Ford is the No. 1 Mainstream Brand in the 2026 J.D. Power Initial Quality Study
Stivers Ford of South Fayetteville is proud to announce that, after some restructuring and plenty of hard work, Ford is now the top-ranked mass-market (non-luxury) automotive manufacturer in the JD Power 2026 U.S. Initial Quality Study (IQS). This marks a 15-rank climb in just three years. Read on for the details.
In addition to being the top-ranked brand, three Ford model lines were top-ranked in IQS within their respective categories, and for all of them, this is the second consecutive year in that position. These vehicles include:
Four additional Ford model lines ranked second or third in their categories, bringing the total to seven of Ford’s ten model lines ranking third or higher in their categories. These podium winners include:
“This is a proud day for everyone at Ford, and the result of years of intensive work across our company,” said Jim Farley, Ford president and CEO. “Many doubted that an American company with a huge American workforce could compete with the world’s best on quality, let alone reach the top. But we put our heads down and worked together every day to deliver for our customers. Today, Ford is not only the most American automaker but also the gold standard for new vehicle quality.”
As with all J.D. Power studies, the results come from feedback from vehicle owners. In this case, 78,514 owners who purchased a vehicle in the previous 90 days provided feedback. They were asked 227 specific questions about where the vehicle exceeded or fell short of expectations. The questions cover 10 major categories, including:
- Infotainment
- Features, Controls, and Displays
- Exterior
- Driving Experience
- Interior
- Powertrain
- Seats
- Driving Assistance
- Climate
- Miscellaneous (e.g., unpleasant smells, unusual noises)
The results are quantified as problems per 100 vehicles (PP100). Ford’s PP100 score was 152. The highest score among all manufacturers goes to Porsche, with a PP100 score of 138.
Ford showed improvements in nearly all vehicle categories ranked by JD Power. The most notable progress was in infotainment quality, which increased by 11 points above the industry average due to software enhancements. Additionally, powertrain reliability also saw substantial gains.
Ironically, Ford points to changes forced by the COVID-19 pandemic at the beginning of the decade as a significant contributor to quality improvement. The pandemic’s disruptions changed how Ford designed and built vehicles. Traditional processes in vehicle development were necessary, and Ford saw an opportunity in the changes.
In 2023, Ford brought together its vehicle engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, and quality teams into a single, cohesive industrial system, all under the capable leadership of Chief Operating Officer Kumar Galhotra. Building on that success, this year marked an exciting new chapter as that system evolved into Ford’s innovative end-to-end Product Creation and Industrialization organization. This exciting transformation unites the company’s digital, design, and global industrial teams, paving the way for even greater collaboration and innovation.
“Bringing them together allows us to look at the entire ecosystem of a vehicle – from the intricacies of software development to the deepest tier of the supply chain to the plant floor — as one continuous, collaborative flow,” says Galhotra. “We rallied the whole company around a clear vision: Quality Comes First. That means hard-wiring rigorous processes deep into the way we work, building a culture of relentless problem-solving and recognizing our teams when they prevent issues from reaching customers.”
New systems required new blood, with Ford replacing nearly two-thirds of its senior leaders and hiring 300 experienced engineers since the program was put into place.
Ford will not rest on its laurels. The ranking in this study is certainly an important step, but the goal is a PP100 score of 0, meaning zero defects.
“Are we proud? You bet. Satisfied? Not even close,” Galhotra said. “This is a milestone, not a finish line. We will celebrate this moment today, but tomorrow we are back at it: chasing perfection, driving continuous improvement, and getting better every single day.”
Whatever type of vehicle you are looking for, Ford likely has one. It is certainly a good time to pay a visit to Stivers Ford of South Fayetteville to experience Ford’s high level of quality in person.
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