According to the results of the latest Consumer Reports (CR) auto reliability survey released on Monday, the Ford brand has dropped disquietingly to the next-to-last spot in terms of predicted reliability rankings.

Despite the fact that Ford has fallen from grace over the last couple of years - though the brand was once a high-ranker in the top 10 with nearly 90 percent of its models scoring industry average or better for predicted reliability -, the most recent CR survey shows that Ford now ranks at the 27th spot in a total of 28 automakers surveyed.

With CR's annual auto reliability survey being one of the closely-observed quality measures, Ford's fall to the last-but-one spot is rather alarming, especially since Jake Fisher - director of automotive testing for CR - pointing out that 60 percent of the Ford-branded models and 50 percent Lincolns scored a `below average' ranking in predicted reliability; and none of the models managed an `above average' ranking.

Apparently, one of the leading causes for Ford's decline in predicted reliability was the dissatisfaction of the owners of the company's MyFord/MyLincoln Touch voice-controlled infotainment and communications system, which most users have slammed as too complicated.

Meanwhile, noting that Ford values the feedback on its vehicles, both from consumers as well as from third-parties like CR, the automaker said in a statement that it remains "absolutely committed to continuously improving and providing the highest-quality vehicles to our customers."