Visiting a used Ford dealer is a sure way to see the differences that Ford has that puts it above the rest. Ford goes to great length to ensure their quality vehicles are manufactured with care and sold honestly to satisfied customers. If one thing the recent economic recession has done for Ford, it has re-focused the automaker on what truly makes it a success. They have put forth many man hours into perfecting and modifying their current vehicle to make them more powerful and efficient than ever. They are more grateful now for customer retention and take great concern for customer satisfaction.

Ford was one automaker, amongst three, to have benefited most from the recent economic past. Ford, Subaru, and Chevrolet have seen a dramatic increase in brand perception. In fact, all three experienced a thirty point increase in overall perception scores, over last year’s scores, according to the Consumer Reports 2010 Car Brand Perception Survey. The survey is a reflection of the way consumers cumulatively perceive the brands in several categories, such as: Safety, quality, performance, value, technology and innovation, environmental friendliness, and design and style.

Ford jumped past Honda giving way to, both, Chevrolet and Subaru. Subaru had the highest point jump, with a total jump of 39 points.

On the contrary end the two lowest scores went to the Hummer and Saab brands. These are two that GM has struggled to sell in the past. Also, luxury brands took a rough hit. Brands with the largest overall decreases were Porsche, Lexus, Cadillac, Infiniti, and Lincoln.

The increases and decreases amongst the brands shows a clear line between which brands have risen more powerful from the recession and which ones were swallowed by the stress. Fortunately, for Ford, the extra time, consideration, and attention to detail has paid off exponentially. It will be interesting to witness what the rest of the year will hold for the brand.