Japan car firms dominate reliability list
Japanese automakers dominated an influential survey of the most reliable new vehicles that was released Thursday, but General Motors Corp. and Ford Motor Co. also placed high with several models.
Consumer Reports magazine named 47 vehicles to its list of the most reliable cars and trucks for model year 2007. Of those, 39 were from Japanese automakers, including an industry-leading 21 from Toyota Motor Corp. and 11 from Honda Motor Co.
Ford, which is trying to shift from its reliance on pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles, also scored well with several of its new cars.
Its Fusion topped the Consumer Reports list of the most impressive new models, with the magazine’s testing staff praising the car’s “nimble handling and comfortable ride.”
The Fusion and the Mercury Milan, which share the same platform, were named among the most reliable family cars, outscoring V-6 versions of the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry.
The Zephyr from Ford’s Lincoln luxury division, also built on the Fusion platform, was ranked second among upscale sedans, after the 2007 Lexus ES 350 and ahead of Hyundai Motor Co.’s Azera and the Acura TSX and TL from Honda.
Ford spokesman Jim Cain said the quality ranking could help bring buyers back to the Dearborn, Mich.-based automaker, which has slashed production and is expected to be overtaken by Toyota as the No. 2 automaker in the U.S. next year.
New versions of the Chevrolet Tahoe and the GMC Yukon from Detroit-based GM made the list of most-reliable large SUVs, just behind three offerings from Toyota: the Land Cruiser, the Lexus LX and the Sequoia.
