| Each year the Consumer Reports magazine publishes | | | | both. |
| a list of used cars to avoid based on serious problems | | | | The Chrysler group has had the third greatest change. |
| reported by its subscribers. This list encompasses | | | | Its share of CR's list of used cars to avoid fell from |
| convertibles, coupes, sedans, hatchbacks, wagons, | | | | 25% in 1992 to 18% in 2010. By computation, this is a 7 |
| minivans, sport-utility vehicles with both truck and car | | | | percentage point improvement. However, in this |
| frames, and pickup trucks. It identifies these vehicles by | | | | instance, the percentage point change may not |
| model and model year. | | | | represent an improvement, for two reasons. The first |
| The difference between an automobile manufacturer's | | | | is that in 1992 the Chrysler group had 5 lines - Chrysler, |
| share of entries on this list in 1992 and its share in 2010 | | | | Dodge, Jeep, Plymouth, and Eagle - and today only 3 |
| provides one measure of a manufacturer's change in | | | | of these lines remain, the other two having |
| product quality. One limitation of this measure is that it | | | | disappeared before 2002. The second is the increased |
| indexes product quality change only for those | | | | number of model offerings by foreign manufacturers |
| automobile models that fall at the lower or bottom end | | | | noted earlier. Consequently, the reliability stature of |
| of a manufacturer's product line. Another limitation is | | | | Chrysler's lower end product offerings may not have |
| that it does not take account of the large increase in | | | | changed, or may have changed very little. |
| the number of automobile model offerings and | | | | For the remaining manufacturers with more sizable |
| automobile sales by manufacturers based in Europe | | | | sales in the U.S., there has been little change in this |
| and Asia that has occurred from 1992 to 2010, which | | | | measure's values. General Motors Corporation's share |
| should have occasioned some decline in the shares of | | | | of CR's worst has had a nominal 2 percentage point |
| the three large U.S.-based manufacturers if their quality | | | | change from 43% in 1992 to 41% in 2010, Nissan Motor |
| at the lower end has remained rather constant. | | | | Company's share has risen 3 percentage points from |
| Nonetheless, it is a useful guide for roughly gauging | | | | 0% to 3%, Toyota Motor Corporation's share has risen |
| improvement or decline in quality. | | | | 1 percentage point from 0% in 1992 to 1% in 2010, and |
| The foregoing measure accords Ford Motor Company | | | | Honda Motor Company's share has remained |
| the greatest change in product quality. Ford's share of | | | | unchanged at 0%. General Motors' modest 2 |
| CR's list of used cars to avoid fell from 23% in 1992 to | | | | percentage point share decline may represent a slight, |
| 10% in 2010. This gives Ford a 13 percentage point | | | | or greater, worsening in automobile quality at the lower |
| improvement over the 18-year period. The magnitude | | | | end of its quality spectrum, when account is taken of |
| of this change, combined with the absence of similar | | | | new foreign model offerings, but Toyota's 1 |
| changes by the other two U.S.-based manufacturers, | | | | percentage point increase almost certainly represents |
| suggests considerable improvement in the quality of | | | | a decline in automobile quality among some of its |
| Ford's vehicles at the lower end of its quality spectrum. | | | | many new and redesigned models of the past |
| Volkswagen AG has had the second greatest change | | | | decade, as does Nissan's 3 percentage point increase. |
| by this measure. Its share of CR's list of used cars to | | | | In summary, by change in manufacturer shares of |
| avoid rose from 2% in 1992 to 11% in 2010. This gives | | | | Consumer Reports' used cars to avoid from 1992 to |
| Volkswagen a 9 percentage point drop in quality over | | | | 2010, Ford has increased the quality of its products at |
| the period, although some of the percentage point | | | | the lower end of its quality spectrum, the Chrysler |
| change may reflect an increased model offering in the | | | | group may have increased the quality of its lower end |
| U.S., or an increase in U.S. sales of existing models | | | | products some, Volkswagen's quality likely has declined |
| sufficient to provide the consumer survey data | | | | some, and the quality of Toyota's products likely has |
| necessary to rate more of the existing models, or | | | | declined a bit or more. |