JD Power 2015 Malaysia Initial Quality Study, Honda, Perodua and Toyota tops categories

Kuala Lumpur: JD Power recently conducted 2015 Malaysia Initial Quality Study abbreviated as IQS. The IQS is a survey conducted by JD Power now in its 13th year conducted annually, it provides car ratings on different kind of problems experienced by the car owners in their newly purchased vehicles during the first 2 to 6 months of ownership. The study focuses over 200 different kinds of problem symptoms including, Exterior; Driving Experience; Safety Features, Displays, Controls, Audio, Entertainment, Navigation, Car Seats, Air Conditioning and Ventilation, Vehicle interior and lastly the Engine and Transmission of the car.

This year the study was conducted on the basis of around 2,622 responses recorded from the new vehicle owners. The owners who purchased their vehicles between the month of August 2014 and June 2015 and those who got their vehicles fielded between the month of February and August 2015.

Sources revealed that 41 passenger cars and pickup trucks and utility vehicles out of 15 brands were included in the study. Then these vehicles were further segmented into four categories namely, the compact cars, Midsize entry level vehicles, SUV's and MPV/Van's. The scoring scale was based on problems per 100 vehicles (PP100). Thus, the lower PP100 score indicates that the car undergoing the check has a lower rate of problem incidence making it a higher initial quality vehicle.



A total of 41 models were examined during the study among which two models of Honda, one of Toyota and one of Perodua ranked highest in their respective categories.

The MPV/Van segment was topped by the Toyota Avanza which is been imported from Indonesia. The car ranked highest consecutively for the 6th time with just 36 PP100. Avanza was followed by Nissan Grand Livina scoring 55 PP100 at second place and Perodua Alza at third place with 95 PP100.

The Compact Segment was led by the locally manufactured Perodua Axia which maintained a great score of 89 problems per 100 vehicles. The Axia was followed by Perodua Myvi and Proton Iriz occupying the second and third places with scores 107 PP100 and 110 PP110.

Honda City remained the leader of the Entry Midsize Segment with a score of 68 problems per 100 cars, whereas the average in this segment was 90 PP100. Honda City was followed by Toyota Vios on second place with 77 PP100 score and Nissan Almera with 85 PP100 at third place.

Honda came out shining with the leader in two categories. Apart from the Entry Midsize segment the Japanese automaker also topped the SUV segment with its Honda CR-V leading with just 31 PP100. However, Honda remained quite lucky here as it was closely followed by Mazda CX-5 that reported 33 Problems per 100 vehicles. Both the SUVs maintained a PP100 score below the segment average of 52 PP100 which was reportedly the lowest in all the segments. The third place in SUV segment was occupied by another Honda crossover, the HR-V with a score of 67 PP100.

Check Out the major findings of the 2015 Malaysia Initial Quality Study here