Our second consumer survey/study of the day comes from J.D Power and it concerns new-vehicle quality measured at 90 days of ownership capturing problems experienced by owners in two distinct categories -quality of design and quality of production (defects and malfunctions).

Ford Motor Company managed to achieve five top model segment awards -more than any other carmaker this year, for the Ford Mustang, Lincoln Mark LT, Lincoln MKZ, Mazda MX-5 Miata and Mercury Milan. Additionally, the Lincoln nameplate improved considerably to rank third in 2007, from 12th in 2006. Ford also received J.D. Power’s Assembly Plant Award for producing vehicles yielding the fewest defects. Which plant is that we hear you ask? Well, it’s the Wixom assembly plant in Michigan that produced the Lincoln Town Car. Yes, we're talking about the same Wixon plant that Ford recently closed…

Another important highlight of J.D. Power’s Initial Quality Study (IQS) concerns Mercedes-Benz that improved its nameplate rank by 20 positions - the greatest improvement of any nameplate in the study, climbing to from No. 25 in 2006 to No. 5 this year. -Continued: Click “Read More…” below

For the second consecutive year, Porsche topped the overall nameplate rankings, averaging 91 PP100. Following in the rankings are Lexus, Lincoln, Honda and Mercedes-Benz, respectively. Honda, with the fewest problems per 100 among non-premium brands, improves in the ranking to fourth from sixth since the 2006 study and earns awards with the Civic and CR-V. Among non-premium brands, Kia posts the largest improvement in ranking, moving from 24th in 2006 to 12th in 2007 and earning an award for the Kia Rio/Rio5 for the second year in a row.

The most improved nameplates in the study are Land Rover (increasing in initial quality by 34 PP100), Saab (improving by 30 PP100) and Mercedes-Benz (increasing by 28 PP100). Other nameplates receiving model awards in 2007 include Chevrolet (Express and Silverado Classic HD), Lexus (RX350/RX400h) Pontiac (Grand Prix) and Porsche (Boxster).

Via: J.D. Power