People spend a lot of time in their cars, and many are emotionally downcast when life situations make them part with them. With such strong attachments to vehicles, it stands to reason that they must have high quality. After all, it’s not just for ensuring safety on the road, but also to make the vehicle comfortable and enjoyable to drive. That’s why manufacturing Quality Control is so important. It’s what makes sure each and every component is a perfect fit.

In order to improve Quality, car manufacturers often test their vehicles in extreme conditions. For example, they might drive a car through Death Valley to see how it handles the heat and whether it can hold up under grueling stress. This is a crucial step in the automotive Quality Control process, but there are many other tests that go into designing and creating the ultimate automobile. For example, they might have to test the strength of a weld or how hot a seat can get before it starts to melt. Increasingly, these types of tests are done in the lab, not on the street, thanks to more precise testing equipment and more sophisticated sensors.

It’s not surprising to learn that Quality isn’t as high as it once was. The COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on supply chains, vehicle production, and auto dealerships, and these disruptions are having a significant impact on the 2022 JD Power Initial Quality Study (IQS). This year, 84,165 new car owners in the U.S. rated their new vehicle on a 223-question survey, which is broken down into nine categories: infotainment; features, controls and displays; exterior; driving experience; interior; seating; engine/transmission; day-to-day running costs; and climate.

The five lowest officially ranked brands were Alfa Romeo, Volvo, Volkswagen, Chrysler and Audi. Tesla was not included in the official rankings since it does not allow its owners to be surveyed. However, it was able to score in the survey’s 35 states where it has a presence.

Of the top-ranked companies, Nissan and Toyota are no strangers to the top of the IQS. This is because they have relied on long-term reputations for quality to bolster their sales numbers. These two automakers are followed by Japanese brand Honda and a trio of German manufacturers: Mercedes, BMW and Porsche.

Of these, the Porsche 911 and Cayenne are the most popular vehicles with Americans. Porsche is known for its excellent handling and acceleration, and the Cayenne offers a lot of storage space. The Morgan Plus 6 also has a lot of appeal, even though it’s only capable of 65 MPH. It’s a great looking car with a classic British design and a fun driving experience, making it one of the best cars to own. The only downside is that it’s very expensive to maintain, but if you love to drive and enjoy the experience, the money will be worth it in the end.