Kraig Johanssen is a native of Connecticut and holds a degree in Software Engineering. He now works at a software development firm in Alabama. His love for writing and great interest on cars makes him a proficient contributing author to various automotive magazines.
The Mercury Milan has ranked first in the competitive midsize car segment while the Pontiac Grand Prix ranked first among large cars in the 2007 J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality Study released Tuesday last week.
Segment winners
2007 J.D. Power Initial Quality Study, top three models by category
Subcompact car
Kia Rio and Kia Rio5
Honda Fit
Hyundai Accent (total)
Compact car
Honda Civic
Toyota Corolla
Hyundai Elantra Sedan
Compact sporty car
Mazda MX-5
Scion tC
Subaru Impreza (total)
Compact premium sporty car
Porsche Boxter
Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class
Entry premium car
Lincoln MKZ
Acura TSX
Cadillac CTS
Midsize premium
Mercedes-Benz E-Class (total)
Lexus GS series (total)
Infiniti M-Series (tie)
Volvo S80 (tie)
Large premium car
Audi A8 (tie)
Mercedes-Benz S-Class (tie)
Lexus LS 460
Premium sporty
Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
Porsche 911 (total)
Lexus SC 430
Midsize sporty car
Ford Mustang
Toyota Solara (total)
Chevrolet Monte Carlo
Midsize car
Mercury Milan
Honda Accord (total)
Ford Fusion (tie)
Mistubishi Galant (tie)
Large car
Pontiac Grand Prix
Toyota Avalon
Ford Five Hundred (tie)
Mercury Montego (tie)
Compact multi-activity vehicle
Honda CR-V
Nissan Xterra
Hyundai Tucson
Midsize multi-activity vehicle
Toyota 4Runner
Toyota Highlander (total)
Mercury Mountaineer
Large multi-activity vehicle
Toyota Sequoia
Chevrolet Suburban
GMC Yukon (total)
Midsize premium multi-activity vehicle
Lexus RX350/RX 400h (total)
Lincoln MKX
Lexus GX 470
Large premium multi-activity vehicle
Lincoln Mark LT
Lincoln Navigator
Hummer H2
Large pickup
Chevrolet Silverado Classic HD
Ford F-150 LD
GMC Sierra LD
Mid-size pickup
Toyota Tacoma
Honda Ridgeline
Dodge Dakota
Van
Chevrolet Express (total)
Kia Sedona
Ford E-Series
Source: J.D. Power and Associates
This also marks the first time since 1998 that Ford Motor Co. has unseated Toyota from the top spot, grabbing more individual awards than any other automaker. The Dearborn automaker ranked highest in five of 19 segments in this year's survey.
Ford earned segment awards for the Ford Mustang, Lincoln Mark LT, Lincoln MKZ, Mercury Milan and Mazda MX-5 Miata. Mazda, maker of top of the line Mazda wheel hub, is 33.4 percent owned by Ford.
J.D. Power has also given the Platinum Plant Quality Award for producing vehicles with the fewest defects to Ford's Wixom Assembly Plant in Michigan, which stopped making cars last May 31. The Detroit-area plant produced the Lincoln Town Car, which averages 35 problems per 100 vehicles. Plant awards are based solely on defect counts.
Other honorees among North and South American plants were the General Motors Oshawa 2 plant in Ontario, Canada -- which produces the Buick LaCrosse and Pontiac Grand Prix, for the Silver Plant Quality Award; and American Honda’s East Liberty, Ohio, plant, which produces the Honda Civic Sedan and Honda Element, for the Bronze Plant Quality Award.
The J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality Study, a widely regarded industry standard for new-car quality, surveys customers on problems they have found after 90 days of ownership. Complete results were expected to be released later today. Some segment winners, though, were already posted on the J.D. Power Web site.
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