Vehicle Dependability in Mexico Improves but Infotainment a Key Issue for Younger Owners, J.D. Power Finds

MEXICO CITY: 22 Nov. 2023 — While the pandemic upended automotive industries around the globe, vehicle dependability in Mexico proved to be a bright spot, according to the J.D. Power 2023 Mexico Vehicle Dependability StudySM (VDS), released today. The study shows an overall industry average of 213 problems per 100 vehicles (PP100), though infotainment remains the category with the most problems (39 PP100), particularly among younger customers.

The study, now in its ninth year, measures problems experienced during the past 12 months by original owners of vehicles in Mexico after 12-36 months of ownership. For 2023, the study was redesigned to more accurately capture 184 specific problem areas across nine major vehicle categories: exterior; driving experience; features/controls/displays (FCD); driving assistance; infotainment; seats; climate; interior; and powertrain. Overall dependability is determined by the number of problems experienced per 100 vehicles, with a lower score reflecting higher quality.

“Millennials1 and Gen Z owners have grown up in the digital age and their expectations are higher when it comes to infotainment operating correctly,” said Gerardo Gomez, senior director and country manager at J.D. Power de Mexico. “This is a critical opportunity for automakers to make progress in this area and improve the overall owner experience, as these two generations will make up a greater share of vehicle buyers in the future.”

When examining frequency of problems by generation, the study reveals that Gen X and Boomer vehicle owners identify fewer problems (204 PP100 and 156 PP100, respectively), while Millennial (232 PP100) and Gen Z (213 PP100) owners cite the most problems. Across all generations, infotainment was the most problematic vehicle category. Driving assistance was the least problematic.

The study also finds that infotainment updates are key to boosting customer satisfaction. Although infotainment is a problematic area, a software update from the automaker can improve the experience. Among 33% of owners whose vehicles received a software update since purchase, infotainment performed “much better than expected.” That figure declines to 20% among owners whose vehicles had not received any infotainment updates.

Highest-Rankings Brands

Mercedes-Benz ranks highest in vehicle dependability among premium brands with a score of 136 PP100. Audi ranks second (147 PP100).

Ford ranks highest in vehicle dependability among mass market brands with a score of 137 PP100. Suzuki (175 PP100) and Toyota (175 PP100) each rank second in a tie.

Segment Awards

Listed below are the highest-ranked models in each segment.

Compact: Toyota Prius
Entry Sub-Compact: Chevrolet Spark
Crossover: SEAT Arona
Midsize SUV: Nissan X-Trail
Entry SUV: Ford EcoSport
Upper Sub-Compact: Toyota Yaris

The 2023 Mexico Vehicle Dependability Study is based on responses from 6,440 original owners of 2020 to 2022 model-year vehicles. The study was fielded from October 2022 through July 2023.

About J.D. Power
J.D. Power is a global leader in consumer insights, advisory services and data and analytics. A pioneer in the use of big data, artificial intelligence (AI) and algorithmic modeling capabilities to understand consumer behavior, J.D. Power has been delivering incisive industry intelligence on customer interactions with brands and products for more than 50 years. The world's leading businesses across major industries rely on J.D. Power to guide their customer-facing strategies.

J.D. Power has offices in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. To learn more about the company’s business offerings, visit https://mexico.jdpower.com/.

Media Relations Contacts
Fabiana Duran; Mexico City; +52 55 1012 0885; fabiana@mediaroom.mx
Geno Effler, J.D. Power; U.S.A.; 714-621-6224; media.relations@jdpa.com

About J.D. Power and Advertising/Promotional Rules www.jdpower.com/business/about-us/press-release-info