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Posted by Sheryll Alexander Jul 4, 2006 |
From Contra Costa Times:
Both GMC and Cadillac made the top 10, but they were beat out by the likes of Honda, Toyota, Lexus and Hyundai. The big surprise was Porsche, the German sports carmaker, which came from 32nd place to knock Lexus out of the top spot it had held since 2001.
This year's J.D. Power rankings, which measure the quality of new cars, took into account for the first time "design defects," not just manufacturing glitches and other technical problems. The reason, according to the company: Today's cars come with so much technological gadgetry that just operating them properly can aggravate some drivers.
So which models came in for top honors?
Toyota had plenty to cheer about, winning 11 of 19 categories. Among its top models: Corolla, Camry, Sequoia, Highlander and Solara all took home best-in-class and its Lexus brand swept the premium categories.
Some American models did beat out the competition, however. The Pontiac Grand Prix was best large car and when it comes to pickups, domestic brands still rule: Ford Ranger and Chevrolet Silverado took home those prizes as did Chrysler's Town & Country in the minivan class.
To see the complete rankings, go to: Redesigned Initial Quality Study