J.D. Power and Associates has recently released the results of their annual U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study, reporting on the three-year ownership experience of some of the most popular vehicles in the United States. 2024 is proving to be a good year for the F-Series, as the 2021 Ford Super Duty was named the most dependable large heavy-duty pickup truck in the country.
“The Ford Super Duty is a deserving winner in the Large Heavy-Duty Pickup segment, and it exemplifies outstanding dependability in the first three years of ownership,” said Frank Hanley, senior director of auto benchmarking, J.D. Power.
This is the 35th year of the J.D. Power Dependability study. It examines 184 problem areas across nine major vehicle categories: climate, driving assistance, driving experience, exterior, features/controls/displays, infotainment, interior, powertrain, and seats. This study helps to indicate what the long-term experience of owning and driving a particular vehicle is as opposed to the first few months after purchase. For many cars on the road, it was a tough year.
“Vehicle owners are experiencing lower levels of vehicle dependability after three years of ownership,” the study reports. “The high number of problems owners encounter indicates a decline in long-term vehicle dependability, with increased levels of problems reported for nearly two-thirds of brands included in the study. The industry average has increased 4 problems per 100 vehicles (PP100) year over year to 190 PP100 from 2023.”
“Historically, VDS model results mirror the results of the respective model year in the J.D. Power Initial Quality Study, so a deterioration of vehicle dependability is unusual,” said Frank Hanley, senior director of auto benchmarking at J.D. Power. “This can likely be attributed to the tumultuous time during which these vehicles were built, and owners are keeping their vehicles for much longer. In fact, the average age of vehicles on American roads today is approximately 12 years, which underscores the importance of building a vehicle designed to stand the test of time. Automakers must ensure new vehicle technology introduced today will still meet the customer’s needs years down the road.”
In the tough climate of the study this year, taking a win was a great accomplishment for the Super Duty. “Every day, F-Series trucks are put to the test to get the job done, whether it be work or recreation,” said Tim Baughman, general manager, North America, Ford Pro. “Like all Ford trucks, Super Duty is Built Ford Tough. It’s more than a moniker for us, it’s our purpose. We are proud to receive this important recognition. It means we are building dependable trucks our customers can rely on.”
The 2024 Super Duty was also granted the 2024 North American Truck of the Year award by the North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year jury in January. Interested in trying out this award-winning vehicle for yourself? Haldeman Ford is ready to help you!