Ford tops J.D. Power quality study after 16-year turnaround

Ford reclaimed the top spot among mainstream automakers in J.D. Power’s 2026 U.S. Initial Quality Study, posting 152 problems per 100 vehicles, a 41-point improvement from 2025 and its best finish in the mass-market category since 2010. The industry average improved to 175 PP100 from 192, the sharpest one-year gain since 1997, while Porsche led all brands at 138 and Genesis finished second at 151.

Ford said the effort began in 2023, when it unified engineering, manufacturing, supply chain and quality into one industrial system, and later reorganized that work into Product Creation and Industrialization under chief operating officer Kumar Galhotra. The push also added more rigorous testing, daily meetings and stronger supplier buy-in.

Ford said F-150, Mustang and F-Series Super Duty each finished first in their segments for a second straight year, and seven of Ford’s 10 models landed in the top three of their segments, the highest share of any automaker. The 2026 study drew on 78,514 responses from purchasers and lessees of new 2026 model-year vehicles surveyed after 90 days of ownership, and infotainment stayed the industry’s biggest problem area because of connectivity issues.

Ford had issued 53 recalls covering more than 12 million vehicles so far in 2026, after an industry-record 153 recalls and 13 million vehicles in 2025. Farley said Ford has learned from its past mistakes and will use that experience to try to launch future products cleanly, while warranty costs fell year over year in 2025 and should keep improving in 2026.