Overview
- J.D. Power’s 2026 U.S. Initial Quality Study, released June 25, 2026, found reported problems fell to 175 problems per 100 vehicles (PP100) from 192 PP100, the largest one-year improvement since 1997.
- Infotainment was the only category to worsen, with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity accounting for a 1.4 PP100 rise and touchscreen/infotainment distractions cited in many owner complaints.
- Ford was the top mainstream brand with 152 PP100, improving by about 41 PP100 year over year and placing the F‑150, Mustang and Super Duty highest in their segments, a result Ford credits to unified engineering, supplier integration and an overhaul of software quality assurance.
- The study is based on 78,514 owners surveyed after 90 days of ownership and repair-visit data, so its PP100 metric measures early ownership experience rather than long-term durability or later-emerging safety issues.
- Despite Ford’s JD Power gains, the company still leads the industry in recall counts this year and is subject to a federal regulator consent order over delayed recalls, a tension that could affect how sustained and safety‑focused these short-term quality gains prove to be.