Hyundai Leads 2007 Strategic Visions Total Quality Index

By: Kraig Johanssen

The San Diego-Based research firm has recently announced the 2007 results based on the ratings of new vehicle owners in 19 product segments. And surprisingly the Hyundai brand has been able to produce the most leaders on Strategic Vision's Total Quality Indexâ„? (TQI) leading in three segments.

The other brand that also produces three leaders was Nissan but it still didn't tied up with Hyundai Motors since the latter has received a total of five leaders. The other brands rated were Ford Motor the major stockholder of Mazda, producer of , and BMW Group each earned three; GM. Honda, and Mercedes each earned two with Dodge, Lexus, and Volkswagen each earning one. BMW is again the top scoring brand for the 8th time in nine years. Volkswagen of America on the other hand has been able to keep its claim as the best full-line corporation.

The Total Quality Indexâ„? is the leader when it comes to measure of new vehicle owner satisfaction. It asks buyers to rate all the aspects of the ownership experience starting from the purchasing process, owning, and then to the actual driving of the car. Despite the Toyota's improved overall with their TQI scores but for the 2007 Strategic Vision's Total Quality Indexâ„? (TQI) it failed to come up with any segment leader. And analyzing the number of problems of Things-Gone-Wrong per vehicle which is the traditional definition of quality, Toyota and Lexus are by far the best as compared to other brands.

Unfortunately, Toyota's lead in this narrower definition of quality is now shared with other brands like Honda, Hyundai, Infiniti, as well as domestic brands like Ford which may come as a surprise to most. But in fairness to Ford its Ford Expedition EL is a remarkable vehicle that enjoyed a very large lead and so far has the fewest problems in the segment. Expedition EL owners have also recognized the role of vehicle innovation, which they say is a key factor to future domestic success.

The long time leader Honda Odyssey which has taken the lead for five years has been topple down by the Hyundai Entourage, Kia Sedona, and Nissan Quest in a three-way tie for this particular segment. The Ford F-150 returns to leadership position in this highly contested segment tied with Nissan Titan.

The data used for the 2007 Total Quality Indexâ„? were derived from the responses of more than 27,000 buyers who bought 2007 models last September, October, and November of 2006.

About Strategic Vision
Strategic Vision has calculated TQI annually way back in 1995. But its incorporation started in 1989 and since then it has studied consumer and constituent decision-making which are used by a wide variety of clients of which includes most auto manufacturers, Coca-cola, American Airlines, Procter and Gamble and even advertising agencies.

Its expertise is geared in determining consumers' motivational hierarchies, including the values that affect perceptions and customers' emotional responses plus the different factors that drive customers to behave as such. The in-depth Discovery Interviews plus ValueCentered Surveys provide the firm with comprehensive, integrated, and actionable outcomes.

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