Seems like the old adage that "you get what you pay for" is proving ever less true these days, according to a study by J.D. Power and associates. Not only does the study demonstrate a decreasing relevance of old sayings, but also shows that there has been quite a shake-up in the industry with regard to quality in every price range.
Mercury for instance, is now in second place with regard to surveyed owners reports of problems three years after purchasing their vehicle. Lexus maintained its place at the top of the list, for the twelfth year in a row- with just 136 problems per 100 vehicles. Buick and Cadillac placed within the top 5, and Toyota rounded up the end of the top 5 list.
That's no problem for Toyota though. When it comes to vehicle rankings by segment, Japanese brands were ranked tops in 13 out of 19 segments, and 12 of those 13 segments found Toyota or Honda in the lead. Other big gainers included Jaguar, Mini and Kia.
On the other hand, Porsche's quality has plunged 20 places on the list, and Land Rover took last place. Infiniti, Lincoln and Saturn all slipped a few notches down the ladder as well.
In the past four years, the study indicates that the quality gap between luxury and high-volume vehicles has been cut in half, in terms of problems per 100 vehicles.
So, this year's study has been full of surprises. Some of the most expensive machines on the road are the lowest rated, while the often superior performance of Japanese brands is once again apparent.
Mercury for instance, is now in second place with regard to surveyed owners reports of problems three years after purchasing their vehicle. Lexus maintained its place at the top of the list, for the twelfth year in a row- with just 136 problems per 100 vehicles. Buick and Cadillac placed within the top 5, and Toyota rounded up the end of the top 5 list.
That's no problem for Toyota though. When it comes to vehicle rankings by segment, Japanese brands were ranked tops in 13 out of 19 segments, and 12 of those 13 segments found Toyota or Honda in the lead. Other big gainers included Jaguar, Mini and Kia.
On the other hand, Porsche's quality has plunged 20 places on the list, and Land Rover took last place. Infiniti, Lincoln and Saturn all slipped a few notches down the ladder as well.
In the past four years, the study indicates that the quality gap between luxury and high-volume vehicles has been cut in half, in terms of problems per 100 vehicles.
So, this year's study has been full of surprises. Some of the most expensive machines on the road are the lowest rated, while the often superior performance of Japanese brands is once again apparent.