Ford has just pulled off what might be the biggest surprise of the year. No, it’s not another record for recalls, though to be honest, the jury is still out on that. This time around, it’s actually the exact opposite. The Blue Oval has climbed the chart on the J.D. Power Initial Quality Survey (IQS) for 2026, going from below average to nearly the very top.
Ford surpassed notable brands with quality reputations including Toyota, Lexus, and Honda. Only two others did better overall, but neither are mainstream companies. Let’s take a closer look at the study.
Ford Tops All Other Mainstream Brands
2025 Front quarter shot of a Ford Super Duty F-250 off-roadingFord
When it comes to the J.D. Power IQS, which measures problems experienced by owners in the first 90 days with the vehicle, Ford has been a bit of a punching bag. It hasn’t managed to beat the industry average in the last several years, and though IQS and recalls aren’t related, when the wrong one is high and the wrong one is low, it isn’t exactly encouraging to owners.
Well, at least a few QA employees at Ford can sleep well tonight. The automaker has managed to rocket from 14th overall to third overall this year, and from 10th among mainstream brands to first place. At the same time, its problems per hundred vehicles, the measure IQS reports for its quality results, has fallen from 193 to 152. Yes, Ford still has a recall problem. But this study suggests the automaker is indeed making some notable progress.
Ford also had seven models make the top three in their respective vehicle categories. Its most important models, the F-150 and Super Duty pickups, won for large light and heavy-duty pickups, while the Maverick, Explorer, Expedition, Escape, and Mustang all took awards in their respective classes.
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Infotainment was the sole category not to improve in JD Power’s annual quality survey, with owners reporting lots of connectivity problems.
“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. “We put our heads down and worked together every day to deliver for our customers.”
It Even Did Better In One Category Where Nearly Everyone Else Got Worse
2026 Ford Explorer Infotainment SystemFord
Ford saw its vehicles score better in nearly all the 10 categories, which include areas like infotainment, driver assists, powertrain, and more. In infotainment, which has historically been a sticking point across the industry and was the only category where the industry average got worse, Ford climbed 11 points above average. It also saw a significant boost in powertrain reliability.
The automaker credits the quality efforts that it started in 2023. Ford started the decade with a string of issues that went beyond just its recall woes. Early problems with key models like the Bronco caused serious concerns for buyers, and the company reacted.
It brought quality assurance teams alongside other engineering, manufacturing, and supply chain teams for better integration. Ford says that over the last few years it has replaced “about two-thirds” of senior leaders in its industrial system, replacing them with new and veteran engineers.
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By testing and tearing down more engines than ever, Ford is trying to find even the smallest issues before they turn into big, expensive problems.
Ford credits one measure alone, integrating suppliers into the development process earlier, for a massive improvement. It led to a 30% reduction in launch issues in the first year.
CarBuzz Insight – Why This Matters:
2026 Ford Mustang Dark Horse SC front quarterFord
If you don’t like sending your brand-new car back to the service bay, then this is great news. A high IQS score is a good sign that you’ve built a vehicle that worked and was made with quality parts when it left the factory. Because of the nature of IQS surveys, it’s also a sign that you’ve made a vehicle your customers can quickly adapt to and become comfortable with.
For Ford, which has issued hundreds of recalls over the last few years, it’s a good start. But the company will have to show a few years with more industry average recall numbers before it can hoist the mission-accomplished banner. For now, stay tuned for its results on J.D. Power’s Dependability Study, which measures longer-term results.
