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It’s pretty easy to be the best when you lack competition. One truck is celebrating another big win even though its rival didn’t play in the game. The Ram 1500 is the truck with the best quality, and it does have a low rate of issues. However, the Ford F-150, Chevrolet Silverado 1500, and Toyota Tundra weren’t included in the study.

The truck with the highest quality is the Ram 1500 

According to the latest J.D.Power Initial Quality Study, the Ram 1500 tops the list of full-size trucks. It landed in first place for the second year in a row. 

J.D.Power uses customer dates to compare vehicles based on the problems per 100 vehicles. A lower score equals higher quality. The average quality score for mass-market brands hovers around 181 problems per 100 vehicles. 

Ram is the highest-ranking brand with a score of 149. Chevrolet came in second place with a 160, and Hyundai landed in third with a score of 162. Ford is in ninth place with a 179. Toyota was in 17th place with a 192.

The Ram 1500 came in first place in its segment, but the second and third-place options weren’t listed. That’s because other trucks didn’t participate in the study.

The biggest complaint that drags quality scores down is related to false warnings, like when the check the rear seat reminder goes off when there aren’t any kids or pets back there. Sensitive automatic emergency braking and seat belt reminders for empty seats also cause frustration. 

The 2024 Ram 1500 off-roading
2024 Ram 1500 | Ram

Plus, people don’t want to use cords. They want wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to work. But sometimes it’s hard to connect phones and the connections drop. 

People also are getting frustrated by complicated infotainment and vehicle controls. Smartphones are easier to operate. Touch screen menus can have too many steps to simply turn on your AC.  

Another weird problem is related to bad smells. Apparently, every auto brand except for Kia and Nissan received a higher rate of complaints compared to 2023 about foul-smelling odors. The odors come from the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems.

It seems a bit unfair to declare the Ram 1500 as the truck with the highest quality, but the brand has an excellent rating. It could have the fewest reports of problems.

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Staff Writer

Allison Barfield

Allison Barfield joined MotorBiscuit in 2020 and covers all things trucks, SUVs, and Jeeps. Having grown up on a farm in Rock Hill, South Carolina, she’s no stranger to the “Best in Class” truck and SUV debates; people in her hometown were always gathering to help work on vehicles together, and deliberation would naturally arise.

Allison graduated from the University of South Carolina with a degree in Media Arts. She has helped bring awareness to issues Women In Trucking face and has promoted Truckers Against Trafficking, an anti-trafficking NGO.

A fan of creatively dark literature, Allison appreciates the works of Shirley Jackson and Emily Dickenson. She lives in a mountainous area of the country and enjoys off-roading and camping. Her dog, Bruce, often joins her in testing trucks and SUVs for our site.