Worst 10 Car Brands in Initial Quality for 2018

[endicom]

Auto Guide
Sam McEachern
June 20, 2018

J.D. Power released it’s Initial Quality Study for 2018 this week.

The study examines problems experienced by original vehicle owners during the first 90 days of ownership. A vehicle’s ‘initial quality’ is then determined by recording the number of problems a certain model experiences per 100 vehicles (PP100). The lower score, the higher the vehicle’s initial quality is.

J.D. Power’s study takes into account tech-related issues, which account for many of most vehicles’ problems in the first 90 days of ownership. Problems related to infotainment systems were down in frequency compared to last year, although active safety systems, which are becoming increasingly popular in new vehicles, still proved to be troublesome on many new vehicles.

More... https://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2018/06/worst-10-automakers-initial-quality-2018.html

[mountaineer]

Subaru is #4? I've had my Forester for four years and have yet to have a problem.

[endicom]

Subaru is #4? I've had my Forester for four years and have yet to have a problem.

Aside from everyone thinking you're gay. :wink:

You made it through that danger zone of 90 days so you should be okay.

[mountaineer]

Aside from everyone thinking you're gay. :wink:

You made it through that danger zone of 90 days so you should be okay.

Hmm. Seriously, Subarus are very popular in my area because the roads are winding and hilly, and winters can be harsh. Many consider AWD a necessity. Plus, my Forester is averaging 31 mpg (combined city/hwy driving).

[Oceander]

Not particularly useful.  They measure by number of “problems” per 100 vehicles without defining what a “problem” is or weighting by severity. 

[endicom]

Hmm. Seriously, Subarus are very popular in my area because the roads are winding and hilly, and winters can be harsh. Many consider AWD a necessity. Plus, my Forester is averaging 31 mpg (combined city/hwy driving).

Same here. But I think that the small SUV craze has stolen some of Subaru's thunder.

[endicom]

Not particularly useful.  They measure by number of “problems” per 100 vehicles without defining what a “problem” is or weighting by severity.

IMO, that a big problem with J. D. Power. A broken door handle I can live with until replaced but a drive train issue I can't live with.

[Silver Pines]

Oh, hell, no.  Honda on the worst list?  Toyota and Honda not on the best?  And Jeep missing from the worst?  Not buying it.

[roamer_1]

Hmm. Seriously, Subarus are very popular in my area because the roads are winding and hilly, and winters can be harsh. Many consider AWD a necessity. Plus, my Forester is averaging 31 mpg (combined city/hwy driving).

YEP.
Every hillbilly up here has a pre-90's full size 3/4T 4x4 and a Forrester sitting by the cabin. That speaks volumes.

[Jewbacca]

Not sure how much stock I put into these these surveys.  I've had a supercharged Range Rover for 4 years now, and all I've ever done is change the oil and get new tires after 60,000 miles.  Before that, it was another RR, same experience for 6 years.  Wife has a loaded Jaguar F-Pace for about a year, and zero issues so far.

The electronics on the Jag were confusing, but it has so many bells and whistles, it just took time to learn how it worked.  I thought something was wrong with the steering, but it was actually the lane-keep tech telling me I was hugging the line (by vibrating the steering wheel).

[ABX]

Many surprises on that list from many brands that usually have great reputations for reliability. It would be good to get a deep dive into the issues. I suspect you'll see a lot of the new technology they are racing to outdo each other on. Autonomous driving, automatic parking. 360 top view cameras. Touch screens replacing all the gages.

...and my new one is two weeks out from one of these labels and it has all the tech I mentioned except autonomous driving.

[roamer_1]

Many surprises on that list from many brands that usually have great reputations for reliability. It would be good to get a deep dive into the issues. I suspect you'll see a lot of the new technology they are racing to outdo each other on. Autonomous driving, automatic parking. 360 top view cameras. Touch screens replacing all the gages.

...and my new one is two weeks out from one of these labels and it has all the tech I mentioned except autonomous driving.

Bleah.Too complicated. Complicated systems break. And they cost way too much money.

I am fixin to switch pickups. But as long as parts hold out, I doubt I will ever get out of the 80's. Everything 90's forward is crap.

I have a mid 80's 1T cowboy Cadillac (dually four door) 2wd that I will be putting on a 4wd suburban frame... I'll get it all jacked up, and restored to brand new specs for under 20k, and maybe even under 10k. I will probably drive that rig till I die.

My van is from the 90s, but it's still a pretty simple system, and I have two motor/transaxle combos for it with around 50k each sitting in the shed waiting for the day, and another setup installed just three years ago... In a few more years I will replace it's main harness, as there is literally nothing else that could go on it of any consequence, other than the HVAC board and computer, which I also have in spare.

I am reasonably sure I will never own anything from 2000 up, but if I do, I will tear it apart and dial it back to analog.

They're computerizing garden tractors anymore. That's just insane.

[InHeavenThereIsNoBeer]

I was surprised not to see tesla on the list, but then I realized they aren't able to build 100 cars in a year.   

[Frank Cannon]

I was surprised not to see tesla on the list, but then I realized they aren't able to build 100 cars in a year.

How dare you. Elon just built a tent to up production 3 cars a day. I'd try to explain it to you but it is all very high tech....

[RoosGirl]

How dare you. Elon just built a tent to up production 3 cars a day. I'd try to explain it to you but it is all very high tech....

Looks like a project I worked on at the Orlando Executive Airport for parking small private airplanes under.

[darroll]

I didn't see Chebby.
They must of stopped the practice of leaving parts off the cars to get even with GM.

[cato potatoe]

These are initial quality complaints.  Warranties cover them.  The nightmares that arise after 75,000 miles would form an entirely new list, headed by the cars with the most technology. 

[endicom]

These are initial quality complaints.  Warranties cover them.  The nightmares that arise after 75,000 miles would form an entirely new list, headed by the cars with the most technology.

@cato potatoe

This is from the UK but many of the cars are the same: https://www.reliabilityindex.com/top-100

Those are not new cars. Mitsubishi Lancer has been best or second best for years and yet is considered to be crap here in the US.