manufacturer to earn top scores were the Buick Regal, which has been discontinued for 2005, and non-supercharged versions of the Pontiac Grand Prix.
Among SUVs, Japanese brands monopolized the top spots. The Toyota Land Cruiser and Mitsubishi Endeavor were among the most reliable, according to the survey
The Toyota Tundra was the only pick-up truck to earn a top rating in the survey. The new Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon trucks both scored above-average. The redesigned Ford F-150, which had been among that company's most reliable products, slipped in the ratings this year.
The survey included responses from the owners of 810,000 vehicles. The survey was conducted in the spring of 2004 and covered 1997 to 2004 models. The ratings are based on the number of problems per 100 vehicles in the survey.
The reliability ratings form part of the data used to determine which models are recommended by Consumer Reports. Other factors include government crash and rollover tests and performance in Consumer Reports' own auto tests.
11-10-04, 08:09 PM
#4
Lexus Champion
Re: Consumer Reports-Toyota leads again, European brands the worst
Originally posted by SexySC
"Mercedes, BMW and Jaguar tend to come out with the latest features more so than other manufacturers do," while Japanese automakers tend to keep their cars and processes more simple, he said.
"Mercedes, BMW and Jaguar tend to come out with the latest features more so than other manufacturers do," while Japanese automakers tend to keep their cars and processes more simple, he said.
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