Despite changes to consumers’ personal mobility behaviors during the pandemic, new vehicle owners continue to love their vehicles. Honda’s product renaissance garnered the brand the most trophies from Strategic Vision’s 2021 Total Quality Awards. Last year’s leaders, the Honda Civic Coupe and Civic Hatchback are joined by the Accord Hybrid, Insight and Odyssey, according to Strategic Vision’s 2021 Total Quality Impact™ (TQI) measure.

“Honda begins with an advantage with customers,” explains Alexander Edwards, President of Strategic Vision. “Regardless of whether they purchased a Honda or not, new vehicle buyers are more likely to state that Honda has stronger reliability and trust. The pandemic created an atmosphere of insecurity in many aspects of people’s lives. Because Honda’s reliability and trust is seen as the foundation of the brand, customers shopped Hondas and (re)discovered the recent Honda model designs. The enhanced styling acted as a cue of thoughtfulness, further magnifying their existing perceptions of the Total Quality of Honda models.”

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“The Hyundai Palisade and Kia Telluride are key examples where the combination of styling, innovation and warranty all converge to provide customers with the reassurance they need that they own a vehicle of the highest quality.”

“However, it is not just Honda where new styling and innovation led to increased quality perceptions,” notes Chris Chaney, Senior Vice President of Strategic Vision. “The Hyundai Palisade and Kia Telluride are key examples where the combination of styling, innovation and warranty all converge to provide customers with the reassurance they need that they own a vehicle of the highest quality.” In addition to the Telluride, the Kia Stinger and Seltos were also segment leaders.

Luxury models also enhanced quality perceptions with product attributes and the emotions that follow. For example, Mercedes had three winners (S-Class, GLC SUV and G-Class) each leading their respective segments as customers essentially received their “ideal vehicle,” which was high in quality and delivered emotion including safety, prestige and refinement.

Even though the Lexus LC had a greater incidence of problems than others in its segment, it was also ranked the highest in Interior Workmanship, Styling and Versatility among Premium Coupes. Owners specifically acknowledged that their Lexus LC expressed their individuality in a uniquely personal way compared to what they felt other Premium Coupes had to offer.

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