Photo: Cadillac
J.D. Power measures the quality of new vehicles each year in its Initial Quality Study. For the 2021 study, the 2021 Cadillac CT5 had the highest quality in the midsize premium car segment.
The Top Features of the CT5: Learn about the 2021 model
What did the 2021 study reveal?
Between 2020 and 2021, new vehicles had a 2 percent increase in quality, according to J.D. Power. During the last decade, the Initial Quality Study had seen a 3 percent increase in quality on average, which means 2021 models had slightly fewer improvements than past models.
Infotainment systems were the main hindrance to the improvement rate this year — accounting for 25 percent of all problems. Owners had issues with smartphone connectivity, especially when their in-vehicle displays had wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility.
J.D. Power determined the initial quality of each model by looking at the number of problems they had for every 100 vehicles within the first 90 days of ownership. In the 2021 study, the industry average score was 162 PP100 — four points higher than last year.
How did the CT5 best its segment?
Cadillac had a score of 173 PP100, falling below the average just as most premium brands did. However, the 2021 Cadillac CT5 had the best initial quality score in the midsize premium car segment, with the Lexus ES taking the second-place spot. These cars surpassed rivals like the Audi A5, BMW 5 Series, Genesis G80, and Mercedes-Benz E-Class
Of all the General Motors models in the study, the Cadillac CT5 and Chevrolet Corvette had the highest rankings in their respective segments. The Chevrolet Spark, Malibu, Trax, Blazer, Traverse, Tahoe, and Colorado as well as the Buick Envision also ranked highly, but they didn’t top their categories.
The Cadillac CT5 outranked its competitors in the 2020 Initial Quality Study too. We at The News Wheel will let you know if this trend continues next year.
Amanda Drago lives in West Chester, Ohio with her wonderful family, which includes her adorable dog, Coco. Amanda recently graduated from Miami University with degrees in both marketing and creative writing. However, if she was ever forced to change career paths, she imagines that she would train dogs for movies. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, writing, and watching Netflix. She also has a special place in her heart for theatre and purchases tickets to as many shows as she can. See more articles by Amanda.