Asian automakers still tops in reliability, but Ford cars score well
Filed under: Company News, Honda Motor Co., Ford Motor Co., Toyota
Asian automakers are still building the most reliable cars and trucks, with eight of the top 10 brands from Japanese and Korean companies, according to an annual survey by Consumer Reports.But several models from Ford Motor Co. are now consistently scoring above Honda and Toyota, the perennial leaders.
While Toyota's youth-oriented Scion brand finished first for the second year in a row, several Ford models, including the midsize Ford Fusion and its cousin, the Mercury Milan, consistently have been at or near the top of their classes, a trend that led Consumer Reports editors to declare that Ford is now making some vehicles with world-class reliability.
After Scion, Honda, Toyota, Infiniti and Acura rounded out the top five brands in reliability based on surveys taken in March of subscribers who own or lease 1.4 million vehicles.
Honda's Insight hybrid was the most reliable vehicle in the survey, while the luxury SUV Volkswagen Touareg was the least reliable. The survey gauges how dependable 2010 model cars and trucks will be based on reliability in the past.
Asian automakers have scored well over the years because they traditionally paid more attention to quality and have tried to perfect manufacturing procedures. The U.S. automakers, however, claim that they have caught up.
"Ford is definitely doing something right," said Rik Paul, the magazine's automotive editor.
Ford's Detroit-area competitors, General Motors Co. and Chrysler Group LLC, didn't fare as well, however.
Chrysler had only one model that Consumer Reports recommended based on reliability and its staff test, and the Chrysler brand finished last out of 33 brands sold in the U.S. One third of Chrysler's models were much worse than average in reliability.
Six models from GM were recommended by the magazine, but it's still inconsistent. Only 21 of 48 models the magazine studied scored average or better in reliability.
The relatively poor performance by GM and Chrysler could hurt efforts to fight back from financial problems that led to stays in bankruptcy court earlier this year. Auto industry officials say the nonprofit Consumer Reports is among the most widely consulted sources when people buy vehicles.
Officials at GM and Chrysler say they are committed to improving quality.
At Ford, though, four-cylinder versions of the Fusion and Milan finished second in the family car category, beaten only by Toyota's Prius gas-electric hybrid. The Fusion and Milan outscored Toyota Motor Corp.'s Camry and Honda Motor Co.'s Accord, the two top-selling cars in the U.S. "which many people view as the paradigms of reliability," Paul said.
Of the 51 Ford, Lincoln or Mercury models in the survey, 46 were ranked average or better in reliability.
Yet while Mercury was the only Detroit brand to finish in the top 10 (10th), the Ford brand finished 16th, while Lincoln finished 20th. That's largely due to higher-end models - many with all-wheel-drive - scoring below average in reliability, said Jake Fisher, Consumer Reports' senior automotive engineer.
"Those types of problems are keeping them from being truly world class," Fisher said.
Bennie Fowler, Ford's vice president of global quality, said the company is applying the same methods that worked with the Fusion and other models to the ones that didn't perform as well.
Toyota, despite a recent spate of recalls, and Honda consistently build cars that cause few problems for Consumer Reports readers, Paul said. Ford, he said, is approaching that consistency. While GM has some bright spots, it has a ways to go to match the Japanese.
The Dodge Ram pickup, the only Chrysler model recommended by the magazine, did well in road tests and was average in reliability. The recommendation is important, though, because the Ram is Chrysler's top-selling model.
Paul said automakers often can only make quality improvements when new models come out, and those have been few for Chrysler in the last two years.
"Hopefully for them, when they do release new models, they will still have the same level of quality that we saw in the Ram," he said.
The Consumer Reports survey also found that higher-priced cars aren't necessarily more reliable than less-expensive ones. Inexpensive small cars and midsize family sedans were the most reliable in the survey, which questions subscribers about 17 potential problem areas.
Complete results will be in Consumer Reports' December issue, which is due out Nov. 2, or Tuesday for subscribers to the Consumer Reports Web site at
<a href="http://www.consumerreports.org">http://www.consumerreports.org</a>.
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 7)
10-28-2009 @ 7:18PM
Dave Harris said...
I work 60 hours a week as a Service Writer in an Independent Repair Shop and am NOT a Ford employee.....I have six years in my current position, 7 years in Aerospace work and 17 years in the Railroad Industry. I would like to think I know a good vehicle when I find one and from my current position, Ford's present offerings are of excellent quality and dependability and durability. In fact, I just traded my 2007 Honda in on a 2010 Ford Fusion.....the Fusion is a fantastic car. Ford, Alan Mulally, William Ford and all 201,000 Ford employees are doing outstanding work, in my opinion. That benefits all of us, in the long run.
Reply
10-29-2009 @ 5:31AM
Quasi said...
For saying that you don't work for them, you certainly act like you do. Like anyone is going to trust you.
10-28-2009 @ 2:13AM
Sarge said...
Why would someone who "knows a good vehicle" trade in an ostensibly reliable car, probably somewhere in the range of 2-to-2 1/2 years old, on an as-yet unproven vehicle. Mr. Harris' credentials in the auto, aero, and RR fields notwithstanding, his knowledge of good business practices, much less good vehicles, falls into question.
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10-28-2009 @ 6:07AM
OlderButWiser said...
Sarge,
Maybe the ashtray on the '07 Honda was full??
Reply
10-28-2009 @ 7:08AM
Ivor said...
Just wanted to know - How big is the Ashtray in a 07 Honda?
One has to have all the specifications correct when purchasing a new vehicle - I would not want to short-change myself.
Reply
10-28-2009 @ 10:44PM
Analyze Thia said...
Why would you ned to know this? Most smokers pitch their still burning butts in the streets and roadways anyway. Are you NOT one of those types?
If not... I'll buy you an ashtray big enough to snuff out a carton of Luckey's!
10-28-2009 @ 7:11AM
Jim Kenedy said...
Ford's new cars may be improving but one of their old cars is sitting in my back yard needing a new motor. I purchased a new 2003 Focus and drove it approximately 90 miles per day top work and back. in 2007, I started having trouble with the car. It seems that the spark plug was arcing on the top of the piston and created a hole in the piston. When I took it to a garage to see what the matter was the mechanic told me what the problem was before he even looked at it. He was right. It seems that this is a problem with several models of the Focus. (I hesitate to say all). Ford has not recalled, notified or even offered to help take care of the problem. I take that back. They did offer to put in a new motor for $5000. This is the second Ford that has had design problems and Ford did nothing about. My first was a 1997 Crown Vic that had a cracked manifold. Ford recalled the 4.6 liter engine and fixed the problem for those people who drove Lincoln's and police vehicles with the same engine in it. For the average person such as my self we had to pay for ours if we got it fixed. I had to replace the engine myself. I am not a Ford fan because of this. I hope the new cares are as reliable as some of you are saying because Ford will not stand behind you if something goes wrong.
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10-28-2009 @ 6:42PM
Terry Stinson said...
You are dead on about Ford. I had two Exploders (er, ah Explorers) and both had major problems with the A/C and the second one, a 2002 Eddie Bauer, had A/C, transmission, and radiator problems. The second radiator only gave me 14,000 miles service. It was purchased at and installed by a Ford dealer, who disavowed all responsibility for the performance or installation. My calls to Ford Motor Company were dealt with by reading me the policy manual on 12,000 mile warranties. I now drive a Toyota and will never buy another American car. I was the poster boy for American cars for 35 years, but Ford finally made me see the folly of my ways.
10-28-2009 @ 11:23PM
aperegus said...
Strange you had to change a engine,when the problem
was a cracked manifold? Could it be a "short"between
the stearing wheel and the seat?For is American I have a
Mustang 4.6 a very good car-I have a 01' F-150 a very good truck--
10-28-2009 @ 7:48AM
Carl said...
Ford got 1 car car, I repeat ,1 car that passed the report? I would not call that a time for celebration with just about ALL the Toyota models as well as Hondas passed and have been passing for YEARS!
Reply
10-28-2009 @ 6:17PM
gleeminghope said...
What you don't see is how Japan cheats on their reports. Especially on crash test studies. There are about 300 rollover accidents involving Toyotas..and the data was destroyed in late 2005 and early 2006. They love to cheat. Ford sold about 2,500 vehicles in Korea last year, compared to nearly 330,000 Hyndai and Kia vehicles imported to the U.S. Chevrolet sold one vehicle in Japan for every 1,300 Toyotas in the U.S. And we wonder why our economy is so bad and unemployment is so high..DAH... we import everything...and don't make anything in the United States anymore. The jobs will never come back..where are you going to work? Most jobs are somehow related to the U.S car business and that is gone..so, now what? Do you realize that 60% of items recalled are from China? We have to stop all this crap and stop buying their products...
10-28-2009 @ 8:16AM
Tim Trewyn said...
Our 1996 Ford Taurus LX wagon just crossed the 200,000 mile mark. We've had to put some serious money into maintaining it, but our monthly costs still come in lower than a new car payment for a comparable vehicle. We feel pretty good about the car, and will buy another Ford when the time comes.
Reply
10-29-2009 @ 3:15AM
Steve said...
The time has come. Get a new Fusion. Way better car than that 96 Taurus. Why spend money on a 14 year old piece of crap, when they are desperate to sell good cars now?
10-28-2009 @ 7:53AM
L R said...
***Ford Gets High Marks on Reliability* Even Tops Some Toyota Models***
*Forty years ago this statement would been. ****Ford Gets High Marks on Reliability* Even Tops Some GM Models***
How sad is this* I never thought in the history of the American Automotive Industry I would ever read this kind of a statement. ***we pis-sed it all away***
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10-28-2009 @ 8:10AM
chris said...
What a joke-- i have owned ford trucks my whole life and they have been good up until they got rid of the 7.3 diesel in the second half of 03 - i have an 08 F450 that has 64000 miles-- the first trip i took when it was new i didnt think we could get there-- had to go in the shop on my trip-- then about 10,000 miles ago the EGR went out and left us on the side of the road with horses and just last weekend -- again im was sitting on the side of the road with a trailer full of horses-- and im not the only one-- i know of a few people that have this same truck that have all the same problems. This is after they did this whole commercial campaign of them putting 2 or 3 F450 on the road hooked to a big trailer and drove them 150,000 miles straight without turning them off. They had a crew of drivers on the trailer they were towing! I couldnt get down the road 2000 miles!!! And i cant lemon law it because its over 24 months old so now what-- im paying this outragous payment and am scared to death to drive it out of town! Hey -- can William Ford or Alan Mulally get back to me and make this right???
Reply
10-28-2009 @ 9:37PM
Tom said...
I'd get rid of the horses
10-28-2009 @ 8:44AM
Bob said...
My neighbor has a Ford Escape thats 2 or 3 years old. This last summer they took a vacation out west in Wyoming. They drove it from Ohio to Wyoming to Nevada back to Ohio (to see about a problem) back to Wyoming. They also went to Utah and Colorado before coming back to Ohio. They never had a problem with it other than getting new tires and brakes during the trip. They had the thing loaded down too with the cargo rack on top and packed in the back. They love it and its what I want under my Christmas tree.
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10-31-2009 @ 7:49PM
Tim said...
Our local news radio station had an editor for Consumer Reports on this morning. He said that although the Fusion/Milan received strong marks in reliability, it did not do well in all of the 50 other tests the magazine puts the vehicles through and thus did not earn a best buy status, although its competitors from Honda and Toyota did.
It should be available as a podcast.
http://www.woodradio.com/pages/podcasts/single_podcast.html/westmichigansmorningnews.xml?offset=0&page=1
Reply
10-28-2009 @ 8:44AM
DAVID O said...
Just think.... they gave the CEO from GM a raise what a absolute JOKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Reply
10-28-2009 @ 9:04AM
john said...
I just don't believe it. I would first have to know how many miles, and/or how long a period of time the surveys covered, In my experience any Ford with over 50,000 miles becomes a money pit. In fact I sincerely would not take a Ford for free because the maintenance costs would bankrupt me.
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