These Are the Most Reliable Cars in Each Category, Says J.D. Power

TTAC Staff
by TTAC Staff
Photo credit: Honcharuk Andrii / Shutterstock.com

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 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.

TTAC Staff
TTAC Staff

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  • Redapple2 Modern faux retro styling? I m beginning to HATE it. Was the PT Cruiser the first - 20 some years ago. Next, my new Land Rover in 2006 was in the shop 3x in the first year. Almost came to blows with the service manager when they wouldnt admit to a defect and wanted me to pay $1200 on something. (an 8 month old car mind you). 3- what s with the smaller square tail lights next to the bigger square tail lights? Cheap gimmicky styling flair? I truly cant stand Land Rovers any more. I ll buy a Yukon Denali from evil gm Vampire before I buy one of these.
  • 2ACL If you're going to put $13k into a tired Astro van, either finish building it into a presentable daily, drive it as a pack mule until it's immobile again, or accept a very cold shower to part ways. As is, it looks like a crusher fugitive and sounds as if it drives like one, too.
  • Tassos go for it, Tim.. what an effing MASOCHIST....
  • Tassos I love the styling of all LAND ROVERS, which include both this "defender" and the "range Rovers", and I could care less if they are separate subbrands or whatever, they are all LAND ROVERS.Their styling is so iconic, even the half a million bucks Rolls Royce Cullinan looks bad by comparison. they are the ONLY really GOOD LOOKING SUVS IMHO.The above makes it a MONUMENTAL PITY that these beautiful vehicles have SUCH ATROCIOUS, not just VW ATROCIOUS, but Maserati and Alfa ATROCIOUS, Reliability.Pity!
  • Tassos All of VW's EVS have been DISMAL FAILURES. They utterly lack the awesome performance and range of same priced Teslas, and now they prove to be a worthless POS like EVERY OTHER VW, reliability-wise.In the Competitive US market, the ALMIGHTY CONSUMER has PUNISHED VW AGAIN AND AGAIN for their WORTHLESS, SHODDY PRODUCTS. As with ICEs, same with EVs.
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