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:
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.
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.
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.
Here are the study's key findings as outlined in the J.D. Power Press Release:
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.
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.”
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.