Toyota dominates Consumer Reports reliability survey as Ford falters

By Tim Beissmann
October 30th, 2012

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Toyota Motor Corp has dominated the 2012 US Consumer Reports new-vehicle reliability index while Detroit-based manufacturer Ford Motor Co has ungraciously slumped to the bottom of the rankings.

Scion, Toyota and Lexus filled the podium of the independent organisation’s 2012 Car Reliability Survey directly ahead of Mazda, Subaru, Honda and Acura in a result that saw Japanese manufacturers take out the top seven places in Consumer Reports’ rankings.

Every vehicle tested from Toyota Motor Corp’s three brands scored average or better, for predicted reliability according to Consumer Reports’ evaluation, with the city-sized Toyota Prius C hybrid claiming the top overall reliability rating.

The rankings aim to predict the reliability of 2013 model-year vehicles by surveying owners of recently purchased cars. The 2012 survey is based on the responses of 800,000 motorists on 1.2 million vehicles from the 2010-2012 model-years.

While Jaguar finished dead last, the performance of Ford and Lincoln, which limped into second- and third-worst overall, was the most disappointing.

Two years ago Ford was the highest-ranked domestic manufacturer in the reliability survey, achieving a top-10 ranking with more than 90 per cent of its vehicles rated average or better.

In 2012, three in five models from the Blue Oval were rated below average, with the worst particular model rated 226 per cent less reliable than the average car in its segment.

The study reveals Ford was hurt by the release of new and updated versions of the Fiesta, Focus and Explorer, which launched with more problems than normal, while continuing issues with the company’s MyFord Touch/MyLincoln Touch infotainment systems also impacted the reliability measure across several models.

Not helping either manufacturer was the fact that some historically reliable models – the Ford Escape and Fusion and the Lincoln MKZ – were not included in the survey as they were released too late in the year.

Fellow Detroit manufacturer Chrysler Group also struggled in the 2012 rankings, with its four core divisions – Ram, Dodge, Chrysler and Jeep – joining Ford in the bottom 10.

General Motors faired significantly better, with all of its nameplates – Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet and GMC – rising in the rankings compared with 2011. Cadillac was the highest-rated US manufacturer, while the Cruze small car, which was rated ‘dismal’ in its first year, improved to ‘average’ for 2012.

The three German luxury brands – Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz – all showed improvement from last year, while Consumer Reports blamed Volkswagen’s mixed results on issues with the Beetle, Golf GTI, Jetta and Touareg.

Consumer Reports – 2012 Reliability top 10

Scion
Toyota
Lexus
Mazda
Subaru
Honda
Acura
Audi
Infiniti
Kia

Consumer Reports – 2012 Reliability bottom 10

Jaguar
Ford
Lincoln
Ram
Dodge
Chrysler
Mini
Buick
Volvo
Jeep

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Robin_Graves

Another one that relies on consumer feedback, waste of time.
- Golfmother
  
  Funny, when it hurts ford total silence .
  - Alex
    
    “Consumer Reports blamed Volkswagen’s mixed results on issues with the Beetle, Golf GTI, Jetta and Touareg”
    - Golfmother
      
      Still waiting for my problems , no explosions .
      
      Ford has the real problem with these results .
      - Robin_Graves
        
        Yeah gremlins with an entertainment system and voice recognition is a show stopper whereas veeduds lemon engines and gearboxes are a minor annoyance. It’s another useless flawed survey. Autobild, j.d. power are the ones to believe.
      - Golfmother
        
        Still waiting for the kaboom , how is the old G6E dino .
      - Dom
        
        Legnab, you’ve owned 4 VWs in 10years (according to past posts by you). It’s a wise move on your part in getting rid of them before the warranty expires!
      - DoubleBlue
        
        To your comment below the “dino” label can only be claimed by the Commodore [push-rod 2 valve OHV] V8
      - Patrick
        
        No Golfmother is right, the Falcons are dinsoaurs
      - Golfmother
        
        NA the falcoon is the dino, FG is just a tarted up AU old timer underneath .
      - Blogger
        
        Now I see why the name change (again) Golfbangel – the others are now banned words and won’t post – I wonder why that couls be ……?
      - Jameson
        
        Wait after 80,000kMs…. save up $5000 just in case.
- F1orce
  
  Of coarse it relies on the customer.. The customer pays money for their products and they’ll obviously report any faults, flaws or problems.
  - Phil
    
    Yeah – it isn’t called Consumer Reports for no reason.
  - DoubleBlue
    
    –Comment above– for “Patrick”….. thank you for being “Golfmother’s” friend, now neither of you are lonely anymore.!! How sweet.
- Glenn59
  
  Funny Robin, you do not say that when the survey relates to Volkswagens? The survey does relate to US Fords though and ours are not quite as bad even though they will never challenge the japs for reliability.
  - Robin_Graves
    
    The real surveys put veedud down with the other bottom feeders.
    - Golfschwein
      
      You’ve gone so loooong and so haaaard on this issue, you almost had me believing you must know something I don’t. But it’s not the case. I’m going to call you on this nonsense you propagate once and for all.
      
      Here’s the result of the 2011 Autobild/TUV (yes, the same thing, despite your protestations otherwise) report, showing 128 cars. I printed it out, just to assist you. Prius was first, Auris (their Corolla, and yes, hats off to Toyota) equal 2nd, Golf Plus (which is a slightly taller version of a you-know-what) came 6th, regular Golf 22nd. The closest thing they have to an i30 is a Kia C’eed, which came 24th. Hyundai and Kia products occupy 127th and 128th possies.
      
      Autobild currently rates the Seat Ibiza as the most reliable supermini. Whose engines does it use? Daddy’s. So there you go. But, hey, don’t take my word for it:
      
      The report of the year 2011 for vehicels of the age 2-3 yearsIn the chart is 132 models and average fault rate is 5.5%.rankcar make – modelfault rate1.Toyota Prius2.2%2.Mazda 22.3%2.Toyota Auris2.3%2.Porsche 9112.3%5.Smart Fortwo2.5%6.Volkswagen Golf Plus2.6%7.Suzuki SX42.7%7.Ford Fusion2.7%9.Toyota Corolla Verso2.8%9.Toyota RAV42.8%11.Mercedes-Benz C2.9%11.Mazda 32.9%13.Honda Jazz3.3%13.Audi A33.3%15.Toyota Yaris3.4%15.Toyota Avensis3.4%15.Mazda MX-53.4%18.Mazda 63.5%19.Porsche Cayman3.6%19.Porsche Boxster3.6%20.Volkswagen Eos3.7%20.Audi TT3.7%22.Volkswagen Golf3.8%22.Opel Meriva3.8%
      - Robin_Graves
        
        Funny how tuv and adac have such a different result to Autobild and j.d. power. Tuv and adac have a vested interest in the German auto industry. Autobild have pretty much been shunned for reporting the truth on veedud engine and trans issues. Don’t let politics get in the way of the truth.
      - Robin_Graves
        
        Funny how tuv and adac have such a different result to Autobild and j.d. power. Tuv and adac have a vested interest in the German auto industry. Autobild have pretty much been shunned for reporting the truth on veedud engine and trans issues. Don’t let politics get in the way of the truth.
      - Golfschwein
        
        No, no, no. You are quite absolutely and empahtically wrong on this. Autobild uses TUV reports. Just something else you didn’t know…
      - Robin_Graves
        
        That explains why Autobild put Hyundai number 1 and veedud with the wooden spooners?
Chevrons

I’m surprised Mini is in the bottom 10.
- Phil
  
  Mini is generally near the bottom in every survey from any organisation.
jr

Looks about right to me.
Tex

Interesting that there is no sight of Mercedes-Benz or BMW…
Zaccy16

Attention all VW haters, no VW in the bottom 10 and like normal japanese manufactures are the best!
- Dom
  
  Oh Zaccy…you make me laugh! They aren’t in the top 10 either
  - twincharger
    
    When it comes to any positive news regarding veedud reliability.The likes of crappy16 will jump on it.Do have to say if veedud are somewhere in the middle thats an outstanding performance by them.
  - Zaccy16
    
    The are not in the bottom ten were all the vw haters on this site believe they should be!
    - Jober As A sudge
      
      I reckon VW would slide down the table if a 3 year consumer survey was conducted
  - Zaccy16
    
    and audi are 8th! who owns audi? VW of course!
- Hung Low
  
  Vdud is no where near the best, lay off the kool aid Zaccy.
Tex

Consumer Reports is not to be confused with J.D. Power & Associates either.
save it for the track

Toyota, Scion and lexus?? low expectations (along with old tech and features. Toyota) give good results.
- Phil
  
  That is the goal of any company – to meet and exceed consumer’s expectations.
pixxxels

Consumer Reports is a joke of a publication.
- jr
  
  your basing this on ????
  - Dave W
    
    Probably based on the fact that his favourite brand is somewhere at the bottom… PROBABLY.
  - Hung Low
    
    It has flawed bias on a consumers behavioural profile towards their money spent, expectations and emotions. Nothing to do with the real reliability of a vehicle.
  - pixxxels
    
    Exactly as Hung Low said below, their way of scoring reliability is just ridiculous.
    
    They rely on the same sample population, of mostly appliance-buying, elderly, Toyota/Honda owners who are so inherently biased it isn’t funny.
    
    Additionally, they judge “reliability” not on whether a car starts-up and doesn’t break down, but things like the ease-of-use of infotainment system (which is what’s hurting Ford) and the number (not kidding, the actual number) of recalls for a brand, not the ‘severity’ of those recalls. So if you recall a product because a small defect in the door handle which has no impact on the function of the car, you still take a hit in the CR reliability survey.
    
    Added to the fact they’re a bunch of Toyota fanboys (and were Honda’s last supporters until Honda got so bad that people started laughing at CR), you begin to see what I mean.
    
    The more boring and lifeless a brand becomes, the wetter CR gets.
Robert Ryan

It is also a US survey. Toyota and Ford source a lot of their parts from Asia in Australia, not the US.
- F1orce
  
  I would much rather have parts made in USA under Toyota quality criteria than parts from China.
Add

these are US results no AU
Unidexter Hopping

Good job Toyota… Now, can you make cars that are actually appealing?
KiaK9

consumer survey report??? how many were surveyed??? 1 million toyota owners and no hyundai owners?…
Akash

I’m surprised Volvo is in the bottom 10.
john

It is quite funny that when ford and GM top the Consumer Reports survey people go on and on and on then one of them falls to bottom and the only sound is crickets. The silence is golden!
- Guest
  
  You don’t understand the difference between how these “results” are obtained and reported then….? Nor the marketing benefit to those that commission a survey that favours their own product? Poor blind consumer you!
Eurasian Racing

And hopefully Ford Australia will end up at the bottom here where the belong disappear forever hahaha.

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Toyota dominates Consumer Reports reliability survey as Ford falters

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