June 6, 2007
Ford Motor Company Vehicle Quality Soars in 2007 J.D. Power and Associates Customer Survey
Ford Motor Company wins 14 vehicle honors, more than any other automaker. Five Ford Motor Company vehicles are top segment performers: Mercury Milan, Ford Mustang, Lincoln MKZ, Lincoln Mark LT and Mazda MX-5 Miata swept their vehicle segments for top honors. Ford's recently launched vehicles are among industry's best performers. Four brands – Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Jaguar – place in top 10, all significantly above industry average.
Ford Motor Company has the most top-quality vehicles in the industry, according to a customer-based initial quality survey released today by J.D. Power and Associates. In the research firm's 2007 Initial Quality Study (IQS), Ford Mustang, Mercury Milan, Lincoln MKZ, Lincoln Mark LT and Mazda MX-5 Miata swept their vehicle segments for top honors.
"We are designing and building world-class vehicles, and it's great to have this affirmation from the customers who drive our cars and trucks every day," said Mark Fields, president of the Americas, Ford Motor Company. "While we're pleased that our internal focus on quality is receiving this kind of recognition from J.D. Power and Associates, we will not let up. We will continue to deliver even more high-quality products that customers want."
Overall, Ford, Lincoln and Mercury nameplates placed among the top 10 nameplates, with Lincoln in 3rd place, Mercury in 8th place and Ford brand in 10th. Jaguar ranked 6th.
Ford Motor Company received 14 total vehicle honors, more than any other automaker. In addition to the five first-place winners, the following vehicles also were recognized:
Second-place winners:
- Ford F-150 LD: Large pickup
- Lincoln MKX: Midsize premium MAV
- Lincoln Navigator: Large premium MAV
- Third-place winners:
- Ford Fusion: Midsize car
- Ford Econoline: Van
- Ford Five Hundred: Large car
- Mercury Montego: Large car (tied with Five Hundred)
- Mercury Mountaineer: Midsize MAV
- Volvo S80: Midsize premium car
The company's overall ranking in the survey climbed to 4th place from last year's 7th, helped in part by the performance of Ford's recently launched vehicles. Crossovers Lincoln MKX and Ford Edge received high marks, as did the new Lincoln Navigator. Fusion, Milan and MKZ continue building quality momentum. Edge ranked 4th in its segment, midsize MAV, just behind Mountaineer.
Wixom Assembly Plant received a Platinum Award, recognizing it as the industry's best-quality performing plant worldwide. This marks the first time since 1999 that a North American assembly plant has received J.D. Power's top award for producing vehicles yielding the fewest defects.
Wixom Assembly Plant, which ended production and was idled on May 31 as part of the company's plan to align capacity with demand, produced the Lincoln Town Car. The large premium car ranked 4 th in its segment.
Bennie Fowler, vice president of Global Quality, Ford Motor Company, said Wixom's performance underlines the fact that Ford's UAW-represented employees are dedicated to producing quality vehicles, even as they face change.
"This is a testament to a committed and focused workforce," Fowler said. "They raised their game even as they prepared to idle their plant."
Ford's Premier Automotive Group brands ranked as follows: Jaguar placed 6th, Volvo placed 15th, Mazda placed 34th and Land Rover placed 35th while also becoming the most-improved brand in this year's study.
J.D. Power & Associates 2007 IQS report measures problems per 100 vehicles as reported by customers after having driven their new vehicles for three months. The report is the most recent third party to validate Ford's significant quality improvements.
In April 2006, RDA Group of Bloomfield, Mich., released the Global Quality Research System report (GQRS) showing Ford in a statistical dead heat with Toyota and just behind Honda.
That report, an analysis of "things gone wrong" (TGW) in new vehicles as measured by customers, is commissioned quarterly by Ford to study customer feedback. Ford improved its TGW rate by eight percent, besting the industry average improvement of 2 percent.
"Our vehicle quality is showing such dramatic improvement because Ford Motor Company employees are committed to delivering world-class vehicles to our customers," Fowler said. "Quality at Ford is the ultimate team sport. We're playing hard, and we'll continue playing to win."
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