Want to know which cars are most likely to break down or have annoying tech issues? J.D. Power’s 2024 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study has just released its rankings, showing that Lexus and Toyota are the most reliable brands, while Chrysler is the least dependable, with over 300 problems per 100 vehicles. The study, which looked at issues like infotainment glitches and exterior problems from over 30,000 vehicle owners, reveals that brands like Lexus and Toyota consistently perform well, whereas others like Ford and Volkswagen struggle with more frequent problems. If you’re in the market for a new car, this list could be a game-changer for choosing a trouble-free ride!
When purchasing a new car, reliability is one of the most crucial factors to take into account, particularly with cars becoming more and more technologically complicated.
The findings of J.D. Power’s 2024 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study, which evaluated automakers according to the number of issues per 100 vehicles (PP100), are shown in this graphic by Marcus Lu of Visual Capitalist.
Data Collection and Analysis Techniques
After three years of ownership, J.D. Power gathered responses from 30,595 original owners of cars from the 2021 model year to create this ranking. Their investigation, which covered nine problem areas, was conducted from August to November 2023.
- Exterior
- Seats
- The driving experience
- Climate
- Features/controls/displays
- Interior
- Infotainment
- Powertrain
- Driving Assistance
The table below also includes the data displayed in this infographic. Take note that Tesla was left out since it did not fulfill the requirements for the study grant.
| Brand | Problems per 100 Vehicles |
|---|---|
| 🇯🇵 Lexus | 135 |
| 🇯🇵 Toyota | 147 |
| 🇺🇸 Buick | 149 |
| 🇺🇸 Chevrolet | 174 |
| 🇬🇧 MINI | 174 |
| 🇩🇪 Porsche | 175 |
| 🇯🇵 Mazda | 185 |
| 🇰🇷 Kia | 187 |
| 🇩🇪 BMW | 190 |
| 🇺🇸 Dodge | 190 |
| 🇺🇸 Jeep | 190 |
| Average | 190 |
| 🇺🇸 Cadillac | 196 |
| 🇰🇷 Hyundai | 198 |
| 🇯🇵 Subaru | 198 |
| 🇯🇵 Nissan | 199 |
| 🇰🇷 Genesis | 200 |
| 🇺🇸 Ram | 201 |
| 🇺🇸 GMC | 206 |
| 🇯🇵 Honda | 206 |
| 🇺🇸 Acura | 216 |
| 🇩🇪 Mercedes-Benz | 218 |
| 🇯🇵 Infiniti | 219 |
| 🇺🇸 Ford | 239 |
| 🇸🇪 Volvo | 245 |
| 🇺🇸 Lincoln | 251 |
| 🇩🇪 Volkswagen | 267 |
| 🇬🇧 Land Rover | 268 |
| 🇩🇪 Audi | 275 |
| 🇺🇸 Chrysler | 310 |
We may conclude from this dataset that the most dependable auto brands in the US are Toyota and its high-end division, Lexus.
Honda and Acura, with 206 and 216 PP100, are a far cry from the other Japanese pairs, ranking 20th and 21st respectively. Nissan and Infiniti, meanwhile, are ranked differently; the former is at 16th place (199 PP100) while the latter is in 23rd place (219 PP100).
Chrysler is the least dependable carmaker according to this list and the only one with more than 300 issues per 100 cars. It is important to remember that Chrysler only offered the 300 sedan and the Pacifica/Voyager minivan for the 2021 model year, which served as the study’s base.
Challenges with Infotainment Systems
A survey by J.D. Power found that owners encountered almost twice as many “Infotainment” difficulties as they did “Exterior,” the second-highest category of issues.
In the infotainment segment, built-in speech recognition and connectivity to Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were common problems.
Last month, GreatGameInternational reported that according to a recent McKinsey study, nearly half of U.S. EV drivers are considering switching back to gas vehicles.
