Lexus Named Top Automotive Brand in J.D. Power Initial Quality Study

Lexus, the luxury car brand of Toyota Motor Corp. (NYSE: TM), was named the top brand in the J.D. Power and Associates' initial quality study released Monday.

The annual J.D. Power survey of vehicle owners measures mechanical and design problems in the first 90 days of ownership. This year, the survey found Lexus to be on top, followed by Porsche, GM's Cadillac, Hyundai and Honda Motor Co. (NYSE: HMC). Cadillac was the only American brand in the top five.

The study indicated that Ford Motor Co. (NYSE: F), General Motors Corp. (NYSE: GM) and Chrysler have made strides in vehicle quality over the last year, but they still lag behind their foreign competitors.

The initial quality of 2009 model year vehicles sold by the Detroit Three improved by an average of 10 percent from last year, according to J.D. Power and Associates. Industry-wide, scores improved an average of 8 percent.

Toyota, which supplanted General Motors Corp. as the world's largest automaker last year, also swept 10 vehicle segment awards, according to Associated Press.

Its assembly facility in Higashi-Fuji, Japan, that builds the Lexus SC 430 and the Toyota Corolla took the J.D. Power's top plant award.

Top-performer Lexus had 84 problems per 100 vehicles, or 0.84 per vehicle. The worst-performing brand was Mini, with owners reporting 165 problems per 100 vehicles.

Cadillac and Chevrolet were GM's only two brands with 2009 models performed above average. The average industry score improved to 108 problems per 100 vehicles, down from 118 in 2008.

J.D. Power credited the improved score to several well-received new models that were launched in 2009. It said vehicles like Hyundai's Genesis, Kia's Borrego, Toyota's Venza and Volkswagen's CC performed better than their segment averages. Several redesigned 2009 models also scored well, J.D. Power said.

J.D. Power's rankings were based on questionnaires from 80,900 people who bought or leased new 2009 vehicles between February and May. The questionnaires ask 228 questions on issues from handling, braking and engine trouble, to seat comfort and stereo systems.

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