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

by TTAC Staff

Published: February 12th, 2024

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

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Golden2husky This was a common topic at work - kids learned how to drive, and now another car is needed. I was amazed at all the excuses made about how their kid must have a new car. Used cars are a "risk" for breakdown, they are not as safe, etc...which is all BS of course. How much difference in safety is there between a new car and the same model that is five years old? Maintained cars don't break down very often. I've driven cars for far, far longer than most and have been towed exactly twice in my entire driving career (about 800,000 miles). While I wouldn't put my daughter into a 15 year old car and let her drive across the country, I would be fine with a 5 year old car that was well cared for. Let's be realistic - new drivers are likely to get into a fender bender - why do that to a new car. I was thrilled to get an 8 year old car for college back in the day even though my folks could afford to buy all of us new cars if they wanted to. If you Want to buy your kid new, go ahead. Just don't freak out when they come home with a fresh dent.
CanadaCraig Can you eventually go to prison for driving without a licence in the US?
CanadaCraig To hell with the UAW.
CanadaCraig First I'll answer the question. YES. Toyota, Mazda and Subaru are doing the right thing. That said... If only those pushing for an all EV world would care as much about the 1 BILLION earthlings that make less than $1 a day.
Redapple2 All this BEV investment. A bigger impact (less oil consumption) would have been made if we had made PIG UP trucks smaller since 2000 and not HUGEr. (And raised gas tax by $2-3/gallon.)