Veeduped, Part 2

Everything wrong with VW in a single quote...

What does it say on those cue cards?

In a recent interview, the head of VW Passenger Cars, Herbert Diess, had this to say about his company and the cars it produces;

"The perceived quality is probably the best in the industry, probably better than many of the premium brands."

Wow, just wow. How frightening is that?

First of all, is the quality the best or not? Probably is not a confidence-inspiring word. This is the difference between VW and, say, Toyota, for example. The biggest car company in the world (Toyota) doesn't guess, they do. They take it on as job number one, knowing the rest is secondary. Quality at a good price, not the other way around.

Is quality a perceived thing at VW? Why? Why isn't it a given and a verifiable element, considering that they charge a premium in every phase of ownership? Shouldn't that be a tangible, quantifiable thing from the initial purchase, all the way till the end?

How can you charge as if you're a premium brand but not be a premium brand? Isn't that why people buy VWs nowadays? They don't want a bland box from a domestic or Asian maker, so they buy a car with a German badge that is supposed to connote and contain a premium driving and ownership experience.

So it's not a premium brand, but it's probably better? That's some insane thinking, especially as everyone from the domestics to the Koreans eat your lunch. That's just not accepting reality and facing reality; they have some decent cars that need some desperate help in the quality department.

Is a VW better than a Lexus, for example? In so many ways, that just isn't true. Maybe it's a more engaging driving experience as you're going down the road, but that's about it. And even that's a highly arguable point.

For 2015, VW ranked 22nd in J.D. Power U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study. Yes, dependability and quality are two different things...but are they, really? To owners, they're one and the same.

It's also worth noting that Mr. Dies was formally with BMW. That explains a lot.