Ford up, Chrysler down in key US quality survey
October 29, 2009 by Matt Brogan
According to an annual US Consumer Reports survey, Ford has improved the quality of its cars against other manufacturers. Chrysler on the other hand was rated last in the list of 33 manufacturers.
Japanese manufacturers rated well with Toyota’s youth orientated Scion at the top. Honda placed second with Toyota third.
Ford is the only US manufacturer competing against the Japanese brands with “world-class reliability,” 90 per cent of Ford’s vehicles scored average of better reliability.
Ford’s Mercury brand came in at ten for reliability, the only brand from the US to make the top ten list. Ford was 16th and the Luxury brand lincoln scored 20th.
Chrysler on the other hand was lower in the ratings with its Jeep SUV brand rating 30, Dodge 31 and Chrysler at the very bottom, 33rd.
Chrysler models in 2009 had more than one third rated “much worse than average” by Consumer Reports.
On June 10 Chrysler emerged from bankruptcy selling most of its assets to a company led by Fiat. Sergio Marchionne CEO of Fiat will announce a five-year plan to turn the manufacturer around.
Chevrolet, General Motors top brand, being more than 60 per cent of its US sales came in at 25th.
Backed by $50 billion in U.S taxpayer funds the number one US manufacturer came out of bankruptcy. GM is selling Saab, Hummer and winding down Pontiac and Saturn, while counting on sales gains at Chevrolet.
Full rankings are as follows:
1. Scion
2. Honda
3. Toyota
4. Infiniti
5. Acura
6. Mitsubishi
7. Lexus
8. Hyundai
9. Porsche
10. Mercury
11. Saab
12. Subaru
13. Suzuki
14. Kia
15. Mazda
16. Ford
17. Nissan
18. Volvo
19. Buick
20. Lincoln
21. Volkswagen
22. Pontiac
23. Mercedes-Benz
24. Audi
25. Chevrolet
26. BMW
27. Mini
28. GMC
29. Saturn
30. Jeep
31. Dodge
32. Cadillac
33. Chrysler
Print it: 
Wow, except for Porsche – the Germans dont fare to well.
This paragraph right here shows the validity (or lack there of) in these reports… or rather how they are based on perception rather than fact.
“{Ford is the only US manufacturer competing against the Japanese brands with “world-class reliability,” 90 per cent of Ford’s vehicles scored average of better reliability.
Ford’s Mercury brand came in at ten for reliability, the only brand from the US to make the top ten list. Ford was 16th and the Luxury brand lincoln scored 20th.}”
For the largest majority these are badged engineeered vehicles with only minor cosmetic differences. Yet they rate differently in reliability??
Lets face it the Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan and Lincoln MKZ are the same car, same motor same g/box same door panels, same suspension, same same same…. yet somehow they are different in their reliability???
Talk about shooting yourself in the foot.
All three of the Ford models mentioned rank at the top of their class and beat the comepting models from Honda & Toyota (and Lexus).
Sorry you missunderstand my comment, it wasn’t about the quality of each car (read elsewhere I bleed blue in oval droplets) but it was more the fact the three brands share models out of the same factory yet get different scores…I could have used Mariner and Escape as the example as well or even the Explorer and it’s sisters, they are the saem yet get different ratings…????? that’s my point.. ;-)
Yeah I guessed that’s what you meant, just that the actual models examples you chose didn’t reflect.
I guess the different brands have a variety of different models that affect the brand average.
The CA story here only shows “brand” average, not individual models. Ford had some top performing models in several classes, and obviously others bring the brand averages down.
However this is just another survey after all ……
I guess it is just another survey but…
Just wait for the ant-Ford comments to start!!
Weres Skoda?
Skoda isn’t imported to U.S yet.
VW itself didnt do too flash so I cant see Skoda being much different
Actully, Skoda fairs better then VW in most reliability Stuides/Surveys..
http://www.topgear.com/content...../01/1.html
It seems like Asian car makers(Japanese and Koreans)are dominating top reliability. Whereas, most of Europeans and Americans are at the bottom. However, still I see lots of people have a blind belief in overpriced Europeans. How can I explain this?