Nissan Maxima: Top Performer in J.D. Power 2021 Initial Quality Study

Max Performance

The results are in and Nissan has recorded remarkable gains in the J.D. Power 2021 Initial Quality Study (IQS) awards, including three top segment rankings out of seven eligible Nissan nameplates.

The Nissan Maxima is the best-performing vehicle in the industry and the Smyrna, Tennessee Assembly plant (Murano line) is the top-rated plant in the Americas, earning a Gold Plant Quality Award.

Overall in 2021, Nissan ranked fourth among mass market brands, 12 points ahead of industry average – an increase of seven positions. Nissan also ranked 4th in the corporate rankings, up from 5th in 2020.

Three Nissan nameplates – Altima, Maxima and Murano – won their individual segments, with TITAN, Sentra and Versa also ranked among the top three in their segments. Maxima recorded the lowest overall problem level in the entire study; Murano was ranked 8th overall.

“Delivering top quality for our customers has been a key element in the total brand transformation we call Nissan NEXT,” said Mike Colleran, senior vice president, Nissan U.S. Marketing and Sales. “This performance is possible by a united design, engineering and manufacturing team focused on making the best vehicles for our customers.”

J.D. Power IQS is the industry benchmark for new vehicle quality by measuring the number of problems experienced per 100 vehicles (PPH) during the first 90 days of ownership, with a lower score reflecting higher quality.

The Murano assembly line at Nissan’s six-million square-foot Smyrna Vehicle Assembly plant ranked first in quality performance among North American manufacturing.

“The Smyrna team is incredibly focused on building exceptional vehicles that are driven on roads across the country — and all over the world,” said Jeff Younginer, vice president, Manufacturing, Nissan Smyrna Vehicle Assembly Plant. “This recognition is a testament to their ‘one team’ spirit and pride in delivering products with great quality and reliability.”