Among alternative-fuel vehicle makers, Lexus has the best reputation for quality, according to a new study by ALG, a data and consulting company. While electric-car maker Tesla Motors got the best rating among companies that build only alternative vehicles, it fared less well in the wider group of car makers.
In the fall 2011 study, Lexus scored 89.8 out of a maximum possible score of 100 points in what ALG, a unit of auto-industry analysis and forecasting company TrueCar Inc., calls its Perceived Quality Study or PQS. The rest of the top-five brands in the survey were Mercedes-Benz with 88.8 points; Porsche, 86.7; BMW, 86.7; and Honda, 85.6.
Tesla, which is known for its high-performance battery-powered Roadster, scored 69.5 points — enough to top the list of purely alternative manufacturers. But when compared with brands that sell both alternative-fuel and gas-powered vehicles, Tesla wound up in the middle of the pack.
“That Lexus made a strong entrance into the survey and took the crown after not being a part of the 2010 survey for alternative fuel vehicles, is a testament to the brand’s overall reputation,” said Eric Lyman, director of residual value solutions at ALG. However, because Lexus also leads in the ALG survey of the overall market, it is no surprise that it takes the top spot in this sub-category, Lyman said.
Other rankings of interest among alternative-only brands include Fisker, which took second place with 49.5 points; Phoenix, 44.8; Aptera, 40; and Zenn 39.6. Among brands selling both alternative-fuel and gasoline-powered vehicles, Jeep saw the most upward movement, scoring 55.9 this year after finishing last a year ago.
ALG says the low rankings in general for alternative-fuel car makers in part reflects consumers’ lack of familiarity with the brands.
For the Perceived Quality Study, ALG surveys about 3,000 to 4,000 U.S. consumers twice a year to gauge perceptions of a number of luxury and mainstream brands. This is the second year the company has surveyed the public about alternative fuel vehicles.
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