Are German cars too unreliable?
The United States automotive market ranks as the world's
second-largest, and thus, it holds immense significance for German
manufacturers. However, a recent study reveals that their American customers
often raise complaints regarding quality issues. The prestigious "U.S.
Vehicle Dependability Study" by market research firm J.D. Power shows that
Korean car brands, such as Kia, Genesis, and Hyundai, secured three of the top
four spots in terms of reliability. In contrast, BMW, Mercedes-Benz,
Volkswagen, and Audi only ranked 15th, 19th, 22nd, and 26th, respectively. The
study scrutinized 33 brands, based on the number of faults reported per 100
vehicles of the 2019 model year. Within the industry, this survey is renowned
as one of the most significant measures of customer satisfaction in the US
automotive market, which is the second-largest globally, after China.
Porsche performs well. The brands Kia, Genesis, and Hyundai are all part of the South Korean automotive conglomerate Hyundai. The Buick brand of the US-based General Motors (GM) also ranks highly, in second place. The Japanese manufacturer Toyota ranks fifth, while its luxury brand Lexus comes in sixth. The best German brand is Porsche, in seventh place. For the second year in a row, the Porsche 911 was the highest-rated model in the study.
The survey also takes into account driver assistance
systems. Unlike the ADAC breakdown statistics, which record vehicles that have
actually broken down, this survey is designed to capture the satisfaction of
car owners with the increasingly complex comfort and assistance features of
modern vehicles, which can cause dissatisfaction when they fail. The study, now
conducted for the 33rd time, has been expanded to also measure drivers'
satisfaction with lane departure warning systems or adaptive cruise control. In
addition to reliability of the air conditioning, driving experience, exterior,
features, controls and displays, and infotainment system, the study has also
previously queried interior, powertrain, and seating.
Reliability is becoming increasingly important. Many owners are keeping their vehicles for longer periods of time, making long-term reliability even more crucial," said David Amodeo, Director of the Global Automotive Division at J.D. Power. Some automakers are far more successful than others in preventing the occurrence of technical problems. These problems include the mechanics, exterior, and interior of the vehicle, as well as infotainment systems, driver assistance systems, and all other electronic systems in modern vehicles. According to J.D. Power, software updates for automobiles are becoming increasingly important: "For example, mobile phones are constantly updated through software updates, and automakers must increasingly use this approach to resolve issues," say the market researchers.
More technology, more technical problems
According to J.D. Power, mass-market vehicles were actually
slightly more reliable on average than expensive cars: mass-market brands had
an average of 190 problems per 100 vehicles, which was 14 fewer than so-called
premium brands. Market researchers stated that above-average expensive cars
typically had more technology, which made problems more likely. "At the
same time, the build quality of mass-market vehicles has improved significantly
and now matches that of premium brands.