Ford, Nissan, Toyota Vehicle Quality are Alike

One of the major attributes of cars looked at by car buyers is their dependability. That is why car manufacturers are always looking for ways to improve their vehicle’s reliability. A typical car usually shows its weaknesses and become prone to breakdowns when it has reached a certain number of years in use. But car manufacturers count on the reliability of their vehicles during the early stage of ownership.

A reputation of a brand is at stake during this stage and this would be if a vehicle exhibits poor quality during the early stages of ownership, it will of course give the vehicle’s manufacturer a bad reputation. Some of the most dependable brands are Lexus and Honda while Ford, Toyota, and Nissan are not left far behind.

In a recent study conducted by the RDA Group, it has been found out that the quality of Ford’s vehicles is equal to that of Nissan and Toyota vehicles. The said study was conducted for the Ford Motor Company. It is conducted to give consumers an idea which brand offers the best dependability. Aside from the fact that Ford has equaled Asian brands in terms of dependability, the study also found out that Honda is the most dependable auto brand. This gives the Japanese brand a boost in its reputation as the car company surge forward to increase their brand’s popularity in the United States auto market.

During the study, the research firm interviewed 31,000 owners of new vehicles. These respondents are asked to list the problems they have met with their new vehicles in the first three months of ownership. The study is only concerned about vehicles released for the 2007 model year. Cars and trucks from major automobile brands are considered for the study.

Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury brands collectively are rated almost equal to Nissan and Toyota brands. The study reported that for the Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury brands, there are 1,456 problems encountered per 1,000 vehicles checked. For Nissan, the dependability of their vehicles and parts such as their Nissan water pump is rated lower than Ford but almost equal to the U.S. brand.

For every 1,000 Nissan vehicles, the study found out that there are 1,456 problems encountered. For Toyota, the study reported that there are 1,453 problems encountered every 1,000 new vehicles. Meanwhile, Honda was found out as the most dependable car brand when new Honda owners reported 1,313 problems met for every 1,000 vehicles.

For Ford, this study will surely give their reputation a boost. After the recalls of their Escape and the F-Series Super Duty truck, Ford needs to improve their image with regards to dependability. Indeed, Ford is becoming a serious competition for Asian brands in terms of quality. In the midsize car class, the study found out that there are less problems encountered in the Ford Fusion than the Honda Accord or the Toyota Camry. The most dependable vehicle in Ford’s stable is the Mercury Milan with only 910 problems met per 1,000 vehicles.