Dodge 1st domestic brand to top J.D. Power quality scorecard; Tesla ranks last, unofficially

DETROIT — Dodge became the first domestic brand to claim the top spot in J.D. Power's annual report card on new-vehicle quality, while Tesla unofficially finished last in its debut appearance in the study, now in its 34th year. Genesis was the top-ranked luxury brand for the fourth year in a row.

Following back-to-back podium sweeps by Korean brands, Detroit automakers claimed three of the top four slots in the closely watched Initial Quality Study, released Wednesday. The study measures the number of problems reported over the first 90 days of ownership.

The industry average — 166 problems per 100 vehicles — was much higher than last year's average of 93 problems per 100 vehicles because the study was redesigned this year for the first time since 2013, adding questions about a number of technologies that didn't exist in prior surveys.

"The higher problem levels we see in this year's study don't mean vehicle quality has worsened; rather, the redesigned study asks additional questions that allow owners to cite more of the problems that they are experiencing," Dave Sargent, vice president of automotive quality at J.D. Power, said in a statement.

Dodge, which tied with Kia for first place with 136 problems per 100 vehicles, was a surprise winner, with five models surveyed: Challenger, Charger, Journey, Grand Caravan and Durango. The brand, which landed in the top 10 last year for the first time, has not introduced a redesigned or new vehicle since the 2011 model year. Older models give brands several advantages: Vehicles aren't saddled with as many connected features that typically drag down scores, and engineers have had more time to fix whatever problems do exist.

Still, Sargent said Dodge's performance can be attributed to more than just an aging lineup.

"They've done a really good job improving their quality," Sargent told Automotive News. "It's not a fluke that they did well."

He cited widely praised technology such as Fiat Chrysler Automobiles' UConnect infotainment system.

Another FCA brand, Ram, tied Chevrolet for third place, with 141 problems per 100 vehicles.

Chevy boasted the highest-rated model, with owners reporting just 103 problems per 100 vehicles with the Sonic.

Kia, which achieved second-place finishes in 2019 and 2018, tied for first this year, marking its sixth-consecutive year as the top-ranked mass-market brand. Genesis and Mitsubishi rounded out the top five. Buick, GMC, Volkswagen, Hyundai, Jeep, Lexus, Nissan and Cadillac also finished above the industry average.

While every brand fared worse under the revised survey, some kept their increased number of problems at 60 or less: Mitsubishi, Volkswagen, Ram, Dodge, Chevrolet, Jeep, GMC, Buick and Jaguar.

Brands that posted 90 or more additional problems over 2019: Mazda, Porsche, Ford, Lincoln, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, Audi and Land Rover.

Overall, the 2020 study found a majority of domestic brands performed better than average, while most premium brands fell short.

Luxury brands dominate the bottom of the survey: Land Rover, Audi, Volvo, Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, Chrysler, Subaru, Porsche and Acura.

"The technologies the premium brands bring out are often more complex than on a mass-market vehicle, sometimes, arguably unnecessarily complex," Sargent said. "There's more features, so there's more to go wrong."

Alfa Romeo, with 118 problems per 100 vehicles surveyed in 2019, placing it near the bottom, was dropped from the 2020 study because of a low sample size.

Tesla's last-place finish is unofficial. The brand has consistently refused to grant J.D. Power permission to survey owners in 15 states, a requirement to participate.

Still, Sargent said his team interviewed 1,200 Tesla owners and feels confident in its ranking. Tesla owners experience 250 problems per 100 vehicles, 22 problems more than the second-worst-rated brand, Land Rover.

"The challenge Tesla faces is with the sort of basic manufacturing of the vehicle," Sargent said. "They're fairly new to volume manufacturing, and it's not easy."

He said most of Tesla's problems don't have anything to do with the battery or electric motor.

"The key message is the score isn't the way it is because they're an EV company," he said. "A lot of their challenges are in the exterior, things that other automakers would have had maybe 10 years ago but have solved."

The electric vehicle maker famously struggled with Model 3 sedan production in recent years and has reportedly had quality issues with the new Model Y crossover.

The 2020 Initial Quality Study is based on surveys of 87,282 buyers and lessees of new 2020 models. The survey, conducted from February through May, covers 223 questions across nine vehicle categories.

Infotainment remained the most troublesome category. The study found almost one-fourth of all new-vehicle problems stemmed from voice recognition; Android Auto/Apple CarPlay connectivity; touch screens; navigation systems; and Bluetooth connectivity.

The study also found that Japanese automakers, once synonymous with quality, have struggled to adapt with new features. Mitsubishi, Lexus and Nissan were the only Japanese brands to rank above average.

"W. Edwards Deming said, 'Quality is to fulfill the requirements of customers and satisfy them,' and Japanese automakers excelled at this for quite some time," Sargent said in the statement. "But some other automakers have surpassed them in recent years by understanding better what quality means for today's owners."