Is Ford more reliable than Chevrolet?
Chevrolet comes out ahead: Ford 3.89 vs Chevrolet 1.77 NHTSA owner complaints per 1,000 vehicles sold (model years 2015–2022). Ford owners filed 2.2× as many complaints per vehicle sold as Chevrolet owners.
By CarWhere Research · Updated November 2026 · Method
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA per 1,000 vehicles sold (model years 2015–2022; published U.S. sales). Not a survey, not Consumer Reports' method, and not repair frequency.
Ford vs Chevrolet at a glance
| Ford | Chevrolet | |
|---|---|---|
| Complaints per 1,000 sold | 3.89 | 1.77 |
| Serious-safety complaints per 1,000 | 0.16 | 0.10 |
| Rank of 19 brands | #19 | #7 |
| Models covered | 15 | 15 |
| Vehicles sold (rated model years) | 15,875,164 | 14,288,009 |
| Owner complaints | 61,721 | 25,345 |
| Share of brand U.S. sales covered | 89.2% | 95.5% |
| Top complaint areas | Engine 28.4% · Powertrain / transmission 23.3% · Steering 9.4% | Engine 25.8% · Powertrain / transmission 20.8% · Electrical system 18.3% |
| Recall campaigns (vehicles covered) | 648 (40.7 million) | 266 (2.5 million) |
Model years 2015–2022. Lower is better. Serious-safety complaints are those where the owner reported a crash, a fire or at least one injury. Recall campaigns are NHTSA campaigns filed January 2016 to September 2026; vehicles covered counts a vehicle once per campaign.
What drives the numbers
- Ford's count is driven most by 2015–2019 F-Series complaints about powertrain / transmission and steering (14,110, 22.9% of Ford's complaints). Other models with rates above Ford's overall 3.89: Escape (5.42), Explorer (4.85), Edge (5.52).
- Chevrolet's count is driven most by 2015–2017 Silverado complaints about brakes and powertrain / transmission (3,310, 13.1% of Chevrolet's complaints). Other models with rates above Chevrolet's overall 1.77: Malibu (2.80), Tahoe (2.55), Suburban (2.97).
Ford vs Chevrolet complaints per 1,000 sold, by model year
Newer model years have had less time on the road, so their counts are still growing. Compare the two lines within a year, not one year against another.
| Model year | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ford | 4.07 | 4.95 | 5.29 | 4.20 | 3.38 | 3.49 | 2.58 | 1.85 |
| Chevrolet | 2.59 | 2.19 | 1.77 | 1.50 | 1.53 | 1.38 | 1.70 | 1.20 |
What Ford and Chevrolet owners complain about
Share of each brand's NHTSA complaints naming the area (a complaint can name more than one).
Ford
- Engine28.4% · 17,554
- Powertrain / transmission23.3% · 14,375
- Steering9.4% · 5,811
- Electrical system9% · 5,567
- Body structure8.3% · 5,120
- Fuel / propulsion6.9% · 4,253
Chevrolet
- Engine25.8% · 6,535
- Powertrain / transmission20.8% · 5,280
- Electrical system18.3% · 4,640
- Brakes14.1% · 3,586
- Steering10.6% · 2,684
- Fuel / propulsion7.4% · 1,886
Model matchups
Each brand's best-selling model in the classes both sell, on the same per-1,000-sold measure.
Full-size pickups: Ford F-Series vs Chevrolet Silverado
The Chevrolet Silverado has fewer complaints per vehicle sold: Ford F-Series 2.81 vs Chevrolet Silverado 1.71 complaints per 1,000 sold. The F-Series's most-cited area is powertrain / transmission (26.9%); the Silverado's is engine (26.3%).
Ford F-Series(whole line)
2.81 complaints per 1,000 sold
- Basis:
- 18,184 complaints / 6,471,105 sold, MY 2015–2022 NHTSA
- Better years:
- 2008–2010
- Years to avoid:
- 2011, 2013, 2016, 2018, 2021–2023
- Top complaint areas:
- Powertrain / transmission 26.9% · Steering 18.3% · Engine 15.1%
Chevrolet Silverado(whole line)
1.71 complaints per 1,000 sold
- Basis:
- 7,794 complaints / 4,566,193 sold, MY 2015–2022 NHTSA
- Better years:
- 2009, 2011–2013
- Years to avoid:
- 2014, 2019–2022
- Top complaint areas:
- Engine 26.3% · Powertrain / transmission 24.8% · Brakes 19.7%
Compact SUVs: Ford Escape vs Chevrolet Equinox
The Chevrolet Equinox has fewer complaints per vehicle sold: Ford Escape 5.42 vs Chevrolet Equinox 1.26 complaints per 1,000 sold. Engine is the most-cited area for both (46.5% and 36.8% of complaints).
5.42 complaints per 1,000 sold
- Basis:
- 10,289 complaints / 1,896,752 sold, MY 2015–2022 NHTSA
- Better years:
- 2024
- Years to avoid:
- 2008–2010, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2020
- Top complaint areas:
- Engine 46.5% · Powertrain / transmission 17.4% · Body structure 10.5%
1.26 complaints per 1,000 sold
- Basis:
- 2,685 complaints / 2,137,303 sold, MY 2015–2022 NHTSA
- Better years:
- 2008, 2009
- Years to avoid:
- 2010–2013, 2018, 2020
- Top complaint areas:
- Engine 36.8% · Visibility / wipers 16.4% · Brakes 14.1%
Three-row SUVs: Ford Explorer vs Chevrolet Traverse
The Chevrolet Traverse has fewer complaints per vehicle sold: Ford Explorer 4.85 vs Chevrolet Traverse 2.30 complaints per 1,000 sold. The Explorer's most-cited area is body structure (24.2%); the Traverse's is air bags (27%).
4.85 complaints per 1,000 sold
- Basis:
- 9,080 complaints / 1,871,370 sold, MY 2015–2022 NHTSA
- Better years:
- 2008–2010
- Years to avoid:
- 2011, 2013–2017, 2020
- Top complaint areas:
- Body structure 24.2% · Engine 16.2% · Powertrain / transmission 13.4%
Chevrolet Traverse
2.30 complaints per 1,000 sold
- Basis:
- 2,278 complaints / 992,299 sold, MY 2015–2022 NHTSA
- Better years:
- None flagged
- Years to avoid:
- None flagged
- Top complaint areas:
- Air bags 27% · Powertrain / transmission 23.9% · Engine 17.2%
Midsize cars: Ford Fusion vs Chevrolet Malibu
The Chevrolet Malibu has fewer complaints per vehicle sold: Ford Fusion 4.23 vs Chevrolet Malibu 2.80 complaints per 1,000 sold. Engine is the most-cited area for both (37.2% and 35.2% of complaints).
Ford Fusion
4.23 complaints per 1,000 sold
- Basis:
- 5,237 complaints / 1,237,724 sold, MY 2015–2021 NHTSA
- Better years:
- None flagged
- Years to avoid:
- None flagged
- Top complaint areas:
- Engine 37.2% · Powertrain / transmission 20.6% · Electrical system 13.3%
Chevrolet Malibu
2.80 complaints per 1,000 sold
- Basis:
- 3,162 complaints / 1,130,932 sold, MY 2015–2022 NHTSA
- Better years:
- None flagged
- Years to avoid:
- None flagged
- Top complaint areas:
- Engine 35.2% · Electrical system 27% · Powertrain / transmission 22.3%
Compact cars: Ford Focus vs Chevrolet Cruze
The Chevrolet Cruze has fewer complaints per vehicle sold: Ford Focus 6.06 vs Chevrolet Cruze 1.06 complaints per 1,000 sold. The Focus's most-cited area is powertrain / transmission (50.7%); the Cruze's is engine (38.4%).
Ford Focus
6.06 complaints per 1,000 sold
- Basis:
- 3,976 complaints / 656,177 sold, MY 2015–2019 NHTSA
- Better years:
- None flagged
- Years to avoid:
- None flagged
- Top complaint areas:
- Powertrain / transmission 50.7% · Engine 28.3% · Fuel / propulsion 19.6%
Chevrolet Cruze
1.06 complaints per 1,000 sold
- Basis:
- 839 complaints / 792,822 sold, MY 2015–2019 NHTSA
- Too few sold to rate:
- 2020
- Better years:
- None flagged
- Years to avoid:
- None flagged
- Top complaint areas:
- Engine 38.4% · Electrical system 19.1% · Powertrain / transmission 16.7%
How these numbers are calculated
complaints per 1,000 sold = NHTSA owner complaints filed for model years 2015–2022 ÷ U.S. vehicles sold in calendar years 2015–2022 × 1,000
Complaints come from NHTSA's public owner-complaint database (NHTSA data), counted once per complaint and matched across NHTSA's trim and body-style names. Vehicles sold are published U.S. calendar-year sales per nameplate. Model years with fewer than 5,000 sold are too few to rate and are left out. A brand gets a score only when its covered models number at least 3 and make up at least 70% of its U.S. sales; rates under 10% apart are called close.
This is the federal complaint rate, not an owner survey or repair-frequency figure. Consumer Reports publishes a survey-based ranking that measures something different. Full method and brand ranking.
Questions
Is Ford more reliable than Chevrolet?
Chevrolet comes out ahead: Ford 3.89 vs Chevrolet 1.77 NHTSA owner complaints per 1,000 vehicles sold (model years 2015–2022). Ford owners filed 2.2× as many complaints per vehicle sold as Chevrolet owners.
Which has more serious complaints, Ford or Chevrolet?
Counting only complaints that report a crash, fire or injury, Ford logs 0.16 per 1,000 sold and Chevrolet 0.10. Those are 4% of Ford's complaints and 6% of Chevrolet's.
Where do Ford and Chevrolet rank overall?
Ford ranks #19 and Chevrolet #7 of the 19 brands with enough sales data, ranked by NHTSA complaints per 1,000 sold for model years 2015–2022.
What do Ford and Chevrolet owners complain about most?
Ford: engine (28.4%), powertrain / transmission (23.3%), steering (9.4%). Chevrolet: engine (25.8%), powertrain / transmission (20.8%), electrical system (18.3%). Shares are of each brand's complaints for model years 2015–2022; one complaint can name more than one area.
Which has more recalls, Ford or Chevrolet?
From January 2016 to September 2026, NHTSA lists 648 Ford recall campaigns covering 40,676,062 vehicles and 266 Chevrolet campaigns covering 2,542,618. Vehicles covered counts each vehicle once per campaign, so one car in three recalls counts three times. Recalls are fixes the maker files, a different signal from owner complaints.
Is the Ford F-Series more reliable than the Chevrolet Silverado?
The Chevrolet Silverado has fewer complaints per vehicle sold: Ford F-Series 2.81 vs Chevrolet Silverado 1.71 complaints per 1,000 sold. Based on 6,471,105 and 4,566,193 vehicles sold. Years to avoid on the F-Series: 2011, 2013, 2016, 2018, 2021–2023. Years to avoid on the Silverado: 2014, 2019–2022.
Is the Ford Escape more reliable than the Chevrolet Equinox?
The Chevrolet Equinox has fewer complaints per vehicle sold: Ford Escape 5.42 vs Chevrolet Equinox 1.26 complaints per 1,000 sold. Based on 1,896,752 and 2,137,303 vehicles sold. Years to avoid on the Escape: 2008–2010, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2020. Years to avoid on the Equinox: 2010–2013, 2018, 2020.