The recently released Strategic Vision's Total Quality Index (TQI) still ranked Toyota near the top, but this year the automaker failed to produce any segment-leading models. Meanwhile, Hyundai had the most, with three of its models leading in their product segments and affiliate Kia leading two other segments. The survey measures overall new vehicle owner satisfaction through all aspects of the ownership experience, including the buying process, brand loyalty, and the overall perception of quality. Looking at the results solely by the traditional definition of quality - in terms of the number of problems per vehicle - Toyota now shares a top tier with a group of brands including Honda, Hyundai, Infiniti, and Ford, said the firm. Hyundai's new Entourage (tied with the Kia Sedona and Nissan Quest) replaced Honda's Odyssey, a five-year winner, in the Minivan category, while the Hyundai Azera placed at the top in the Large Car segment and the Santa Fe SUV took the top position in the Small SUV category. Ford showed especially strong with its trucks. The F-150 returned to the top model in the Large Pickup category, shared with the Nissan Titan, and the Expedition EL took over as the top Large SUV. Segment winners: Small Car: Honda Civic Small Multi-Function: Volkswagen Rabbit Medium Car: Saturn Aura, Nissan Maxima Large Car: Hyundai Azera Near-Luxury Car: BMW 3-Series Sedan Luxury Car: Mercedes S-Class Small Specialty Under $25,000: MINI Cooper Convertible Under $30,000: MINI Cooper Convertible Convertible Over $30,000: Chevrolet Corvette Minivan: Kia Sedona, Hyundai Entourage, Nissan Quest Small SUV: Hyundai Santa Fe Medium Crossover: Dodge Magnum Medium SUV: Kia Sorento Large SUV: Ford Expedition EL Near-Luxury SUV: Lexus RX350 Luxury SUV: Mercedes ML-Class Standard Pickup: Honda Ridgeline Large Pickup: Nissan Titan, Ford F-150 Heavy Duty Pickup: Ford F-250/F-350
Hyundai Tops Strategic Vision Quality Index
The research firm's annual study failed to rank Toyota first in any segment.
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