Quality and Customer Satisfaction Awards and Ratings

The high quality of Ford vehicles has been recognized via a range of third-party awards and ratings. For example:

• In a third-party study of Initial Quality, which measures problems per 100 vehicles after three months in service, the rate of quality increase in Ford brand vehicles was higher than the industry average; Ford gained eight points versus the industry average of seven points.
  • Three Ford Motor Company vehicles were ranked top in their segments: The Lincoln Navigator, Mazda MX5 Miata and Ford E-Series
  • Initial quality for Ford and Mercury brands improved by 7 percent and 4 percent, respectively, from 2007 to 2008
  • Ford and Mercury brands were in the top four non-luxury brands for initial quality
• In another study by the same third-party firm on Vehicle Dependability, which is measured as problems per 100 vehicles after three years in service, Ford and Lincoln brands both improved by more than the industry average. In the industry as a whole, dependability improved by 4 percent while:
  • Ford brand dependability improved by 8 percent
  • Lincoln brand dependability improved by 9 percent
  • Mercury was the No. 2 brand for durability
• In this same study, Ford brands topped three vehicle segments for durability and had runner-ups in six segments:
  • The Ford Crown Victoria won the large-car segment and the Mercury Grand Marquis was runner-up
  • The Ford Ranger won the midsize pickup segment
  • The Mercury Monterey won the van segment, with the Ford E-Series placing second
  • The Mercury Sable was runner-up in the midsize car category
  • The Lincoln Town Car was runner-up in the large premium car segment
  • The Ford F-150 was runner-up among the large pickup trucks
  • The Ford Thunderbird was runner-up in the premium sporty car category
  • The Mercury Mountaineer came in third in the midsize multi-activity vehicle (MAV) segment
  • The Ford Excursion came in third in the large MAV category
• In a separate third-party study of Vehicle Reliability, Ford led domestic manufacturers, with the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan as the most reliable gasoline-powered family cars. Overall, 70 percent of the 2009 model year Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles tested were recommended for reliability, up from 64 percent for the 2008 model year.

Kelley Blue Book Awards

• The Ford F-150 won the 2009 Brand Image Award for the "Most Rugged Truck Brand," based on a survey of 12,000 shoppers on Kelley Blue Book's Web site.
• The 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid was listed among the 10 "Best New Family Vehicles," based on criteria including fuel economy, resale value, capability and kid-friendliness.
• The 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid and 2009 Ford Fusion Hybrid were named among the top 10 "Green Vehicles," based on their fuel economy, comfort, convenience, safety and value for the money.

Strategic Vision Awards

• Ford tied with Toyota for topping the most segments in Strategic Vision's Total Quality Index, with three vehicles each.
• The Ford Edge, Ford Mustang Convertible, Ford F-250/350, Mercury Sable and Volvo C30 topped their segments in Strategic Vision's 2008 Total Quality Index. The Ford F-250/350 topped its segment in 2007 as well.

American Customer Satisfaction Index

• Ford brand customer satisfaction remained steady in 2008 at 80 percent in the 2008 American Customer Satisfaction Index. Lincoln and Mercury customers' satisfaction dropped to 83 percent in 2008 from 86 percent in 2007.

Auto Pacific

• In Auto Pacific's 2008 model year vehicle satisfaction research, Ford vehicles won or tied for first in six Vehicle Satisfaction Award categories. The vehicles earning accolades included the Ford Taurus, Explorer, Explorer Sport Trac and Edge; the Mercury Milan; and the Lincoln Mark LT.

DEKRA

• The Ford Galaxy and Ford S-MAX were named No. 1 for reliability among Multi-Activity Vehicles by DEKRA, the German vehicle testing agency.

Safety Ratings

• Ford holds the most Top Safety Picks (awarded by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, or IIHS) of any vehicle manufacturer. Fifteen Ford vehicles earned this honor in 2008 (compared with eight in 2007), including the 2009 Ford Taurus, Taurus X, Edge, Flex, Escape and Fusion; Mercury Sable, Milan and Mariner; Lincoln MKX and MKS; and Volvo S80, C70 and X90. To earn a Top Safety Pick, a vehicle must receive a rating of "good" in offset frontal impact, side impact and rear impact evaluations, and offer electronic stability control.
• For the 2009 model year, 24 Ford vehicles received five-star ratings for both frontal impact and side impact from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in its U.S. New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) ratings, compared with 15 for the 2008 model year.
• For the 2009 model year, the IIHS awarded 28 Ford vehicles with "good" ratings for frontal offset performance and 16 Ford vehicles with "good" ratings for side impact performance.
• In the most recent EuroNCAP assessments, the Ford Kuga and Ford Fiesta achieved Ford's first three-star ratings for pedestrian protection. These cars also joined the Focus, Mondeo, S-MAX and Galaxy in having best-in-class, five-star adult protection and four-star child protection ratings. EuroNCAP gave the Volvo XC60's WHIPS system the highest-possible score when it tested whiplash protection systems for the first time in 2008.
• The Ford Mondeo became the second Ford car (after the Focus) to be awarded a five-star rating in the Chinese New Car Assessment Program.
• The Ford Falcon was the first Australian-built car to be awarded five stars in the Australasian New Car Assessment Program.