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

by TTAC Staff

Published: February 15th, 2024

Photo credit: Nestor Rizhniak / 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 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.

TTAC Staff

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CanadaCraig VoGhost - According to the Harvard Study that you may have referenced, millions of those deaths are caused by wildfires [forest fires] and agricultural burns. How many are actually caused by people driving their ICE powered cars? That said.... I wonder how many lives are SAVED because of fossil fuels. How many people are not freezing to death each year? [and so on]
Ptcruiser Put a PTEazer nose on it and let Chrysler sell some. Make it a 2 seater with no back seats. Have two or three battery pack versions. Affordable 140 mile pack. 180 mile pack. 240 mile pack. All versions to offer plug in behind seats, pack plug ins under flat storage floor, for EGO batteries for extended range. Room for 4 or 5 across and 2 or 3 rows back. Apartment life could have two home chargers to charge up multiple EGO batteries. EGO batteries would recharge main packs when main packs are below EGO battery level. One way power draw. Since Apartment life is without charging abilities.
Varezhka Not the biggest surprise, considering that the new 500 is a platform sibling of a similarly sized (but dead) Opel Adam. And Italy, its biggest market, is not the best market for BEVs. Curious if it will be the same 1.2L I3 mild hybrid as the bigger 600.
El scotto Does it have buttons for HVAC and infotainment controls? Steering wheel controls count.
SCE to AUX Fiat USA is a joke, and may not exist in 2026. They could put a Hemi in a 500 and nobody would buy it.