Ford continues to fall while seven
Japanese brands top our list
Only two years ago,
Ford was Detroit’s poster child for reliability. It cracked the top 10 among
brands in our predicted-reliability scores with more than 90 percent of its
models being average or better. Since then, reliability has dropped
significantly and Ford is now next to last among the 28 brands in our survey.
And Lincoln, Ford’s luxury brand, placed just a notch higher.
Ford continues to fall while seven
Japanese brands top our list
Toyota, on the other
hand, exceled in our latest ratings. Its three brands-Scion, Toyota, and Lexus
– swept the top three spots. They were followed by four other Japanese makes: Mazda,
Subaru, Honda, and Acura. All the models produced by the top seven brands had
average or better reliability. And of the 90 Japanese models reflected in our
brand comparison, 86 were average or better with 35 earning the highest rating.
These finding from our
2012 Annual Auto Survey are based on subscribers’ experiences with 1.2 million
vehicles.
Several factors
contributed to Ford’s decline. A few new or redesigned models, including the
Explorer, Fiesta, and Focus, came out of the gate with more problems than
average. Ford has also added the MyFord/MyLincoln Touch electronic infotainment
system to many vehicles, which has been problematic so far. In addition, three
historically reliable models- the Ford Escape and Fusion and the Lincoln
MKZ-could not be include in the analysis. They were redesigned for 2013 and
with no track record yet we can’t say how the new versions will fare.
Ford has also added the MyFord/MyLincoln
Touch electronic infotainment system to many vehicles, which has been
problematic so far.
Other highlights from
our survey:
·
The
most reliable model overall in our survey was the small Prius C. all variations
of the Toyota Prius were above average.
·
Cadillac
is the top U.S. brand and moved up 14 spots this year. Its CTS coupe was the
most reliable domestic car.
·
Mazda
is hot on the tail of the three Toyota brands, and its improvement is buoyed by
the predicted reliability score for the new 2013 CX-5 SUV, which was much
better than average.
·
Audi
had its best showing ever, moving up 18 spots to eighth place, making it easily
the most reliable European make, and the top non-Japanese brand.
·
Nissan’s
Leaf, the first fully-electric car in our auto survey, achieved a top
reliability score.
·
Jaguar,
with two models in our survey continued to rank at the bottom
Big three’s mixed bag
Ford’s bumpy road is
evident in the numbers. Sixty percent of Ford-branded models and half of
Lincolns were below average in predicted reliability and none placed above.
Only two Lincoln model, the MKS and the Navigator, reached average.
All four General
Motors nameplates- Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC-moved up in ranking.
While Cadillac climbed the farthest, the best news may be from Chevrolet. The
Volt extended-range electric car continues to have above-average reliability
while the compact Chevrolet Cruze, dismal in its first year, improved to
average.
The V6 version of the big Chrysler 300
sedan, with an average rating, is now the brand’s most reliable models
Unlike last year, we
now have sufficient data for some revamped Chrysler and Doge models. The
redesigned Dodge charger, for example, returns with well-below-average
reliability. Other models had ups and downs. The V6 version of the big Chrysler
300 sedan, with an average rating, is now the brand’s most reliable models, but
the V8 300 is its worst. Likewise, the V6 Jeep Grand Cherokee scores average
while the V8 is now below par. The differences stem from both the alternative
powertrains and the extra features found in higher-priced versions. Separating
its trucks into a new nameplate, Ram, didn’t help Dodge’s standing. Fiat’s 500
debuted with average reliability in its first year in the US.
Japanese models are tops
Toyota is clearly
setting the page in reliability. Of 27 models in the brands’ lineup, 15 earned
the highest rating.
Nissan and its
Infiniti luxury brands performed well overall, but a few models hurt them.
Nissan’s Versa sedan, redesigned for 2012, was much worse than average, as was
the large Armada SUV. The Titan pickup truck was also below par. Of the seven
Infiniti models, only the convertible version of the G scored below average.
Nissan’s Versa sedan
Germans lead Europe
All the German luxury
marques improved. Six of the seven Audis in our survey rated average or better,
as did ten of the 12 BMWs. The BMW 7 Series and the turbocharged six-cylinder
version of the X3 SUV, however, were much worse than average. Mercedes-Benz
made a good showing, with the four-cylinder C250 doing well in its first year
and the V6 E-Class moving from average to above average. The redesigned M-Class
came in below average in its first year, however. Volkswagen was a mix. The
redesigned Passat did well and the CC, Eos, and diesel Jetta sedan improved.
But the redefined Beetle, four-and five-cylinder gasoline Jetta, the GTI, and
Touareq SUV were below average. Volvo dropped 10 places, hurt by declining
scores for the C30 and C70 and a below-average showing for the aging XC90.
