First Explorer, now F-150. Tailspin begins.
Certain Blue Oval models – like the current-generation Ford Explorer – have earned a bit of a reputation for being unreliable – in some cases, for valid reasons. FoMoCo is working to rectify its well-documented quality woes with a goal of obtaining best-in-class reliability by 2025 for select models, though that process could ultimately take months or even years to begin to produce results. In the meantime, Consumer Reports recently identified the 2023 Ford Explorer as a popular vehicle to avoid for its quality woes and various other reasons, but interestingly enough, the 2023 Ford F-150 also landed on that same list.
Consumer Reports notes that many new vehicle shoppers intend to prioritize things like reliability and safety, but ultimately, wind up falling for styling or image instead. That’s precisely where this list comes into play – the 2023 Ford F-150 is a hugely successful vehicle in the salesroom, and yet, its reliability data lags behind the competition.
“Ford proudly boasts that the F-Series has been the best-selling truck line in America for 46 consecutive years,” CR noted. “That big volume – and subsequent profit – fuels the ongoing innovations seen in the F-150, such as high-tech tools to make towing easier and safer. But all the bluster doesn’t make the F-150 the best truck. Its ride, handling, and reliability come up short.”
Indeed, Consumer Reports has assigned a below average predicted reliability score to the 2023 Ford F-150, as well as a mediocre overall rating of 58 out of 100. However, it is worth noting that the pickup’s road test and predicted owner satisfaction scores both ranked above average, so there are at least a couple of positive takeaways from this particular report.