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."
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