| In South Africa, quality of new vehicles is | | | | German brand. Third, fourth and fifth are Subaru, |
| deteriorating despite the decrease in the number of | | | | Mercedes-Benz and Volvo respectively. |
| problems encountered by car owners in every 100 | | | | In 2006, the honorific five is comprised by Honda |
| vehicle of a certain model according to data revealed | | | | with reported 150 problems followed by BMW, |
| by J.D. Power and Associates. | | | | Mercedes-Benz, Subaru, Audi and Hyundai. |
| J.D. Power and Associates is a leading authority in | | | | The car with the lowest problem in the industry is |
| vehicle quality analysis in the global automotive | | | | the Honda Jazz belonging in the small car segment. |
| industry. Yesterday, the firm's initial quality study | | | | Honda's little vehicle consistently received an award |
| revealed that the average problem per 100 vehicle | | | | for four consecutive years. |
| complained by owners climbed to 245 problems | | | | Out of the five worst performing cars in the study, |
| compared to last year's 239 problems. | | | | four were also ranked lowest last year. This year's |
| The results were based to the responses made by a | | | | five vehicles with the most problems are shamefully |
| total of 8,600 new vehicle owners who purchased | | | | carrying the brands of Tata with a total of 567 |
| their vehicles for the first five months for this year. | | | | followed by Volkswagen, Fiat, Opel and Renault. |
| The problems cited by the subjects are those they | | | | JD Power and Associates Vice-President Brian |
| encountered during the first three to seven months | | | | Walters commented that BMW had made significant |
| of ownership. Ideally, this period, the vehicle should | | | | improvements in its vehicles thus climbing from the |
| be at its best driving condition since they are fresh | | | | third post in 2005 and on top this year. |
| from showrooms and dealerships. | | | | The Mercedes-Benz East London passenger vehicle |
| J.D. Power and Associates discovered a total of 228 | | | | assembly plant that produces the Mercedes-Benz |
| individual problems across nine categories. The | | | | C-Class leads other South African plants in initial |
| vehicles that gained the lowest scores reflected | | | | quality, with 103 problems per 100 vehicles. |
| fewer problems, therefore, of better quality than | | | | "The Mercedes-Benz East London plant was recently |
| those with higher scores. | | | | retooled to produce left-hand drive vehicles, which |
| This year, BMW replaced Honda as the highest | | | | are exported to the US. It is particularly impressive |
| ranking vehicle brand in South Africa. BMW totaled | | | | that this plant, in the face of major changes to its |
| 142 problems per 100 vehicles. Honda which makes | | | | production line, has been able to produce vehicles of |
| quality Acura CL brake dust shields follows the | | | | such outstanding quality," said Walters. |