Porsche 911 Scores Highest Initial Quality Ranking of Any Vehicle
For the second consecutive year, the Porsche 911 tops not just sports cars but every car in J.D. Power’s Initial Quality Rankings.
When you think of the Porsche 911, a lot of things come to mind. Things like performance, iconic styling, and just plain fun. And we know that the 911 is also quite the reliable and trouble-free machine, of course. But in reality, Porsche’s long-running sports car isn’t just a quality-built vehicle, it’s the single highest-quality product in the industry. At least according to J.D. Power‘s 2018 and now 2019 Initial Quality Study.
The Porsche 911 pulled off this repeat thanks to an industry low 58 problems per 100 vehicles during the first 90 days of ownership. This, despite an industry average that remains quite problematic at 93 problems per 100 vehicles. 2019 marked the first year since 2014 that the industry failed to improve. In fact, more automakers actually got worse than the number that got better. This latest benchmark study derives its results using survey responses from over 75,000 new car buyers and lessees of 2019 model year vehicles.
The main problems facing automakers this year aren’t just tech related, either. “Automakers continue to make progress in areas like infotainment that attract a lot of consumer attention,” said Dave Sargent, Vice President of Global Automotive at J.D. Power.
“However, some traditional problems crept up this year. Including paint imperfections, brake and suspension noises, engines not starting and the ‘check engine’ light coming on early in the ownership experience. Also, more people are having issues with their advanced driver assistance systems, which are critical for building consumer trust in future automated vehicles.”
Porsche’s continued excellence in this important, long-running study is notable for a number of reasons. For starters, initial quality is typically an accurate predictor of long-term reliability. Secondly, this year’s Initial Quality findings showed that Porsche’s European competitors lag behind the rest of the world. J.D. Power notes that Euro manufacturers continue to struggle with producing quality infotainment systems and other electronic features. This, despite the fact that the rest of the industry has improved in that regard.
Sports cars in general have long held a reputation for being less than totally reliable. But with the Porsche 911, you can obviously have your cake and eat it too. Because not only is the 911 the most reliable sports car on the planet, it’s also the most reliable car, period!
Photos: Porsche
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