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

TTAC Staff
by TTAC Staff
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
TTAC Staff

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  • FreedMike Civic for the win based on looks. But continuing with the "but...Mazda" theme, I take a 3 over either of these.
  • Buickman HI-LOW?
  • Redapple2 175,000 miles? Wow. Another topic, Hot chicks drive Cabos at higher % than most other cars. I always look.
  • Mister When the news came out, I started checking Autotrader and cars.com for stickshift Versas. There are already a handful showing at $15.3k. When anybody talks about buying a new Versa, folks always say that you're better off buying a nicer used car for the same money. But these days, $15.3k doesn't buy very many "nicer used cars".
  • 28-Cars-Later A little pricy given mileage but probably not a horrible proposition for a Sunday car. The old saying is you're not buying a pre-owned car you're buying the previous owner, and this one has it hooked up to a float charger (the fact he even knows what one is, is a very good sign IMO). Leather and interior look decent, not sure which motor this runs but its probably common (for VAG at least). Body and paint look clean, manual trans, I see the appeal."but I think that's just a wire, not a cracked body panel." Tim, its a float charger. I am doing the exact same thing with the charger hanging via a magnetic hook on the HVAC overhead in my garage.
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