Johnson Controls Automotive Seating ranked highest in three out of seven vehicle segments in the annual J.D. Power 2016 Seat Quality and Satisfaction Study (SM). The company ranks highest in more categories than any other seating supplier.
“Manufacturing automotive seats with a high level of craftsmanship that exceed comfort and safety requirements is a top priority for Johnson Controls,” said Byron Foster, executive vice president for Johnson Controls Automotive Seating. “We are pleased to be recognized by J.D. Power, as it acknowledges the efforts of our entire team to build quality seat products for our automaker customers.”
Johnson Controls’ automotive business unit will become an independent, publicly traded company named Adient in October 2016. This is the fourth year in a row Johnson Controls has been recognized in the survey in various categories and the 13th year the company and its joint ventures have been recognized, which includes Trim Masters, Inc., Avanzar Interior Technology, Ltd., and Bridgewater Interiors.
Here are highlights of the rankings:
- In the Mass Market Compact SUV / MPV segment, Johnson Controls ranked highest for its seats supplied to the Jeep Compass. The seats are manufactured at the company’s Sycamore, Ill. plant.
- Johnson Controls ranked highest in the Mass Market Midsize / Large Car segment for the seats it manufactures for the Toyota Camry, which are manufactured at the company’s Georgetown, Ky. plant.
- In the Mass Market Truck / Van segment, the company ranked highest for its seats supplied to the Ford Super Duty truck. These seats are manufactured at its Shelbyville, Ky. plant.
In addition, Johnson Controls was ranked in second place in the Mass Market Compact Car segment for the Buick Cascada seats manufactured in Bierun, Poland, and in the Luxury SUV segment for the Audi Q3 seats manufactured in Barcelona, Spain. It ranked third in the Mass Market Midsize / Large Car segment for its Nissan Altima seats manufactured in Murfreesboro, Tenn.
The 2016 J.D. Power Seat Quality and Satisfaction Study provides automotive manufacturers and suppliers with quality and satisfaction information related to automotive seating systems. New vehicle owners are asked to rate the quality of their vehicle’s seats and seat belts based on whether or not they experienced defects / malfunctions or design problems during the first 90 days of ownership.
The 2016 Seat Quality and Satisfaction Study is based on responses from 80,000 purchasers and lessees of new 2016 model-year cars and light trucks. The study was fielded from February through May 2016.
