Ford Earns Best-Ever Results in J.D. Power Initial Quality Study
It would seem that real people, not actors, are recognizing the quality of new Ford vehicles.
Sometimes it is better to let the results speak for themselves. Chevrolet has been mocked for their notorious “Real People, Not Actors” ad campaign, touting their array of awards from J.D Power. Well, the Blue Oval’s trophy case isn’t exactly empty either. Ford Motor Company has earned its best-ever scores in the 2018 J.D. Power Initial Quality Study, thanks to overall quality improvements that are outpacing the industry, especially in advanced audio, connectivity, entertainment and navigation technology. Now in its 32nd year, the J.D. Power study, which measures vehicle quality by analyzing the first 90 days of ownership, ranks Ford Motor Company No. 2 among all automakers.
Ford’s scores are helped by substantial improvements in technology quality. Almost every Ford and Lincoln vehicle equipped with SYNC® 3 connectivity technology, leads its quality segments with significantly better than average quality scores.
“Customers want a vehicle that keeps them connected whether they’re going places or just out enjoying a drive,” said Jim VanSlambrouck, Ford’s Director of Quality for The Americas. “Our improving quality scores show we are delivering smart vehicles for a smart world that are also easy to use.”
Ford also showed improvements in exterior, seating, the drive experience, feature control displays, the interior and air conditioning categories. As a result Ford Motor Company earned more vehicle segment awards than any other automaker. Overall, the company has nine vehicles in the top three of their respective segments – including top honors for Ford Expedition, Ford Mustang, Ford F-Series Super Duty, Lincoln Continental and Lincoln MKC.
The Ford brand improves for the fifth year in a row and at a rate faster than the industry, showing 81 problems per 100 vehicles, down from 86 in 2017. Lincoln improves to a third-place ranking among premium brands, with 83 problems per 100 vehicles, down from 92 in 2017.
“While we’re pleased with our results, we know quality is a race that never ends – and we’ll keep pushing to deliver even higher-quality vehicles for our customers,” said VanSlambrouck.
With continuous improvements by both brands, Ford Motor Company retains its second-place ranking among all automakers in this year’s study.
