The Dodge Challenger, BMW X6, Nissan Sentra and Genesis G70 led each segment in a J.D. Power study measuring multimedia quality and satisfaction.
J.D. Power’s redesigned 2020 U.S. Multimedia Quality and Satisfaction Study measures owner satisfaction with the quality, design and features of their vehicle’s multimedia systems.
The Challenger was the top performer overall, with the most satisfied owners and lessees. On a 1,000-point scale, the vehicle scored a 938.
Brent Gruber, senior director of global automotive at J.D. Power, told Automotive News the study found Nissan was the only Japanese brand that ranked above average and that domestic brands performed best.
But the study said, “Owner satisfaction with such systems is among the least satisfying aspects for the vehicle experience.”
Gruber said 23 percent of overall automotive consumer problems are with the multimedia and infotainment systems. And the top 10 problems with multimedia systems are design-related.
Owner satisfaction drops by 173 index points when over-the-air problems are experienced.
“This is very concerning, considering the rapid growth of remote update capabilities for multimedia and infotainment systems,” Gruber said in a statement.
He told Automotive News that smartphone users expect vehicle updates to be as seamless as their smartphone updates. “Manufacturers need to ensure that updates have been thoroughly tested with a very high probability for success.”
The study found that one way to boost owner satisfaction was to add virtual assistant integration.
The study also analyzed suppliers of navigation and speaker systems, but many of the sources for those systems were not available. Mobis, Hyundai MnSoft, Aisin and Telenav won kudos for navigation systems. Alps Alpine and Harman International won high marks among speaker suppliers.
The 2020 U.S. Multimedia Quality and Satisfaction Study is based on responses from 87,282 purchasers and lessees of new 2020 models. The survey was conducted from February through May.
