The Dave Cantin Group (DCG) has released its inaugural Vehicle Quality & Pricing Index (QPI), a new metric designed to assess automotive brands based on a combination of reliability and affordability. The index uses data from the J.D. Power Dependability Study and average transaction prices from Cox Automotive/Kelley Blue Book to provide a comprehensive ranking.
In the mainstream segment, Buick, Mazda, and Toyota emerged as top performers, demonstrating strong value propositions for consumers. The luxury segment was led by Lexus, reflecting its reputation for reliability and premium features.
Conversely, brands heavily reliant on full-size trucks, such as Ford, Chevrolet, and GMC, received lower rankings due to higher average transaction prices. Chrysler, Jeep, and Ram also fell into the lower tier of the index.
DCG President Brian Gordon explained that the QPI aims to provide valuable insights to dealerships, executives, and investors, helping them make informed decisions in the current economic climate. He emphasized the importance of both reliability and affordability in consumer purchasing decisions, noting that brands successfully balancing these factors are better positioned for market share growth.
The QPI’s findings align with DCG‘s 2025 Midyear Market Outlook Report (MOR), which highlighted affordability as a key driver of industry trends. The MOR also indicated that price pressures are influencing consumer interest in Chinese automakers and driving demand for affordable electric vehicles.
The QPI offers a brand-specific perspective on these broader trends, showing how value-focused brands are adapting to shifting consumer priorities. Brands with higher prices and lower reliability scores are at risk of losing ground. DCG‘s MOR and QPI together paint a clear picture: affordability is not just a market challenge, but a fundamental factor shaping consumer behavior, dealer strategies, and competitive dynamics.
Buick, in particular, showed strong performance with a significant decrease in average transaction prices and a noteworthy increase in market share. Toyota‘s consistent value proposition continues to fuel strong demand, according to Randy Hoffman, Chief Operating Officer of Ed Morse Automotive Group, who noted consistently high demand for Toyota vehicles. Lexus demonstrated that premium positioning can be maintained alongside high reliability. Cadillac‘s move towards more affordable luxury vehicles, particularly in the electric vehicle sector, also contributed positively to its ranking.
The DCG QPI provides a valuable tool for dealers, automakers, and investors to assess brand performance and potential future growth. The full report is available through the DCG Insights Hub and other channels. DCG, a leading automotive mergers and acquisitions advisor, offers a variety of services to support the automotive industry, including its proprietary AI-powered software, Jump IQ, and the biannual Market Outlook Report.
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