Toyota plants in Cambridge, Woodstock win top honours

Two Toyota plants in Cambridge, Ont. and Woodstock, Ont. are among the best in the world, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2012 U.S. Initial Quality Study (IQS) released on Wednesday.

 The Cambridge plant, which produces the Lexus RX, took the Gold Plant Assembly Line Quality Award for producing models yielding the fewest defects or malfunctions. The J.D. Power Plant awards are based solely on average levels of defects and malfunctions and exclude design-related problems.

That plant was the top plant in North America, with only the Honda Honda Motor Company’s Suzuka 3, Mie plant in Japan, which produces the Honda CR-Z and Fit, taking higher honours with the platinum award. In Europe and Africa, the Volvo plant in Uddevalla, Sweden, also took home a gold award.

The Woodstock plant, which makes the RAV4 crossover, also took a bronze award as the plant ranking third in quality in North America. A Honda plant in Ohio won the silver award.

The 2012 U.S. Initial Quality Study is based on responses from more than 74,000 purchasers and lessees of new 2012 model-year cars, trucks and multi-activity vehicles surveyed after 90 days of ownership. The study is based on a 228-question battery designed to provide manufacturers with information to facilitate identification of problems and drive product improvement.