Embattled Ford Tops Rankings in J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality Study
Date posted: 06-06-2007
WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif. — It was good news for the Ford Motor Company, mixed in with a bit of irony, as J.D. Power and Associates on Wednesday released its annual Initial Quality Study. The study is widely considered to be the industry gold standard in tracking the quality of automotive design and production.
Ford snagged five top model segment awards, more than any other automaker this year. It also earned a Platinum Plant Quality Award for producing vehicles with the fewest defects. That award went to Ford's Wixom, Michigan, assembly plant, which built the Lincoln Town Car and was closed on May 31.
For the second consecutive year, Porsche topped the overall nameplate rankings, followed by Lexus and Lincoln. Rounding out the bottom of the 2007 rankings were Hummer and Mazda, with Land Rover in last place. The Porsche Boxster earned kudos as the highest-ranked "compact premium sporty car," while the Ford Mustang was named highest-ranked "midsize sporty car."
Power noted that 14 Ford models placed in the top three of the respective segments. "An achievement unmatched by any other corporation this year — which is a testament to the improvement in quality for Ford Motor Company vehicle models and plants," the study noted.
Mercedes-Benz was cited for showing the most dramatic improvement, largely on the strength of the new S-Class. The S-Class tied with the Audi A8 for having the fewest quality problems in the industry. "Overall, Mercedes-Benz improves its nameplate rank by 20 positions, the greatest rank increase of any nameplate in the study," Power said. Among the non-premium brands, Kia posted the largest improvement in ranking, moving from 24th in 2006 to 12th in 2007. The Korean maker earned an award for the Kia Rio/Rio5 as the highest-ranked subcompact car.
Other winners include the 2007 Mercury Milan, which was the highest-ranked midsize car, and the 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix, which was the highest-ranked large car. The highest-ranked premium sporty car was the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class, while the Honda Civic earned kudos as the highest-ranked compact car. The Toyota Tacoma took home honors as the highest-ranked midsize pickup, while the Chevrolet Silverado Classic HD was the highest-ranked large pickup. The Lincoln Mark LT was the highest-ranked "large premium MAV (multi-activity vehicle)," and the Lexus RX 350/RX 400h was picked as highest-ranked premium MAV. The Honda CR-V was named highest-ranked compact MAV.
The Initial Quality Study measures new-vehicle quality at 90 days of ownership. The 2007 study is based on responses from 97,000 purchasers and lessees of new 2007 cars and trucks.
What this means to you: Perhaps the most encouraging news in months that Ford may be on the mend at last.
