Lexus Finishes Ninth Overall in 2015 J.D. Power Initial Quality Study

[krew]

krew

Lexus has finished ninth overall in the annual J.D. Power U.S. Initial Quality study, dropping six positions compared to the year previous.

View the original article post

 

[NVlaar]

I wonder how those shi**y korean brands make their way to the top.

 

[rayaans]

LOL Porsche, Jaguar and BMW came above Lexus? Wow there's nothing wrong with this "study" at all lol

 

[Tragic Bronson]

Initial quality measures little of a vehicle's overall "being"...is JD Power stroking dashes? Otherwise, it seems legit lol.

 

[corradoMR2]

The study has a skewed focus on measuring Infotainment tech and usability, which one can argue is not a measure of quality. Put Lexus' infotainment shortcomings aside, I bet Lexus would prevail to the top on its own merits of fit and finish, materials and build quality, NVH, and so on.

However, this should be an eye opener to Lexus in improving their outdated simplistic infotainment system since consumers are demanding it. In Canada, it's even worse we don't get Enform so the Infotainment on a 150K LS 600hl or on the 35K CT is simply NAV and audio sources (radio, bluetooth, CD, Aux).

 

[James]

Can't imagine how a German brand is above Lexus...

 

[Lexus Cohen]

This is impossible, our cars are made with precision!

 

[Matrix27]

I have no doubt that Lexus is the standard of quality and reliability, but what is driving the 13% increase in reported problems across the lineup, is it the typical problems that completely redesigned models always have? A 13% increase is significant and has to be addressed and fixed ASAP. I hope Lexus is on top of it.

 

[Andyl]

Being a fan of Lexus for so many years, I wish they continue to do well. However, I find the initial quality has slipped gradually -- in the past, it is almost impossible to find a speck of dust hidden in the clear coat in the entire car. Then I started to find one or two in the vertical areas (i.e., doors). My latest one - 2014 IS -- has quite a number of paint defect/speck of dusts in the clear coat areas I didn't encounter in my previous Lexus --- it is on the left side of the trunk, doors, roof, etc. Then the wind noise leaking into the driver's door window at the top corner. Also not a fan of the black out tape they use in IS, ES, CT, NX and the new RX. They used to have a decent inner plastic moulding for the window frame.

Yet, I think just like what CorradoMR2 has said, the main contribution to the poor initial quality result is due to the infotainment system by Lexus. And it is not a good sign to see Lexus has switched back the trackpad that is used in NX to the remote touch. Seems that they are trying to figure out the better way. And yet the German manufacturers have incorporated the cursor control with handwriting recognition.

 

[Dreski]

I wonder how those shi**y korean brands make their way to the top.

POS hyundie/kia. They've done well brain washing people that its okay to drive their sh*t mobile. It was and still is embarrassing to be seen rolling on a Hyundie/Kia. Brand new doesn't change that.

 

[Bulldog 1]

I thought I was reading Consumer Reports when I saw this headline.

 

[joe_my]

"Initial Quality" kinda mean the "feel" you get when you sit in the car right? Who the hell cares bout those super shiny metallic trims and soft touch materials that fall off a year or two later!

I want quality that lasts for as long as I own the car, and no one beats the hell outta Toyota and Honda. I can't tell you how bad the Koreans do in terms of long-term quality because I would never buy one, but friends around me who have bought the new-gen Korean cars have been cursing and swearing that they will never buy Koreans anymore.

Anyway, this study is stupid. Why study "initial quality" when "long term quality" matters most?

 

[Mr. Pontiac]

I thought I was reading Consumer Reports when I saw this headline.

What point are you trying to make, Bulldog 1? CR's reliability ratings are based the long-time ownership experiences of hundreds of thousands (sic) of their readers--the largest and most unbiased sample anywhere.

 

[bnizzle87]

"Initial quality" and "first 90 days of ownership" are what triggered my reading. Of course very few people will have anything negative to say about their cars when they first buy it. Most of the time, it's still in its break-in period phase. But it does bring about a need to pay attention to those remarks from consumers who had issues within that timeframe to bring about a revised version of each model. Long term testing of any given model from any given manufacturer- that's where the truth lies.

 

[mikeavelli]

Overall Lexus is usually at or near the top. It is natural for Lexus to drop every once in awhile and the new infotainment can be a PITA for some..

Sad to see Acura near the bottom

 

[mmcartalk]

I wonder how those shi**y korean brands make their way to the top.

Simple......they're not so sh**tty anymore. This is not the 1990s.

I want quality that lasts for as long as I own the car, and no one beats the hell outta Toyota and Honda. I can't tell you how bad the Koreans do in terms of long-term quality because I would never buy one, but friends around me who have bought the new-gen Korean cars have been cursing and swearing that they will never buy Koreans anymore.

I'll respect your opinion, but my experience has generally been the opposite. Virtually everyone I know who has bought or leased a late-model Hyundai or Kia has been well pleased with it. My own brother owns a 2010 Soul, and has had probably fewer repair-problems (and better customer service for routine maintenance) than with any other vehicle he's ever owned....including Hondas.

Anyway, this study is stupid. Why study "initial quality" when "long term quality" matters most?

Two likely reasons. First, many cars today are leased for just two or three years rather than bought....so, for them, the best indicator of owner satisfaction is how well-assembled the car comes from the factory, without having to go back to the dealership early in its life for things like shimmies from poorly-balanced/mounted tires, not tracking properly because of bad wheel alignment, rattles and squeaks because of loose assembly, headlights/taillights that don't work or are misaimed, etc....,

Second, with a lot of owners, the old saying "Love at First Sight" often still applies with initial ownership. An owner who doesn't have to take his or her vehicle back for repairs in the first few months of ownership is less likely to suffer from Buyers' Remorse....ad, even if the car starts to have problems later, is still more likely to be a repeat-owner than someone who winds up with a lemon from Day One. And, of course, many car buyers simply don't (or don't know too properly inspect and test-drive their new vehicles at the dealership before signing for them (one reason why I myself sometimes help people shop). The better-assembled that these cars come off the assembly line, the more satisfied the owner is likely tone.

 

[mmcartalk]

Being a fan of Lexus for so many years, I wish they continue to do well. However, I find the initial quality has slipped gradually -- in the past, it is almost impossible to find a speck of dust hidden in the clear coat in the entire car. Then I started to find one or two in the vertical areas (i.e., doors). My latest one - 2014 IS -- has quite a number of paint defect/speck of dusts in the clear coat areas I didn't encounter in my previous Lexus --- it is on the left side of the trunk, doors, roof, etc. Then the wind noise leaking into the driver's door window at the top corner. Also not a fan of the black out tape they use in IS, ES, CT, NX and the new RX. They used to have a decent inner plastic moulding for the window frame.

Yet, I think just like what CorradoMR2 has said, the main contribution to the poor initial quality result is due to the infotainment system by Lexus. And it is not a good sign to see Lexus has switched back the trackpad that is used in NX to the remote touch. Seems that they are trying to figure out the better way. And yet the German manufacturers have incorporated the cursor control with handwriting recognition.

Good post, Andyl. I don't currently own a Lexus myself (I did once own an IS300), but I concur with much of what you say, based on my recent Lexus observations, test-drives, and reviews. Lexus paint was once like a mirror, but does seem to have picked up a slight amount of orange peel, especially in black. And there does seem to be a little more wind noise on recent models than in the past. I attribute that, though, more to cost-cutting than to real screw-ups on the assembly-line....Lexus, long ago, like Honda/Acura, mastered the art of Swiss-watch precision in vehicle-assembly at the plant. The wind and road noise you hear is not necessarily poor assembly at the plant, but simply the designers skimping on the amount and quality of sound insulation, and from using noticeably thinner sheet metal for body panels and doors. You will also notice a firmer ride on most newer Lexus models compared to the past, but that is not necessarily cost-cutting. That is simply the low-profile tires and firmer suspension/underpinnings that the industry seems to have become obsessed with.

And, from what I can tell, the drop-off in paint jobs, insulation, noise, firmness, etc..... seems more pronounced in the lower-line Lexus models than in upper-level ones. Ride in today's GS, LS, or LX, and you will have noticeably better refinement, quietness, trim, paint-quality, etc.....then in the NX, CT, IS, or even the ES......a vehicle that was once noted for refinement. Lexus seems to be still be giving the good refinement and comfort was once noted for....the difference is that now, you have to pay more for it by getting the upper-line models.

 

[Andyl]

Thanks Mmcartalk for your post.

What you said about the window and road noise is true -- it is more to do with cost-cutting measure and not the quality of assembly.

One example is the black out tape used around the inner upper window frame. The missing plastic garnish definitely improve the noise isolation as well as make the sound quality better.

For the orange peel -- it used to be only visible on the doors but now the orange peel is quite visible on the trunk lid as well. However, I find this is more to do with hiding the imperfection (swirls, etc) than cost-cutting as I find a similar orange peel on the current LS as well.

In the past, the difference in terms of cabin quality and refinement for IS and GS is only a bit but now the gap between the two is much bigger. It is more to do with pricing structure. A GS is about the same price as a BMW 3-series and the perceived cabin refinement is about the same level.

Well, I think Lexus is aware of the effect of cost cutting --- I find the NX is a better built car than the IS. And they fix the design of the glass run for the NX --- the glass run is the inner weather strip behind the window. The top corner (a triangular shape) is redesigned in NX.

I look forward to seeing Lexus getting back to a higher rank in Initial quality/JD Power in the coming years.

 

[mmcartalk]

For the orange peel -- it used to be only visible on the doors but now the orange peel is quite visible on the trunk lid as well. However, I find this is more to do with hiding the imperfection (swirls, etc) than cost-cutting as I find a similar orange peel on the current LS as well.

It won't take out orange peel, which is a permanent texture of the paint, but try this for swirl-marks. This is good stuff, inexpensive, and, as long as the swirls aren't too deep into the clear coat, will take them right out. it will also remove surface scuff-marks, discoloration, stains, and other minor problems in the surface layer of paint......but, for deep stuff, a body shop is needed.

 

[Andyl]

Thanks mmcartalk for the tips. I have never come across this product.

But luckily I have applied some car coating with some abrasive resistance (9H) ( Polish Angel Cosmic & CarPro CQUK) to my car and with proper car washing, swirls are avoided. Also I still suspect atomic silver has self-healing even they say they don't have it in 2014 3IS sold in North America. Or the color hides imperfection really well unless like me who details my car to the finest details.

How does this product compared to Meguiars ScratchX?