Hyundai significantly reduced problems per 100 vehicles and gained ground in the rankings of the 2010 J.D. Power and Associates Vehicle Dependability StudySM (VDS). Hyundai ranked number 11 among nameplates in the long-term quality study, four rank positions above industry average and up three rank positions over 2009. The Hyundai overall score was 148 problems per 100 vehicles, seven problems fewer than the industry average, and nine fewer than last year. Hyundai is one of six mainstream brands that J.D. Power and Associates highlighted as being significantly better than the non-premium average. Tucson (Compact Multi-Activity Vehicle) and Accent (Sub-Compact Car) both finished in the top three in their respective categories.
The VDS results continue Hyundais momentum in J.D. Power and Associates quality rankings. Hyundai was the highest ranked non-premium nameplate in the 2009 J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality StudySM (IQS) and ranked fourth among all nameplates.
Quality is our number one priority and customers have come to expect that Hyundai vehicles will measure up to the best in the industry, said Frank Ferrara, executive vice president, corporate planning and customer satisfaction. Hyundai backs its cars with a 10-year, 100,000-mile warranty to signal our partnership with buyers in their vehicle purchase. We aim to raise the bar for the industry not only in quality off the showroom floor, but after years of driving as well.
The 2010 VDS study measures problem symptoms of three-year-old vehicles primarily in categories such as vehicle exterior, driving experience, features/controls/displays, audio/entertainment/navigation, seats, HVAC, interior, engine and transmission. The VDS is one of three J.D. Power and Associates quality studies, along with the Initial Quality Study (IQS) that measures quality after 90 days of ownership, and the Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) study that measures customer perceptions on the design, content, layout and performance of their new vehicles.