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InformationReliability
InformationReliability
PercentranksChart
Summary of the 2006 Updates of the Best and Worst Cars and Trucks Tables
The following charts depict each auto manufacturer's share of models in the 2006 updates of the annual best cars and trucks tables.
The next chart depicts the fractional shares, for each model year, of the best cars and trucks held by Toyota Motor Corporation and Honda Motor Company.
The next chart depicts the extrapolation of these shares to 2008, a linear regression of degree one.
This last chart suggests that by 2008 Toyota may achieve a very considerable dominance of the best vehicles sold in North America.
The following charts depict each auto manufacturer's share of models in the 2006 updates of the annual worst cars and trucks tables. The shares of General Motors Corporation, Ford Motor Company, and DaimlerChrysler AG include the models from their European lines (GM's Saab, Ford's Volvo, Jaguar, and Land Rover, and DaimlerChrysler's Mercedes-Benz).
The next chart depicts the fractional shares, for each model year, of the worst cars and trucks held by General Motors Corporation, Ford Motor Company, and DaimlerChrysler AG, with European lines included (GM's Saab, Ford's Volvo, Jaguar, and Land Rover, and DaimlerChrysler's Mercedes-Benz).
The next chart provides an extrapolation of these fractional shares to 2008, again a linear regression of degree one.
From the above extrapolations, it may be seen that over the sixteen-year history of the worst motor vehicle models, by Reliability Percentrank, Ford's and Chrysler's shares of the worst are declining (quality is rising), while General Motors' share is increasing (quality is dropping). Also, note that GM's share of the worst showed a solid increase in 2003; this drop in quality may reflect the cutting edge of the worsening financial circumstances of GM and most of its supplier base.
To view the charts of the Big Three fractional shares without the European lines, see Summary of Best and Worst Tables.
The following charts depict the percentage contribution that each of GM's lines made to GM's totals in the 2006 updates of the tables of worst cars and trucks of model years 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, and 2002.
The following table and charts summarize the durability of the 1998 motor vehicle models by the major auto manufacturers, as measured by the Reliability Score. Our first table provides two sets of Reliability Score averages for the auto manufacturers and motor vehicle lines for which data are available. The first set is for when the 1998 vehicles were between the ages of 2 and 4 years and the second set is for when the 1998 vehicles were between the ages of 6 and 8 years. In addition, the table provides the change in these averages from the first age set to the second.
Note that the Reliability Score averages for Toyota's and Honda's lines at the age range 6-to-8 years substantially exceeds the averages for the lines of the Big Three - General Motors Corporation, Ford Motor Company, and the Chrysler Group of DaimlerChrysler AG - at the age range of 2-to-4 years.
The following chart depicts the above changes in Reliability Score averages for each of the auto manufacturers.
The next chart depicts the changes in Reliability Score averages for each of the motor vehicle lines.
The next chart depicts the Reliability Score averages for each of the motor vehicle lines for the age range 6-to-8 years.
Here we see that Toyota's and Honda's lines occupy the top 4 positions and GM lines occupy 4 of the bottom 10 positions.
One of the interesting questions is: When will a typical 1998 Toyota model be as troublesome as a typical 1998 General Motors model at ages 2-to-4 years? The following chart helps shed some light on this query.
This chart suggests that a typical 1998 Toyota model may, at about 20 years old, be more reliable than a typical 1998 General Motors vehicle at about 3 years old, although a used-car buyer should be very hesitant in relying entirely on the accuracy of such a long-term extrapolation and should always be cognizant of the possibility that one or more previous owners or users may have abused a vehicle in one or more significant ways. For additional durability information, see the durability pages. Also, for some advisories, see Cautionary Remarks.
The next chart helps shed light on the query: When will a typical 1998 Honda model be as troublesome as a typical 1998 General Motors model at ages 2-to-4 years?
This chart suggests that a typical 1998 Honda model may, at about 25 years old, be more reliable than a typical 1998 General Motors vehicle at about 3 years old, subject to the same caveats noted above.
Some interesting remaining queries are: How have the extrapolations of the two preceding charts changed, if at all, in more recent years? As the data accumulate, will an extrapolation of the extrapolation intersections give us a good indication as to whether a typical 2010 Toyota or Honda model at age 20 years may be more reliable than a typical GM model at age 3 years?
With regard to the latter query, it would be very useful if Consumer Reports were to extend its questionnaire and reliability table coverage to at least 12 years from its current 8 years.
The following six charts and table summarize the reliability and durability of the 1998 pickup models by the major auto manufacturers. Our first chart depicts the Reliability Percentrank averages for Toyota Motor Corporation and the Big Three - General Motors Corporation, Ford Motor Company, and the Chrysler Group of DaimlerChrysler AG - from 1998 to 2002.
From the chart, Toyota's dominance in pickup reliability may be seen.
The chart also indicates that Ford's pickup Reliability Percentrank average plots are of a more cyclical character and that the current trend is downward. Moreover, as Consumer Reports' April 2006 issue accords both the 4-wheel-drive and 2-wheel-drive versions of the Ford F-150 pickup reliability ratings of worse than average and much worse than average for model years 2004 and 2005, respectively, the current downward trend may be accelerating.
In addition, note the highly erratic plots of GM's pickup Reliability Percentrank averages in more recent years. This suggests that only a small pool of Consumer Reports subscribers own GM pickups, i.e., that the consumer-savvy subscribers to Consumer Reports have concluded, in the main, that GM pickups are things to shun. See also "Does 'GM' Mean 'Junk'?" Auto on Info, May 2005.
The next chart provides an extrapolation of the Reliability Percentrank averages for Toyota, GM, and Chrysler. An extrapolation of Ford's averages is not provided as the apparent periodicity of its cyclical reliability history appears to be longer than the 16-year history of Percentrank averages.
On the matter of durability, the following table provides two sets of Reliability Score averages for each model-year-1998 pickup series sold in the U.S. and for each pickup manufacturer. The first set of pickup Reliability Score averages is for when the 1998 pickups were between the ages of 2 and 4 years and the second set is for when the 1998 pickups were between the ages of 6 and 8 years. In addition, the table provides the change in these averages from the first age set to the second.
Note that the Reliability Score averages for Toyota's pickup series at the age range 6-to-8 years substantially exceed the averages for the several Big Three pickup series at the age range of 2-to-4 years. Also note the absence of averages for any of the various versions of GM's 1500 series at the age range of 6-to-8 years, further suggesting that Consumer Reports subscribers have concluded, in the main, that GM pickups are things to avoid, especially the 1500 series after the 6th year.
The next chart depicts the above changes in Reliability Score averages for each of the pickup manufacturers.
The next chart depicts the Reliability Score averages for each of the pickup manufacturers for when the 1998 pickups were between the ages of 6 and 8 years.
Here we see that Toyota has considerable dominance in this short-term durability measure.
One of the interesting questions is: When will a typical 1998 Toyota pickup model be as troublesome as a typical 1998 General Motors pickup model at ages 2-to-4 years. The following charts help shed light on this query.
The first chart suggests that the 1998 Toyota T100 may, at about 7 years old, be more reliable than a typical 1998 GM 1500 pickup (Chevrolet C/K 1500, GMC Sierra C/K 1500) at about 3 years old. The second chart suggests that the 1998 Toyota Tacoma may, at about 80 years old, be more reliable than a typical 1998 GM S-10/15 (Chevrolet S-10, GMC Sonoma S-15) at about 3 years old. However, in the latter instance, the extrapolation is dramatically long-term and it may as well be that at age 25 years the Toyota Tacoma may have sunk to the reliability depths of GM's S-10/15 pickups at age 3 years. For more durability information, see durability pages.
The following poll permits the reader to express his assessment on General Motors Corporation.
To view responses to the above poll, click here.
To view the Best and Worst car and truck tables for any model year or to view the 16-year summaries, select from the following menu table.
Links to Amazon.com: Auto Quality Management Lit
The Toyota Way: 14 Management Principles From The World's Greatest Manufacturer December 17, 2003 Toyota Production System: An Integrated Approach to Just-In-Time* Decoding the DNA of the Toyota Production System (This is an article from the Harvard Business Review.) Toyota Production System: Beyond Large-Scale Production The Machine That Changed the World: The Story of Lean Production A Study of the Toyota Production System from an Industrial Engineering Viewpoint Team Toyota: Transplanting the Toyota Culture to the Camry Plant in Kentucky 
* Books with an asterisk are presently unavailable at Amazon.com. They may have become collectors' items, as previously used copies were readily available. Nonetheless, the visitor may, from time to time, check Amazon.com or may try Barnes & Noble.
