Ford (Ford) took the top spot in the mainstream brand category of the 2026 JD Power Initial Quality Study with 152 PP100, significantly improving by 41 points from the previous year. This was the largest year-over-year improvement among all mainstream brands and the first time it has topped the ranking in 16 years. In 2025, Ford ranked 10th among mainstream brands, below the industry average. Ford's overall goal this year is to cut $1 billion in costs.
Ford Takes Mainstream Brand Crown with 152 PP100
The 2026 JD Power IQS (measuring quality in the first three months of new vehicle delivery) results show Ford ranking first among mainstream brands with 152 PP100, trailing only luxury brands Porsche and Genesis, and surpassing Toyota and Honda. Among the 10 models tested, Ford had 7 models finishing in the top three of their respective segments, the highest proportion of any automaker. The F-150 pickup, Super Duty truck, and Mustang sports car each ranked first in their segments.
In 2025, Ford ranked 10th among mainstream brands, below the industry average, but one year later it has overtaken two quality benchmarks.
Ford Recalls 350 Veteran Engineers, Poon: AI Tools Must Be Trained by the Most Experienced
During the rapid introduction of automated quality AI, Ford failed to include the hands-on judgment of senior engineers accumulated over multiple product generations in the training data. Poon stated during a media conference call this week: "Artificial intelligence is a very good tool, but its quality depends on what information you use to train it. We mistakenly thought that simply introducing AI and feeding it existing design requirement data would produce high-quality products; we later realized that we must ensure the AI tools are trained by the most experienced people."
Ford internally calls these veterans "white-bearded engineers." Over the past three years, the company has gradually recalled 350 of them, most of whom are former employees who had retired or moved to suppliers after working at Ford. Chief Operating Officer Kumar Galhotra said these engineers are the "core" of Ford's quality transformation. They now lead mandatory quality meetings and re-adjust the logic of AI tools so that machines can preemptively intercept potential failure points before parts enter the production line.
Farley: Warranty Costs and Recall Costs Both Declining, $1 Billion Cost-Cutting Target Underway
CEO Jim Farley said in an interview with Bloomberg TV on Thursday: "Our warranty costs are coming down, and recall costs are also coming down. Together, these have actually contributed hundreds of millions of dollars in positive cost benefits for Ford." Ford's overall goal this year is to cut $1 billion in costs.
FAQ
What are Ford's specific ranking and score in the 2026 JD Power IQS?
Ford ranked first among mainstream brands with 152 PP100, topping the list for the first time in 16 years. It improved by 41 points from 2025, the largest year-over-year improvement among all mainstream brands. Ford surpassed Toyota and Honda, and ranked behind only Porsche and Genesis across all brands. In 2025, Ford ranked 10th, below the industry average.
What is the core reason Ford recalled 350 veteran engineers?
Poon, Ford's vice president of vehicle hardware engineering, explained that when Ford rapidly introduced automated quality AI, it did not incorporate the multi-generational hands-on judgment of senior engineers into the training data, causing the AI to absorb old data and output old problems. The purpose of recalling the veterans is to use their practical experience to recalibrate the AI system, allowing the machine to intercept potential failure points before parts enter the plant, rather than remedying issues after they occur.
What is the financial impact of Ford's quality improvements?
CEO Farley told Bloomberg TV on Thursday that warranty costs and recall costs are both declining, together contributing hundreds of millions of dollars in positive net benefits for Ford. Ford's overall goal this year is to cut $1 billion in costs.
