J.D. Power and Associates

The results of the research of J.D. Power and Associates are considered the gold standard for vehicle dependability and reliability in the automotive industry. A worldwide marketing information firm, J.D. Power administers surveys measuring consumer behavior, product quality, and customer satisfaction. J.D. Power is particularly well-known for its short- and long-term studies of vehicle reliability, the results of which concern both consumers and automakers. Because the results of the J.D. Power auto surveys are so important and highly regarded, car manufacturers commonly use the results of the firm’s surveys to promote specific models when they perform well. Read on for a brief history of J.D. Power and more details on its role in the auto industry.

History

Founded in 1968, J.D. Power and Associates conducts extensive customer satisfaction and product quality research based on the responses of millions of car owners around the world. The goal of the firm is to speak on behalf of the customer, translating survey data into detailed reports that automakers can use to improve their products. J.D. Power is also integral in setting benchmarks for quality and reliability in the auto industry. In this way, the results of J.D. Power surveys shape and mold the auto industry and the vehicles it produces.

Short-Term Quality Studies

The automotive research of J.D. Power falls into two main categories: short-term quality and long-term dependability. In the short run, J.D. Power measures quality with the Initial Quality Study (IQS), which polls car owners on the problems they’ve experienced with their vehicles in the first 90 days of ownership. J.D. Power typically surveys about 80,000 car buyers and lessees to compile this data. Survey respondents indicate the troubles they’ve had in eight different categories: driving experience, exterior, seats, climate controls, engine/transmission, features/controls/displays, interior, and audio/entertainment/navigation. One common criticism of the J.D. Power IQS is that because the firm does not weight problems according to their severity, a driver’s dissatisfaction with the placement of the cupholders could hurt a vehicle’s score just as much as transmission troubles, for example.

Long-Term Dependability

J.D. Power is also interested in how vehicles hold up in the long run, defined as the three-year mark in their studies. J.D. Power’s long-term reliability research is referred to as the Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS), which polls original owners of three-year-old vehicle models to measure the problems they’ve experienced with the car in the last 12 months. Because most basic car warranties expire at the three-year/36,000-mile mark, J.D. Power chose the three-year milestone as the best representation of long-term quality. The Vehicle Dependability Study asks thousands of car owners about the problems they have experienced in any of almost 200 various problem categories. Based on the results of this study, J.D. Power selects the most dependable brands and models for the year.