US Automakers Make Leap in JD Power Quality Survey

Domestic automakers surpassed imports in initial quality for the first time, with Ford Motor Co. making the biggest leap.
US Automakers Make Leap in JD Power Quality Survey
6/17/2010
Updated:
10/1/2015
In the latest quality rankings by marketing firm J.D. Power & Associates, domestic automakers surpassed imports in initial quality for the first time, with Dearborn, Mich.-based Ford Motor Co. making the biggest leap.

<a><img src="https://www.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2015/09/ford96243539.jpg" alt="Ford Motor Co., the Michigan-based U.S. automaker, was ranked highest among U.S. carmakers in the 2010 J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality ranking. (Scott Olsen/Getty Images )" title="Ford Motor Co., the Michigan-based U.S. automaker, was ranked highest among U.S. carmakers in the 2010 J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality ranking. (Scott Olsen/Getty Images )" width="320" class="size-medium wp-image-1818471"/></a>
Ford Motor Co., the Michigan-based U.S. automaker, was ranked highest among U.S. carmakers in the 2010 J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality ranking. (Scott Olsen/Getty Images )
Germany’s Porsche AG came in first again, but it was Ford that made the biggest leap, moving into the fifth spot. Japan’s Toyota Motor Corp. slipped to 21st place this year, down from the 6th spot last year, in the survey, which is based on the number of quality issues during the first 90 days of ownership. The ranking is the lowest for Toyota in over two decades.

The top four spots in the survey belong to Porsche, Honda Motor Co.’s Acura brand, Daimler AG’s Mercedes-Benz brand, and Lexus, which is made by Toyota. Ford is the only nonluxury car brand in the top five.

Toyota’s drop is the most surprising finding of the 2010 survey, falling to a “below industry average” category with 117 problems found in 100 vehicles. Toyota was subject to several major global recalls on brakes, accelerator pedals, and steering earlier this year involving almost 9 million vehicles globally.

“Domestic automakers have made impressive strides in steadily improving vehicle quality, particularly since 2007,” said David Sargent, vice president of global vehicle research.

“This year may mark a key turning point for U.S. brands as they continue to fight the battle against lingering negative perceptions of their quality.”

Land Rover, which is now owned by India’s Tata Motors Ltd., was rated the worst among major automakers, with 170 issues reported.