Ford on Monday released the results of a quality study it commissioned, which the automaker interpreted as a statistical dead heat with Japanese automakers Honda and Toyota . According to Ford, the study revealed the company’s domestic brands in the first quarter improved 8 percent compared to last year with 1,284 things-gone-wrong per 1,000 vehicles during the first three months of ownership, whereas Honda and Toyota scored around 1,250 faults.
Detroit-based RDA Group performed the study, and is the latest move in Ford ’s attempt to overcome the perception gap the public has when it comes to Ford vehicles’ quality, among other factors, according to Mark Fields, Ford’s president of the Americas.
“In the last three or four years, we’ve really built a strong case to go out to customers and present them with how we’re doing on quality, so we can encourage them to consider Ford products,” said Fields in an interview today, as reported by Automotive News. The quality improvements, along with technology (Sync), environmental friendliness, and safety features in modern Ford vehicles will be heavily promoted in Ford’s new Drive One advertising campaign, which starts airing on TV on Tuesday.
