Lexus again tops the ranks of J.D. Power’s newest vehicle dependability survey (VDS), but car owners overall are making more complaints as vehicles get more and more complex.
The 2025 J.D. Power VDS, now in its 36th year, covers 184 specific problem areas across vehicle categories, like infotainment systems, diver assistance tech, powertrain, and interior and exterior features, across the first three years of ownership.
Toyota’s (TM) Lexus brand snagged the top honors in vehicle dependability for a third consecutive year, with a score of 140 PP100 (problems per 100 vehicles). GM’s (GM) Buick brand ranked highest in the mass market segment, with a score of 143. Mazda (MZDAY) came in second with 161, and Toyota, at 162, came third.
At the premium end, Cadillac (169) ranks second behind overall winner Lexus (also a premium brand), with Germany’s Porsche (186) coming in third.
On the flip side, Volkswagen (285), Chrysler (282, Jeep (275), VW’s Audi (273), and Land Rover (270) suffered the most issues and ranked in the bottom five. Tesla ranked in the middle of the pack (209).
J.D. Power said the 2025 VDS is based on responses from 34,175 owners of 2022 model-year vehicles after three years of ownership. The VDS differs from J.D. Power’s widely followed initial quality survey, which covers issues dealing with the first year of ownership.
Overall, problems with software defects and personal device integration (i.e., connecting iPhones and Android devices), plus issues with plug-in hybrid EVs, plagued owners of those cars bought back in 2022. J.D. Power found that the industry overall saw a 6% increase in problems (12 PP100) from a year ago.
“While the increase in problems this year may be a thorn in the side of automakers and owners, it’s important to remember that today’s three-year-old vehicles were built during a time when the industry was grappling with major disruptions,” said Jason Norton, director of auto benchmarking at J.D. Power. “Supply chain issues, record-high vehicle prices, and personnel disruption in the wake of the pandemic were problematic.”
Overall, Toyota and GM products received the most model-level awards, with six each.
The most dependable model overall across all brands was Toyota’s Avalon sedan, a full-size vehicle that, interestingly, isn’t one of Toyota’s top sellers. The highest-ranked compact car was the Toyota Corolla, followed by the Kia Forte and Subaru Impreza. The premium segment had the BMW’s stalwart 3 series on top, with the 4 Series in second.
The midsize car segment had the top-selling Camry taking top honors, followed by Nissan’s Altima and the Hyundai Sonata. The Chevrolet Corvette had the highest score in the premium “sporty” car segment.
