Hyundai Tops New Quality List

In a new 2007 Total Quality Survey by consulting firm Strategic Vision, three Hyundai models — the Azera, Santa Fe and Entourage — topped their respective segments for new-­vehicle quality. The survey polled more than 27,000 owners of 2007 models, from September to November of 2006. Not only were respondents asked about actual quality problems that required maintenance — dubbed Things Gone Wrong — they were also asked about perceived quality, or what they got for their money.

Toyota scored well in the Things-Gone-Wrong category but lost out on perceived quality. These are attributes that sway a buyer, the company says. We’re a bit hesitant to back any survey of this kind, because many of the brands and vehicles mentioned here don’t correspond with other reliability surveys, but with so many respondents, it’s still worth publishing. 

A full list of the segment winners and their total quality scores is below. 

Comments

No Toyotas (well ok one Lexus) hmm... ether they’ve gotten worse or everybody else has gotten better.

they've gotten worse, i had a camry and it was the worst experience possible!!! I have a 07 impala SS and my husband has the new silverado, and i'll never buy a toyota again, chevy and GM have it together, both of these vehicles are build solid and they are very reliable!

I'm happy to own two vehicles that are on the list. A Civic and Ridgeline.

I wouldn't say Toyota has gotten worse, I would say theyv'e gotten more numerous which would drive problem numbers up IMO.

the ridgeline is not a truck. and when it isn't doing things truck are born to do, then you know it won't get bruisies. and not for nothing, butr aren't the sedona and the entourage the same car?

and while we are talking camry, not ont he list and the saturn is.

What is the "standard truck" catagory? Is that just for the Ridgeline, or did the mid-sized pickups get lumped into it. It would make it easy to win if the Ridgeline only had to compete with itself.

Also, how is the Kia Sorento a medium SUV and the Hyundai Santa Fe a small SUV? The Santa Fe is larger than the Sorento...

Juan,

The Ridge is a tough truck. I've seen them used in the logging industry, air craft range duty, beach duty, construction, the mountain passes of the Rockies, oil fields in Texas and ports of Louisiana, ranches of Wyoming and the boat docks of the Florida gulf coast. (I travel alot). Whattya mean it's not a truck?

True, it may not be your your brand but, it fits the needs of it's target audience and even some of the 84% of all so called "hard core" truck buyers who too often buy more truck than they will ever use/need. Market research proves this.

Cody, I reccomend you actually get some seat time in the Ridgeline. It's a nice truck. Capable, smooth, comfortable and has some unique (actually useful) features. (in bed trunk that keeps the groceries dry while you have a full load of 5 passengers, swing out tail gate, lots of rear seat room,5 star Insurance ratings, standard all wheel drive, 4 wheel independant suspension, combined unibody/boxed frame construction, composite bed, rear seat HVAC vents, rear seat cushion area folds up to open the entire rear seating area up to store your gear). What other "standard trucks" have all of these attributes? I'm sure it was lumped against several other standard trucks.

Above all, the people who were surveyed actually picked the vehicles for these categories. I'm sure the folks polled have owned/operated other makes/models of vehicles in the past. 27,000 voices carries alot of weight in my book as compared to a few who have other brand loyalties.

I strongly doubt the credibility of this, since it is a "survey" of owners.
If I see the VW is on the list while reading Consumer Reports says it sucks, which one is more trustworthy?

The Honda ridgeline is a Honda Odyssey with a pickup body on it, there good city trucks and reliable, but not tough.

matt,

You're half right IMO. Tough city truck is more like it. Other trucks lean towards tough with no city.

The "near luxury" categories crack me up. What makes them less luxurious than all the other Lexi and BMW? Other than they are smaller.

J,

Let me get this straight....actual customers/owners/end users don't weigh equally with the expert's opinions?

Wow... we sure are focusing on the Ridgeline here.... How about the other vehicles on the list?

Hey, if either GM, Ford, or Chrysler (probably Chrysler) bite the dust, they can atleast have some satisfaction in seeing Hyundai serve Toyota some of its own medicine in a few years. And this comes from a Toyota Fan. Way to go Hyundai.

Consumer Reports scores are pulled from their readers. To me it's a similar type of survey in that respect. But when you combine someone like VW or Nissan's poor scores in CR with JD Power etc then it means a bit more.

I will say we've heard much fewer complaints with the new Jetta, rabbit and GTI than the past generations> The new passat is the one with the big problems it seems.

I think the person who owns the car is more trustworthy, that person is the one that has to drive it and deal with its problems, the others just rate on a few drives. And hey! I drive a 350Z and I love it, so I don't care if anyone else says Nissan has poor scores. my aunt has had Maximas since the 80's they were great cars.

Toyotas have become worse. My 2005 Avalon was the worst built car I've had in over 20 years, with too many problems to mention here. Traded it after 6,000 miles for a Nissan which has been rock solid.

I agree. My new '05 Avalon had transmission problems and rattles everywhere. Having had many great Toyotas in the past, I couldn't believe it was actually a Toyota product. So much for legendary Toyota quality. Got rid of it after only a few miserable months and replaced it with an Altima 3.5SL which is very well built and has it all over Toyota as far as quality goes.
My next car may well be an Azera, or Hyundai's new Genesis...

Wow, a lot of posts in a short period of time...

Troy, I was just wondering what constituted a "standard truck", since I had never seen that classification before.

I'm not a fan of the Ridgeline's styling, but you're right, it does have some useful features for a light-duty truck.

I was surprised by the real world mileage it had gotten in the long-term test performed by Motortrend awhile back. It didn't return better fuel economy that the full-sized domestics with V6s.

If you want a trully good car - buy Honda, Toyota, Nissan and some Mazdas but only those built in Japan.

I guess this survey concentrations on import owners. Expect for a few bright sports they don't want to give anything to domestics. I think 27K is still to small of sample. There no Mazadas, Saabs, Subarus, Mitsu, and etc... I don't trust 27K people to drive everything out there as one poster gives them. You can't!!! There probably slight brand loyal like the rest of us. What this survey does say is the used car market will have alot of over priced imports in it soon. Although Hyundai still has terrible depreciation associated with brand.

I also doubt the credibility of this short-term study. Based on most long-term studies, the Mini Cooper and Titan are not the most dependable vehicles. The only quality study I pay attention to anymore is the 3-year JD Powers Vehicle Dependability Study.

I never see exotics in these surveys.. where does my Aston fit in? I want an 'exotic/luxury, coupe/convertable' section.

Cody I totally agree with the Ridge's fuel economy. I wish it got better. The fuel economy that it does get is excellent when you compare it's (247 HP) engine to the competition. The stock V-6 in the Ford F-150 (202 HP), The Silverado (195 HP), Dodge Dakota (210), Toyota Tacoma (236 HP). Not to mention it achieves the fuel economy with the "unlike the others" a 4 door cab, automatic tranny, automatic AWD. Sheesh... I sound like a Honda salesman or something.... I'd never be a salesman... I just enjoy driving the truck until it comes time to fill up. LOL!

Troy,
In my humble opinion, the end users are a bit more biased than a automotive journalist.

Troy,

You're right. I wasn't considering that it is a crewcab. I was primarily comparing it to the extended cab Chevy Silverado I used to have with the V6 and five speed manual. I used to get mpg in the low-20s on the highway....I miss that truck.

A Kia Sedona over Honda or Toyota. Anyone that can see true quality fit, finish, ect., would know that the survey co. must be sponsored by Kia/Hyundai. JD Power or nothing!

cody,

I had a reg cab Silverado.. I iss it to! Nice truck that took me anywhere I needed to go.

J, your opinion is valid. I do however think end users researched there vehicle before buying it. I think they would be more apt to find fault with something they chose after the purchase and driving it for a while.