Hyundai Tops Strategic Vision TQI

2007 Hyundai Veracruz

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Toyota might retain one of the strongest reputations for quality on the street, which will make the results of Strategic Vision’s latest Total Quality Index (TQI) a stunner to some. Toyota still ranks near the top, according to the research firm’s annual study, but this year the automaker failed to produce any segment-leading models. Meanwhile, Hyundai had the most, with three of its models leading in their product segments and affiliate Kia leading two other segments.

Strategic Vision today released the results of the respected annual survey, which measures overall new vehicle owner satisfaction through all aspects of the ownership experience, including the buying process, brand loyalty, and the overall perception of quality. A total of 166 attributes are gathered, then weighted by the emotional impact of each attribute to reach a final score on a 1000-point scale. This study asked more than 27,000 buyers who bought 2007 model-year vehicles in September, October, and November of 2006 about their experiences.

Looking at the results solely by the traditional definition of quality — in terms of the number of problems per vehicle — Toyota now shares a top tier with a group of brands including Honda, Hyundai, Infiniti, and Ford, said the firm.

But now that traditional quality is so strong across the industry, according to Strategic Vision president Alexander Edwards, perceived quality, signaled by particular cues to consumers and figured in the TQI score, is having a greater impact on the purchase decision than it has historically. “In the past, one could count the number of problems per vehicle, but for automotive customers today and tomorrow, a comprehensive and integrated perception of the ownership experience will be what drives the decision-making process,” said Edwards.

Hyundai’s new Entourage (tied with the Kia Sedona and Nissan Quest) replaced Honda’s Odyssey, a five-year winner, in the Minivan category, while the Hyundai Azera placed at the top in the Large Car segment and the Santa Fe SUV took the top position in the Small SUV category.

Ford showed especially strong with its trucks. The F-150 returned to the top model in the Large Pickup category, shared with the Nissan Titan, and the Expedition EL took over as the top Large SUV.

Looking at overall scores by automaker, Volkswagen placed highest, at 880, relative to an industry average of 864 (up from 861 last year), and the Chrysler Group placed lowest, with a score of 848.

Among individual brands, BMW was the top-scoring brand, for the eighth time in nine years. Infiniti and Mercedes-Benz were runners-up, while Suzuki, Mitsubishi, and Jeep ranked lowest.

Here’s the full list of segment winners:

Small Car: Honda Civic

Small Multi-Function: Volkswagen Rabbit

Medium Car: Saturn Aura, Nissan Maxima

Large Car: Hyundai Azera

Near-Luxury Car: BMW 3-Series Sedan

Luxury Car: Mercedes S-Class

Small Specialty Under $25,000: MINI Cooper

Convertible Under $30,000: MINI Cooper Convertible

Convertible Over $30,000: Chevrolet Corvette

Minivan: Kia Sedona, Hyundai Entourage, Nissan Quest

Small SUV: Hyundai Santa Fe

Medium Crossover: Dodge Magnum

Medium SUV: Kia Sorento

Large SUV: Ford Expedition EL

Near-Luxury SUV: Lexus RX350

Luxury SUV: Mercedes ML-Class

Standard Pickup: Honda Ridgeline

Large Pickup: Nissan Titan, Ford F-150

Heavy Duty Pickup: Ford F-250/F-350

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