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Based on the results of the recently released J.D. Power 2018 Initial Quality Study (IQS), new vehicle quality continues to reach unprecedented levels.

The annual J.D. Power study examines problems experienced by original vehicle owners within the first 90 days of ownership and provides a ranking based on the number of problems experienced per 100 vehicles (PP100).

The industry average was 93 problems per 100 vehicles this year, as compared with 97 last year, with 21 of the 31 brands included in the study improving their quality.

“There’s no question that most automakers are doing a great job of listening to consumers and are producing vehicle quality of the highest caliber,” said Dave Sargent, vice president of global automotive at J.D. Power. He added that “avoiding problems with safety and driver assistance technology is critical.” This is so drivers become more “comfortable using technologies like lane-keep assistance and collision avoidance,” which will establish a foundation for driverless cars in the future.

The pack was led this year by luxury automaker Genesis, which claimed the top rank in only its second year being included in the study after the brand launched in 2016. It was followed by Kia, which came in as the highest-ranked mass-market brand for the fourth consecutive year. Hyundai rounded off the top three, making this the first time that three Korean brands are at the top of the overall ranking.

We’ve featured some of our favourite offers this week from automakers that ranked at the top of the Initial Quality Study. If you don’t find an offer that suits you, be sure to check out the new Globe Drive Build and Price Tool to see the latest incentives and discounts on any new car, truck or SUV.

2018 Genesis G90 3.3T

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Genesis.Handout

Genesis made its presence felt last year in its debut as the highest-ranked premium brand in the 2017 IQS. It made waves when it became the first-ever automaker to offer a complete end-to-end online car-buying process, from requesting an initial test drive to delivery to your doorstep, via their Genesis at Home experience. This year, with a year-over-year improvement of 9 PP100, Genesis not only managed to remain the highest-ranked premium brand, it also moved up a spot to claim the top ranking overall. The flagship Genesis G90 also emerged as the highest-ranked large premium car. Genesis’s lineup also includes the G80 mid-size and G70 compact sports sedans.

The 2018 Genesis G90 produces 365 horsepower and 376 lb.-ft. of torque through a 3.3-litre twin turbocharged V-6 engine, or 420 horsepower and 383 lb.-ft. of torque through a 5.0-litre V-8. The interior highlights of the 3.3T trim include Nappa-leather seating surfaces, genuine-wood interior trim with a leather-wrapped dashboard, a 900 watt, 17-speaker Lexicon surround-sound system, a 12.3-inch infotainment system with navigation and a seven-inch instrument panel display. The 2018 G90 was also named an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ thanks to standard features such as autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian detection, active blind-spot detection, a multiview camera system including dynamic parking guidelines and LED headlights with adaptive cornering.

  • Price: $84,000 (all-inclusive)
  • Government fees: $128
  • Cash purchase price before tax: $84,128
  • Finance for 60 months at 2.4-per-cent interest for $1,667 a month including tax and requires $1,000 down payment
  • Lease for 48 months at 2.9-per-cent interest for $1,511 a month including tax and assumes a 20,000 annual kilometre allowance and requires $1,000 down payment
  • Includes complimentary scheduled maintenance and courtesy vehicle service for five years or 100,000 kilometres, and complimentary navigation updates for five years

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2018 Kia Sorento EX Turbo All Wheel Drive

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Kia Sorento.Handout

Kia continued its reign as the highest-ranked mass-market brand for its fourth consecutive year in the 2018 IQS. Its Rio and Sorento models were ranked highest in the Small Car and Midsize SUV categories respectively.

The 2018 Kia Sorento EX Turbo is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-litre, four-cylinder engine that generates 240 horsepower and 260 lb.-ft. of torque. The EX trim comes standard with a seven-inch infotainment system, a seven-inch in-cluster multi-information display, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility, push-button ignition, leather seating surfaces with heated front seats and a heated and leather-wrapped multifunction steering wheel. Safety features on the EX trim include rear-parking sensors, a rear-view camera, rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot detection and electronic vehicle stability control.

  • MSRP: $35,995
  • Manufacturer cash incentive: $5,000 (as compared to $3,500 in April)
  • Estimated dealer discount: $500
  • Freight, PDI, government fees: $1,925
  • Cash purchase price before tax: $32,420
  • Finance for 84 months at zero-per-cent interest for $487 per month including tax, which includes a $1,250 manufacturer incentive and assumes zero down payment
  • Lease for 48 months at 1.99-per-cent interest for $566 per month including tax, which includes a $1,000 manufacturer incentive and assumes a 20,000 annual kilometre allowance with zero down payment

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2018 Hyundai Tucson 1.6T SE All Wheel Drive

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Hyundai Tucson.Handout

With a year-over-year improvement of 14 PP100, Hyundai moved all the way up from eighth in the 2017 IQS and supplanted Porsche for third place overall. The 2018 Hyundai Tucson, which was the highest-ranked small SUV in this year’s IQS, comes with either a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder engine that outputs 164 horsepower and 151 lb.-ft. of torque or a 1.6-litre turbocharged variant that produces 175 horsepower and 195 lb.-ft. of torque. The 1.6T SE trim features heated leather seats, a seven-inch touch screen infotainment system, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility, dual-zone climate control, automatic projector headlights and a windshield wiper de-icer. Its safety features include blind-spot detection, lane-change assist, rear cross-traffic alert and a rear-view camera with rear parking sensors.

  • MSRP: $33,299
  • Manufacturer cash incentive: $3,000 (as compared to $1,500 in April)
  • Estimated dealer discount: $500
  • Freight, PDI, government fees: $1,945
  • Cash purchase price before tax: $31,744
  • Finance for 72 months at zero-per-cent interest (as compared to 1.99 per cent in April) for $545 per month including tax and assumes zero down payment
  • Lease for 48 months at 2.99-per-cent interest for $586 per month including tax and assumes a 20,000 annual kilometre allowance with zero down payment

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2018 Ford Mustang EcoBoost Premium Coupe

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Ford Mustang.Handout

Ford was the third-highest ranked mass-market brand featured in the 2018 IQS and rounded off the top five overall. Ford’s Expedition and Mustang emerged as the highest-ranked large SUV and midsize sporty car respectively. The Ford Mustang also has the distinction of being the best-selling sports car in Canada since 2014.

The 2018 Ford Mustang, which received a major refresh, comes standard with a 2.3-litre EcoBoost engine that produces 310 horsepower and 350 lb.-ft. of torque. It features a nine-speaker sound system, active noise cancellation, SiriusXM capability, dual-zone climate control, push-button ignition, leather-trimmed front seats with heating and cooling capability, LED headlights and tail lights, a rear-view camera and Ford’s premium electronic stability control system called AdvanceTrac.

  • MSRP: $36,788
  • Manufacturer cash incentive: $2,000
  • Estimated dealer discount: $500
  • Freight, PDI, government fees: $1,890
  • Cash purchase price before tax: $36,178
  • Finance for 60 months at 1.49 per-cent-interest for $707 per month including tax, which includes a $2,000 manufacturer incentive and assumes zero down payment
  • Lease for 48 months at 2.49-per-cent interest (as compared to 3.49 per cent in May) for $591 per month including tax, which includes a $2,000 manufacturer incentive and assumes a 20,000 annual kilometre allowance with zero down payment

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Andrew Tai is CEO of Unhaggle. Follow on Twitter @ahytai

Manufacturer incentives and pricing calculations are based on Ontario customers and subject to availability of inventory. Dealer discounts shown are estimates for illustrative purposes only, may vary by region and are given at the discretion of individual dealers. Please note that while every effort is made to ensure the information above is accurate at the time of publication, pricing, incentives and discounts are subject to change or discontinuation at any time. Vehicle images may not represent the exact model featured in the pricing provided. Consult your local dealership for details.

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