Compared to regular models, luxury cars offer certain performance advantages and brand prestige, making them popular among successful individuals. However, not all luxury car brands are equally trustworthy when it comes to quality. According to the J.D. Power China Initial Quality Study (IQS) for luxury cars, buyers need to be cautious.
The rankings reveal a significant shift: Porsche surpassed the perennial leader Lexus to reclaim the top spot as the highest-quality luxury brand. Cadillac, representing American luxury, broke into the top three as the biggest dark horse. The German Big Three (BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi) suffered a collective plunge. BMW barely met the industry average, while Audi and Mercedes-Benz both fell below it, ranking seventh and eighth respectively. Land Rover and Volvo tied for fourth place, outperforming the German giants, while Lincoln unfortunately ranked last.
Top Three Luxury Brands in Quality:
- Porsche: Achieved an excellent score of 192 problems per 100 vehicles (PP100), securing a decisive victory and ending Lexus’s long dominance. Its problem count was 21 lower than the industry average, giving it a clear lead.
- Lexus: Placed second with 207 PP100. Although dethroned, it remains a stable force among traditional luxury brands, forming the leading group with Porsche.
- Cadillac: Jumped to third place with 211 PP100, becoming the biggest highlight of the list. This result not only placed it above all German luxury brands but also marked a breakthrough in quality recognition for American luxury cars in the Chinese market.
Mid-Pack Competition:
- Land Rover and Volvo: Tied for fourth place with 212 PP100 each. Land Rover showed significant improvement from previous years, successfully entering the upper echelon of luxury brand quality. Volvo maintained its stable performance. Both brands held a slight 1 PP100 advantage over the luxury brand average.
- BMW: Ranked sixth with 213 PP100, placing it exactly on the industry average line. This ranking is challenging for BMW, not only because it was significantly outpaced by Porsche but also because it was surpassed by traditionally non-top-tier luxury brands like Cadillac and Land Rover, highlighting pressure on its quality control in China.
Lower Rankings:
- Audi and Mercedes-Benz: Tied for seventh place with 215 PP100 each, both falling below the luxury brand average. Mercedes-Benz showed a significant drop in ranking compared to the previous year, while Audi continued to linger in the lower part of the quality rankings. This marks the first time the German Big Three have collectively fallen out of the top five, representing a historic shift.
- SAIC Audi: Ranked ninth. Its problem count was higher than imported Audi models, reflecting additional challenges in localized production.
- Fujian Benz (Mercedes-Benz): Ranked tenth, facing similar challenges to SAIC Audi.
- Lincoln: Ranked last with 230 PP100. Its problem count was 38 higher than Porsche’s, showing a significant gap.