US automakers have overtaken their European rivals in a consumer survey of automotive reliability for the first time in a quarter of a century, a highly-regarded consumer magazine reported Tuesday.
Consumer Reports magazine said that American made cars and trucks chalked up fewer problems on average than their European rivals, although they still trailed Asian automakers by a wide margin.
The magazine said that 2003 model year vehicles from the Big Three -- General Motors, Ford, DaimlerChrysler -- had 18 problems per 100 vehicles, compared to 20 for the average European model.
"Domestic manufacturers are working real hard to improve reliability," said David Champion, the senior director of Consumer Reports auto test center.
Last year, the Americans and Europeans tied with 21 problems per 100 vehicles.
The ratings appear to show that US automakers' focus on quality control is beginning to pay off, but the magazine noted that they still have a long way to go to catch up with Asian automakers, particularly the Japanese, who have long been the industry benchmark for excellence.
The survey found that Japanese and Asian vehicles were significantly more trouble-free than the competition after a year of service, with a problem rate of 12 per 100 vehicles, the same as last year.
The average 2003 model-year American vehicle still has 50 percent more problems than the average Japanese model, the authors of the study said.
Japanese and Korean brands also held up better over time. The 2001 Honda CR-V, with 12 problems per 100 vehicles, was more trouble-free than many 2003 models, the magazine said.
The Asians have a strong track record on quality control: Acura, Honda, Infiniti, Lexus, Mazda, and Toyota have been the most reliable makes over the past five model years, based on the average problem rates.
For new vehicles, Lexus, Infiniti and Honda were rated most reliable, with Lincoln, Jaguar and Hummer least reliable.
Infiniti, Lexus and Toyota had the fewest problems after three years, and Cadillac, Mercedes-Benz, and Volkswagen had the most problems.
"Mercedes and BMW have slipped quite badly, and VW is slipping," Champion said. "They haven't put the attention to details in their cars."
Beijing’s continued provocations in the Taiwan Strait reveal its intention to unilaterally change the “status quo” in the area, the US Department of State said on Saturday, calling for a peaceful resolution to cross-strait issues. The Coast Guard Administration (CGA) reported that four China Coast Guard patrol vessels entered restricted and prohibited waters near Kinmen County on Friday and again on Saturday. A State Department spokesperson said that Washington was aware of the incidents, and urged all parties to exercise restraint and refrain from unilaterally changing the “status quo.” “Maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait is in line with our [the
EXTENDED RANGE: Hsiung Sheng missiles, 100 of which might be deployed by the end of the year, could reach Chinese command posts and airport runways, a source said A NT$16.9 billion (US$534.93 million) project to upgrade the military’s missile defense systems would be completed this year, allowing the deployment of at least 100 long-range Hsiung Sheng missiles and providing more deterrence against China, military sources said on Saturday. Hsiung Sheng missiles are an extended-range version of the Hsiung Feng IIE (HF-2E) surface-to-surface cruise missile, and are believed to have a range of up to 1,200km, which would allow them to hit targets well inside China. They went into mass production in 2022, the sources said. The project is part of a special budget for the Ministry of National Defense aimed at
READY TO WORK: Taiwan is eager to cooperate and is hopeful that like-minded states will continue to advocate for its inclusion in regional organizations, Lai said Maintaining the “status quo” in the Taiwan Strait, and peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region must be a top priority, president-elect William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday after meeting with a delegation of US academics. Leaders of the G7, US President Joe Biden and other international heads of state have voiced concerns about the situation in the Strait, as stability in the region is necessary for a safe, peaceful and prosperous world, Lai said. The vice president, who is to be inaugurated in May, welcomed the delegation and thanked them for their support for Taiwan and issues concerning the Strait. The international community
COOPERATION: Two crewmembers from a Chinese fishing boat that sank off Kinmen were rescued, two were found dead and another two were still missing at press time The Coast Guard Administration (CGA) was yesterday working with Chinese rescuers to find two missing crewmembers from a Chinese fishing boat that sank southwest of Kinmen County yesterday, killing two crew. The joint operation managed to rescue two of the boat’s six crewmembers, but two were already dead when they were pulled from the water, the agency said in a statement. Rescuers are still searching for two others from the Min Long Yu 61222, a boat registered in China’s Fujian Province that capsized and sank 1.03 nautical miles (1.9km) southwest of Dongding Island (東碇), it added. CGA Director-General Chou Mei-wu (周美伍) told a