2012 Audi A8 L, Volkswagen Group Scores Best Total Quality

Lead by the top-scoring Audi A8 Sedan, the Volkswagen Group has taken top honors in the latest Strategic Vision Total Quality Index (TQI) survey. TQI seeks to measure how closely the experience of quality matches a customer’s desire for quality, factoring in numerous variables (such as reported problems).

For a manufacturer not always associated with quality and reliability in the past, the award is recognition of significant improvements within the Volkswagen Group.

While the Luxury Car segment-leading Audi A8 achieved a TQI score of 942 (the highest on the list), the Audi A4 scored 917, earning honors as the best near-luxury car. The Volkswagen Golf earned top honors in the Small Multi-Function segment, racking up 874 points in the process.

Even Volkswagen’s oft-overlooked convertible, the Eos, scored 902 points, enough to win the convertible category. The automaker’s compact crossover, the Tiguan, garnered 877 points to win the Entry Utility category.

The win for Audi is its second strong finish in a Strategic Vision survey this year. Last March, Audi managed to achieve the highest number of vehicles on Strategic Vision’s Total Value Index, which factors in variables such as warranty coverage, technical innovation, standard equipment and fuel economy.

Rival BMW did well in the survey, too, capturing the Premium Coupe segment with its 1-Series (922 points), the Premium Convertible segment with its Z4 (938 points) and the Luxury Utility segment with its X6 (936 points). Counting MINI, BMW also won the Specialty Coupe segment with the MINI Cooper Coupe (926 points).