According to the new J.D. Power & Associates study on car quality the things that new car owners hate most about their car radios are….Bluetooth pairing for mobile phones as well as voice recognition and navigation systems.
These are also among the biggest source of complaints for the entire car, not just the radio.
Car design, including the radio, has become the main car problem, rather than malfunctioning parts, said the J.D. Power 2013 Initial Quality Study, which tracks car problems during the first 90 days of ownership.
“Automakers are investing billions of dollars into designing and building vehicles and adding technologies that consumers desire and demand, but the risk is that the vehicle design, or the technology within the vehicle, in some cases may not meet customer needs,” said David Sargent, VP of Global Automotive at J.D. Power.
“The majority of owners don’t experience problems, but those who do are frustrated,” said Sargent. “That’s understandable, especially when owners often keep their new vehicle for five years or more. In contrast, when consumers have a problem with their smartphone, they are likely to replace the phone much sooner.”
Of the cars tracked, the Lexus LS ranked at the top for quality. For brand (multiple car models within the brand), Porsche had the highest rating. GM also ranked higher this year than in the past.
Here are some of the JD. Power award winners in quality for 2013 (in alphabetical order):
- Acura TL–Compact Premium Car
- Buick Encore (in a tie)–Sub-Compact CUV
- Cadillac Escalade–Large Premium CUV
- Chevrolet Avalanche (in a tie)–Large Light Duty Pickup
- Chevrolet Camaro (in a tie)–Midsize Sporty Car
- Chevrolet Impala–Large Car
- Chevrolet Silverado HD–Large Heavy Duty Pickup
- Chevrolet Tahoe–Large CUV
- Chrysler Town & Country–Minivan
- Ford Mustang (in a tie)–Midsize Sporty Car
- GMC Sierra (in a tie)–Large Light Duty Pickup
- Honda Civic–Compact Car
- Honda CR-V–Compact CUV
- Hyundai Genesis Sedan–Midsize Premium Car
- Infiniti FX–Midsize Premium CUV
- Kia Soul–Compact MPV
- Kia Sportage (in a tie)–Sub-Compact CUV
- Lexus LS–Large Premium Car
- Mazda 2–Sub–Compact Car
- Mazda MX-5 Miata–Compact Sporty Car
- Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class–Compact Premium CUV
- Nissan Murano–Midsize CUV
- Porsche 911–Midsize Premium Sporty Car
- Porsche Boxster–Compact Premium Sporty Car
- Smart Fortwo–City Car
- Toyota Camry–Midsize Car
Source: J.D. Power & Associates
