DETROIT -- General Motors swept the top three spots in the premium midsize car segment and had the top three plants in North America, according to the 1999 J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality Study.
The Chevrolet Lumina, with just 87 problems per 100 cars, won the premium midsize segment, edging the Buick LeSabre and the Buick Century.
Chevrolet Lumina
Buick was the No. 2-ranking nameplate in the overall study. Lumina and LeSabre were the only non-luxury cars and the only North American-built cars to finish in the combined car and truck top 10 of fewest problems per 100 vehicles.
"There is a lot of good news for GM in this report," said Tom LaSorda, GM vice president of Quality, Reliability and Competitive Operations Implementation. "The sweep in the hyper-competitive midsize segment is especially gratifying because customers are backing up what we have been saying about the quality of our midsize car lineup."
GM's Buick City plant in Flint tied with Toyota's Tahara, Japan, plant for Power's Platinum Award for best initial quality at an assembly plant, the first time a GM plant has won the top award. Buick City won the silver award for best assembly plant in North America in 1990. Buick City assembles the LeSabre.
"This accomplishment is not a surprise to us," said Gerald L. Elson, GM vice president and general manager, Midsize/Luxury Car Operations. "The men and women of Buick City have consistently produced vehicles of high quality, according to our internal measures. It is pleasing that a third party has now recognized it."
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