Marketplace Report: Good Marks for U.S. Cars
American cars are getting a little more reliable, according to Consumer Reports. Janet Babin of Marketplace talks with Alex Chadwick about the results of the group's annual car survey, which gave good ratings for the Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan and other American-made autos.
ALEX CHADWICK, host:
Back now with DAY TO DAY. I'm Alex Chadwick. This is news. American cars getting a little more reliable, according to Consumer Reports. More are testing better than their reputable Japanese competitors. MARKETPLACE's Janet Babin joins us again. Janet, which American cars are gaining ground?
JANET BABIN: Well, Alex, this is from the annual car reliability survey from Consumer Reports. The magazine found that first-year Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan sedans scored slightly better for predicted reliability than the Honda Accord V6 and the Toyota Camry V6. The Fusion really wowed the testers. They said that it had a smooth ride and nice handling that made it feel like an expensive European car.
And also in the large-car category, the Buick Lucerne and Cadillac DTS scored above average, and General Motors had high performers in the SUV category with first-year models of the Tahoe and Yukon.
But, Alex, overall, 39 of the 47 vehicles with the highest predicted reliability scores are Japanese, while just six are domestic.
CHADWICK: Well, at least they're gaining somewhere. But it does sound as though - am I hearing you right? - they scored high only after the first year?
BABIN: That's right. Consumer Reports usually bases its reliability forecasts on information it gets from consumers for the past three model years of a vehicle. But the Fusion and Milan were new vehicles this year, and the Tahoe and Yukon were revamped, so they were based on one year info too.
But now Keith Crane with Automotive News says, you know, cars that gain long-term reliability have to start somewhere. They only get there with that first-year milestone, so he's optimistic that the American car companies can maintain quality.
Mr. KEITH CRANE (Automotive News): The irony is that a lot of the cars and trucks that the American manufacturers - Ford, GM, Chrysler - were competing against were also made in the United States as well - the Toyota Camry and the Honda Accord. So it looks like American manufacturing is alive and well.
BABIN: But Crane admits, you know, there are always exceptions, so we'll just have to wait and see until next year about whether this reliability holds up.
CHADWICK: How much information does Consumer Reports gather for this survey?
BABIN: You know, it's amazing, Alex. The magazine says it sends out surveys to its print and online subscribers, and this year that was about 950,000 people.
Coming up later today on MARKETPLACE, we're going to take a look at how science fiction conventions have become billion-dollar business.
CHADWICK: And fun, too. Thank you Janet. Janet Babin of public radio's daily business show MARKETPLACE, produced by American Public Media.
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