These Are the Most Reliable Cars in Each Category, Says J.D. Power
Recent findings from J.D. Power show that after three years of ownership, vehicle dependability has diminished. Owners are reporting more problems compared to the previous year, with the industry average escalating to 190 problems per 100 vehicles (PP100). The disparity in problem rates between the initial 90 days and three years of ownership has surged, indicating a notable decrease in vehicle dependability over time.
Electrified Vehicles: A Mixed Bag
Owners of BEVs and PHEVs report more problems than those with gasoline and hybrid vehicles, with tire replacement being a notable issue for BEV owners.
Segment-by-Segment Breakdown
The study lists the most reliable vehicles across different categories, with Toyota Motor Corporation achieving the most segment awards. Here is an organized summary of the top-ranking models:
Compact and Midsize Cars:
Compact Cars:
- Toyota Corolla
- Honda Civic
- Toyota Prius
Compact Premium Cars:
- Lexus IS
- BMW 4 Series
- BMW 3 Series
Midsize Cars:
- Toyota Camry
- Chevrolet Malibu
- Hyundai Sonata
Midsize Premium Cars:
- Lexus ES
Premium Sporty Cars:
- Porsche 718
- Chevrolet Corvette
Pickup and Van Segments:
Large Heavy Duty Pickups:
- Ford Super Duty
- GMC Sierra HD
- Chevrolet Silverado HD
Large Light Duty Pickups:
- Toyota Tundra
- GMC Sierra
- Chevrolet Silverado
Midsize Pickups:
- Toyota Tacoma
- Chevrolet Colorado
- Ford Ranger
Minivans:
- Kia Sedona
- Toyota Sienna
- Honda Odyssey
Standout Brands
Lexus is recognized as the most reliable brand overall, followed by Porsche and BMW for premium brands. In the mass market, Toyota ranks highest with Buick and Chevrolet in a close contest for reliability.
Methodology of the Study
The study reflects the experiences of over 30,000 owners of 2021 model-year vehicles after three years. It encompasses 184 problem areas across nine vehicle categories to provide a detailed analysis of long-term vehicle reliability.
This article was co-written using AI and was then heavily edited and optimized by our editorial team.
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- Tassos You can answer your own question for yourself, Tim, if you ask instead"Have Japanese (or Korean) Automakers Eaten Everyone's Lunch"?I am sure you can answer it without my help.
- Tassos WHile this IS a legitimate used car, unlike the vast majority of Tim's obsolete 30 and 40 year old pieces of junk, the price is ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS. It is not even a Hellcat. WHat are you paying for? The low miles? I wish it had DOUBLE the miles, which would guarantee it was regularly driven AND well maintained these 10 years, and they were easy highway miles, not damaging stop-go city miles!!!
- Tassos Silly and RIdiculous.The REAL Tassos.
- Lostboy If you can stay home when it's bad out in winter, then maybe your 3 season tire WILL be an "ALL-SEASON" tire as your just not going to get winters and make do? I guess tire rotations and alignments just because a whole lot more important!
- Mike My wife has a ‘20 Mazda3 w/the Premium Package; before that she had a ‘15 Mazda3 i GT; before THAT she had an ‘06 Mazda Tribute S V6, ie: Ford Escape with a Mazda-tuned suspension. (I’ve also had two Miata NAs, a ‘94 & a ‘97M, but that’s another story.) We’ve gotten excellent service out of them all. Her 2020, like the others before it, is our road trip car - gets 38mpg highway, it’s been from NC to Florida, Texas, Newfoundland, & many places in between. Comfortable, sporty, well-appointed, spacious, & reliable. Sure, we’d look at a Mazda hybrid, but not anytime soon.😎
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