Lexus ranked highest in two J.D. Power and
Associates surveys this week. For the eighth consecutive year, Lexus led the industry
in the Vehicle Dependability Index (VDI) study, which examines the durability
of vehicles after four to five years of ownership. Additionally, the Lexus Certified
Pre-Owned program received top ratings in factors contributing to overall satisfaction
in the Used-Vehicle Sales and Certification Study.
"It's impressive that Lexus topped both of these studies this week,"
said Lexus Group Vice President and General Manager Denny Clements. "It
shows that Lexus vehicles are dependable for many years and that we have developed
strong programs to ensure customer satisfaction year after year, as well."
The Lexus Certified Pre-Owned program, established in 1993, was the first manufacturer
program to provide customers with quality pre-owned vehicles and customer satisfaction
that exceeded most new-car transactions. For the year, Lexus Certified Pre-Owned
sales are up 22 percent to 33,002.
One of the reasons for the popularity of the Lexus Certified Pre-Owned program
is the dependability of Lexus vehicles. In the VDI study released yesterday,
Lexus ranked highest with 159 problems per 100 vehicles, less than half the
industry average (355 problems per 100 vehicles).
Additionally, the 1998 Lexus LS 400 ranked highest in its segment, as did the
1998 Lexus GS 300/400 and the 1998 Lexus ES 300.
