DETROIT, May 30 (UPI) -- The latest J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality Study finds auto industry quality improved 10 percent over last year and that quality is up 24 percent over the past five years.
Toyota Motor Corp. and Honda Motor Co. ranked first and second in the survey, which measures buyer satisfaction in the first 90 days of ownership. Some 65,000 new car buyers and lessees were queried.
General Motors ranked third.
"This kind of improvement in quality doesn't happen by accident," said Brian Walters, director of product research at J.D. Power. "It takes a concerted effort by the designers, engineers and assembly line workers of both manufacturers and their suppliers."
Toyota virtually swept the seven truck segments, with the exception of the full-size sports-utility vehicle category, which was led by the Ford Expedition.
"With truck sales now surpassing 50 percent of the light-vehicle market, truck quality is critical to automakers," Walters said.
Of the 16 segments included in the study, released Thursday, Toyota and Lexus models led nine segments, GM led four and Ford Motor Co., which includes Mazda, led three.
Toyota and GM also posted quality increases of 31 percent and 30 percent, respectively, over the last five years.
Korean manufacturers Kia and Hyundai were the most improved corporations in 2002, improving by 21 and 19 percent, respectively, over 2001. Huyndai demonstrated a five-year initial quality improvement of 42 percent.
American Isuzu improved 39 percent over the five-year period, followed by Mitsubishi Motor Sales with 38 percent and and DaimlerChrysler, 27 percent.
At the model level, the Chevrolet Malibu made the biggest quality gain in the past five years, improving by 58 percent, followed by the Buick Century, Chevrolet Corvette and the Lexus GS Sedan, each posting a 49 percent improvement.
The Ford Thunderbird debuted with an impressive top ranking in the competitive entry luxury segment, making it Ford's best-performing initial quality model in 2002.
The Toyota Corolla and Toyota Prius were ranked the highest quality compact cars; Chevrolet Malibu topped the entry mid-size car category; Buick Century, the premium mid-size car category; Buick LeSabre, the full-size category; Ford Thunderbird, the entry luxury category; Lexus GS 300 and GS 430, the mid-luxury category; Lexus LS 430, the premium luxury category; Mazda Miata, the sporty category, and the Chevrolet Corvette, the premium sports category.
Among light trucks, Toyota Tacoma was ranked the top compact pickup; Toyota Tundra, the top full-size pickup; Toyota RAV4, the top entry sports-utility vehicle; Toyota Highlander, the top mid-size SUV; Ford Expedition, the top full-size sports-utility vehicle; Lexus LX 470, the top luxury SUV, and Toyota Sienna, the top compact van.
