Premium Owners with Branded Audio Have Higher Vehicle Satisfaction, J.D. Power Finds

Branded audio is positively impacting owner satisfaction with in-car multimedia technology, as well as the vehicle, according to the J.D. Power 2019 Multimedia Quality and Satisfaction Study,SM. The overall number of reported problems with audio, communication, entertainment and navigation (ACEN) technologies has also decreased for a fourth consecutive year.

“Although there’s a premium cost associated with opting for branded audio systems, we’re finding that the cost is worth the high level of value that it brings to both the consumer and the manufacturer,” said Brent Gruber, Senior Director, Automotive Quality Practice at J.D. Power. “Specifically, when consumers are happy with their branded audio system experience, it ultimately moves the needle on overall satisfaction of the vehicle experience. While the option is readily available in premium vehicles, manufacturers of non-premium vehicles should consider offering the upgrade more often to boost owner satisfaction with an added benefit of increasing sales.”

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The study measures the experiences and opinions of vehicle owners regarding the quality, design and features of their ACEN system in the first 90 days of ownership. Multimedia system quality is determined by the number of problems experienced per 100 vehicles (PP100), with a lower score reflecting higher quality.

Top-performing vehicles in each segment are as follows:

• Small: Hyundai Accent
• Compact:  Kia Soul
• Midsize:  Hyundai Santa Fe
• Large: Nissan Titan
• Small Premium: Mercedes-Benz GLA
• Compact Premium: Genesis G70
• Midsize Premium: Audi Q8 and Porsche 911 (tied)
• Large Premium:  BMW 7 Series

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Data for the annual Multimedia Quality and Satisfaction Study SM is derived from each year’s J.D. Power Vehicle Quality Survey (VQS). The data is augmented with supplier sourcing information where available, which affords multimedia suppliers with a comprehensive view of the overall multimedia industry, as well as the performance of individual products and systems, and problems that owners experience.

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