I bring you this list annually because many of you believe in this study. I warn you, however, that for me, this study should not be used as the whole criteria for choosing a vehicle. My issue is that the rankings are based on the number problems per 100 vehicles. The problem is a broken radio knob counts as one problem, and a complete transmission failure also counts as one problem. Keep that in mind.
- Jerry Reynolds, The Car Pro
The results of the new J.D. Power 2023 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS) are in - and Lexus makes a triumphant return as the #1 overall brand for dependability after dropping to surprising 6th place last year. Before we dig deeper into the 2023 results, here are some other noteworthy takeaways:
- Kia ranks as the highest mass-market brand for the third year in a row.
- Ram, Volvo and Nissan are the brands with the biggest improvement when it comes to the number of owner-reported problems.
- Tesla officially included in the industry tabulation this year.
- The Toyota C-HR and Lexus RX tie for most dependable model.
- Toyota/Lexus receives the most model year awards.
- Porsche which placed 2nd overall in 2021, 7th in 2022, drops to 20th place in 2023.
J.D. Power 2023 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study
Overall, vehicle dependability is up over 2022. The study reports an industry average of 186 problems per 100 (PP100) vehicles, an improvement of 6 PP100 from 2022. Mass market vehicles showed the most improvement. Premium vehicles the least and researchers say that's because premium vehicles have more tech - thus there's a greater likelihood of issues.
The study examines how 2020 model-year vehicles are currently performing in terms of quality, component replacement and appeal—including those vehicles with new technology. Researchers says the study results help automotive manufacturers design and build better vehicles to stand the test of time and promote higher resale value.
J.D. Power redesigned the study in 2022 to include features and technology that are available in current vehicles. It now covers 184 specific problem areas across nine major vehicle categories: climate; driving assistance; driving experience; exterior; features/controls/displays; infotainment; interior; powertrain; and seats.
Lexus ranks as the #1 overall and luxury brand. Toyota ranks 7th overall and the Toyota Highlander is the highest-ranked upper Midsize SUV. Credit: Toyota/Lexus.Mass Market Segment Leads Improvements
As we mentioned above, researchers say mass market brands lead this year's improvement - with fewer problems with 182 PP100 as opposed to 205 PP100 among premium brands. (The lower the PP score the better.) It's the continuation of a trend that researchers started to see in 2016 - and this year marks the widest gap between the two segments since the study launched 34 years ago.
“It is typical in the automotive industry to roll out concepts and features by putting them in premium vehicles first,” said Frank Hanley, senior director of auto benchmarking at J.D. Power. “A bellwether for mass market brands looking to adopt and implement these technology features into their portfolio is in two of the industry’s preeminent studies, the J.D. Power Initial Quality StudySM (IQS) and the Vehicle Dependability Study. Connecting insights from the two studies better informs automakers by substantiating trends and showcasing how some automakers are preventing problems from occurring early on and throughout the ownership experience.”
The 2023 study looks at 3-year-old vehicles that were first examined in the 2020 U.S. Initial Quality Study. Six of the 10 highest-ranked brands in the 2020 IQS are among the 10 highest-ranked brands in this year’s VDS.
Biggest Problem Areas
The most deteriorated areas from 90 days to three years of ownership are starter battery failures, outdated maps, Android Auto/Apple Car Play and voice recognition problems. J.D. Power says the increase in tech-related issues shows the importance that over-the-air updates can play in correcting issues with audio systems and keeping the information in them up to date.
Key Findings
Here are the study's key findings as outlined in the J.D. Power Press Release:
- Infotainment systems continue to be most problematic: The infotainment category continues to be the most problematic with an average of 49.9 PP100—almost twice as many problems as the next-highest category, which is exterior. Six of the top 10 problem areas in the study are infotainment-related, including built-in voice recognition (7.2 PP100); Android Auto/Apple CarPlay connectivity (5.5 PP100); built-in Bluetooth system connectivity (4.0 PP100); touchscreen/display screen difficult to use (4.0 PP100); not enough power plugs/USB ports (3.8 PP100); and navigation system inaccurate/outdated map (3.3 PP100). “IQS and VDS data are telling us that if the Android Auto/Apple CarPlay connectivity trend continues, this area could take over the least-coveted top spot for problems in long-term durability,” Hanley said.
- Technology improves appeal for parts that seem outdated: Owners’ relationships with their vehicles goes beyond wear and tear on parts; it also includes their expectations of how up to date the technology remains over time. For example, satisfaction scores for vehicle condition improve when vehicles receive over-the-air software updates to infotainment systems that are perceived to not be meeting today’s standards.
- Reduction in component replacement: Nearly two-thirds (63%) of vehicles required fewer component replacements in the past 12 months (excluding wear items), including key fob/key fob battery; brake rotors; headlight components/bulbs; and other exterior lights/bulbs, than in the 2022 study.
- Tie for the most dependable model: The Toyota C-HR and Lexus RX are the highest-ranked models in the study, each with 111 PP100. Both models show improvement in eight of the nine problem categories from a year ago.
- Biggest problem solvers: The top three brands with the greatest improvement in the number of problems are Ram (77 PP100 improvement), Volvo (41 PP100 improvement) and Nissan (35 PP100 improvement).
- Tesla officially included for the first time: Tesla is included in the industry VDS calculation this year for the first time, with a score of 242 PP100. However, because Tesla does not allow J.D. Power access to owner information in the states where that permission is required by law, Tesla vehicles remain ineligible for awards.
Highest-Ranked Luxury Brands
- Lexus (133 PP100)
- Genesis (144 PP100)
- Cadillac (173 PP100)
- BMW (184 PP100)
Highest-Ranked Mass Market Brands
- Kia (152 PP100)
- Buick (159 PP100)
- Chevrolet (162 PP100)
- Mitsubishi (167 PP100)
- Toyota (168 PP100).
Segment Awards
Toyota Motor Corporation receives the most model-level segment awards with six:
BMW AG and General Motors Company each receive four segment awards—BMW AG for the BMW 4 Series, BMW X2, BMW X5 and MINI Cooper, and General Motors Company for the Chevrolet Blazer, Chevrolet Silverado HD, Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Sierra.
Hyundai Motor Group receives three segment awards for the Kia Forte, Kia Optima and Kia Sportage.
Long-Term Quality and Residual Values
J.D. Power analysis shows that vehicle residual values can be significantly affected by long-term quality.
“The used-vehicle market has helped sustain dealers’ profitability in the past couple of years, but they need to know which vehicles to have on their lots,” said Jonathan Banks, vice president and general manager of vehicle valuations at J.D. Power. “Having vehicles with strong dependability scores will nurture a positive brand perception and drive foot traffic.”
About the Study
The 2023 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study is based on responses from 30,062 original owners of 2020 model-year vehicles after three years of ownership. The study was fielded from August through November.
To check out the top three models in each segment visit the J.D. Power website.
Photo Credit: Toyota Motor Corporation.