2021 Ford Super Duty Most Dependable Heavy Duty Pickup

The recent release of J.D. Power’s 2024 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS) hasn’t exactly provided a lot of good news for Ford Motor Company, as both the Ford and Lincoln brands continued to rank below the industry average in terms of the sheer number of problems owners are having with their vehicles – though it is worth noting that both posted a small year-over-year improvement in that regard. In other good news, The Blue Oval secured a couple of individual segment awards in the 2024 VDS, a list that includes the 2021 Ford Super Duty.

This time around, the Ford Super Duty took home top honors in the heavy-duty truck segment, beating out the GMC Sierra HD and Chevy Silverado HD in the latest version of the VDS. “Every day, F-Series trucks are put to the test to get the job done, whether it be work or recreation,” said Tim Baughman, general manager, North America, Ford Pro. “Like all Ford trucks, Super Duty is Built Ford Tough. It’s more than a moniker for us, it’s our purpose. We are proud to receive this important recognition. It means we are building dependable trucks our customers can rely on.” “The Ford Super Duty is a deserving winner in the Large Heavy-Duty Pickup segment, and it exemplifies outstanding dependability in the first three years of ownership,” added Frank Hanley, senior director of auto benchmarking at J.D. Power.

The 2024 J.D. Power U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study is based on the responses of 30,595 owners of 2021 model-year vehicles after three years of ownership, and was conducted between August and November, 2023. The VDS focuses on 184 specific problem areas across nine categories – climate; driving assistance; driving experience; exterior; features/controls/displays; infotainment; interior; powertrain; and seats. This year’s study found that overall, nearly two-thirds of all automotive brands suffered a decline in dependability year-over-year, with the average PP100 increasing by four versus 2023.

“Historically, VDS model results mirror the results of the respective model year in the J.D. Power Initial Quality Study, so a deterioration of vehicle dependability is unusual,” Hanley said. “This can likely be attributed to the tumultuous time during which these vehicles were built, and owners are keeping their vehicles for much longer. In fact, the average age of vehicles on American roads today is approximately 12 years, which underscores the importance of building a vehicle designed to stand the test of time. Automakers must ensure new vehicle technology introduced today will still meet the customer’s needs years down the road.”

We’ll have more on the Super Duty soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for the latest Ford F-Series news, Ford Super Duty news, and continuous Ford news coverage.