Three Nissan Vehicles Earn Top Marks in JD Power 2018 Initial Quality Study
2018 Nissan Frontier
The 2018 Nissan Frontier, Maxima, and Altima are all standouts in the J.D. Power 2018 Initial Quality Study, and the automaker’s Smyrna manufacturing plant also has reason to be proud after earning a Bronze designation.
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“The 2018 J.D. Power Initial Quality Study (IQS). J.D. Power IQS is the industry benchmark for new vehicle quality. This year, the Nissan brand improved by eight problems per hundred vehicles (PP100) to an overall average of just 85 PP100, which was best performance of all non-luxury Japanese brands,” reports Nissan.
The 2018 Frontier earned bragging rights for the third year in a row as the top-rated Midsize Pickup. The 2018 Frontier, which is available at five trim levels — S, SV, SL, Desert Runner, and Pro-4X — features two engine options. When equipped with the 2.5-liter DOHC 16-valve four-cylinder engine, the Frontier earns a horsepower rating of 152 and 171 lb-ft of torque. The Frontier’s 4.0-liter DOHC 24-valve V6 gets a horsepower rating of 261 and 281 lb-ft of torque.
2018 Nissan Maxima SR
Taking home the second highest score earned by the vehicles in the study and snagging the win as a Large Car, the 2018 Maxima rated 57 PP100. The 2018 Maxima is available at five trim levels — S, SV, SL, SR, and Platinum. Each trim is equipped with a 3.5-liter V6 engine paired to an Xtronic Continuously Variable Transmission with Drive Mode Selector to put out 300 horsepower and 261 lb-ft of torque.
2018 Nissan Altima SR
Besting the competition in the Midsize Car category was the 2018 Nissan Altima, which marked an improvement of 18 points compared to its performance in the 2017 study. The 2018 Altima is available at six trim levels — 2.5 S, 2.5 SR, SR Special Edition, 2.5 SV, 2.5 SL, and 3.5 SL. The first five trims are powered by a 2.5-liter DOHC 16-valve four-cylinder engine and Xtronic CVT® to churn out 179 horsepower and 177 lb-ft of torque. The 3.5L trim is powered by a 3.5-liter DOHC 24-valve V6 and earns a horsepower rating of 270 and 251 lb-ft of torque.
“Nissan’s J.D. Power IQS results for 2018 are encouraging because they reflect customer satisfaction directly from the people who buy and lease our vehicles,” said Mark Swenson, vice president, Total Customer Satisfaction, Nissan North America. “Positive IQS performance is a tribute to the ongoing efforts of Nissan Engineering, R&D, Quality and Manufacturing teams around the world, as well as our many global supplier partners. It is rewarding for us to see positive movement in J.D. Power IQS for three years running.”
2018 Nissan LEAF
Also making a strong showing in the study was the all-new Nissan LEAF, which improved 17 points over the 2017 study.
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