Top Makes and Models in 2021 J.D. Power Vehicle Dependability Study
Vehicles are more dependable than ever, with the overall level of problems cited by owners declining 10 percent from a year ago. That’s according to the recently published 2021 Vehicle Dependability Study by J.D. Power, which measures problems in model-year 2018 vehicles.
The study covers more than 175 specific problems grouped into eight major vehicle categories. Input from owners is then used to rank brands and determine the most dependable models.
Lexus is back at the top with just 81 problems per 100 vehicles. It is followed by Porsche (86), Kia (97), Toyota (98), Buick (100), Cadillac (100), Hyundai (101), Genesis (102), Lincoln (106), Acura (108) and BMW (108).
What are the least dependable car brands? Land Rover (244), Alfa Romeo (196), Jaguar (186), Chrysler (166) and Volkswagen (163) make up the bottom five. Tesla (176) is not officially ranked among other brands in the study because it doesn’t meet the ranking criteria.
Check out the photo gallery above to find out the most dependable models in each and every category.
Most Dependable Vehicle Overall – Porsche 911
Small Premium Car – BMW 2 Series
2nd place: Audi A3
Compact Car – Volkswagen Beetle
2nd place: Chevrolet Cruze, 3rd place: Toyota Corolla and Prius
Compact Premium Car – Lexus ES
2nd place: Lincoln MKZ, 3rd place: BMW 4 Series
Midsize Car – Kia Optima
2nd place: Hyundai Sonata, 3rd place: Ford Fusion
Midsize Sporty Car – Chevrolet Camaro
2nd place: Dodge Challenger
Midsize Premium Car – Genesis G80
2nd place: Cadillac CT6, 3rd place: BMW 5 Series
Large Car – Toyota Avalon
2nd place: Chevrolet Impala
Small SUV – Kia Sportage
2nd place: Buick Encore, 3rd place: Hyundai Tucson
Small Premium SUV – Mercedes-Benz GLA
2nd place: Audi Q3
Compact SUV – Buick Envision
2nd place: Toyota RAV4, 3rd place: Subaru Forester
Compact Premium SUV – Porsche Macan
2nd place: Lexus NX, 3rd place: Lincoln MKC
Midsize SUV – Kia Sorento
2nd place: Toyota Highlander, 3rd place: Ford Edge
Midsize Premium SUV – Lexus GX
2nd place: Cadillac XT5, 3rd place: Lexus RX
Large SUV – Chevrolet Tahoe
2nd place: Chevrolet Suburban, 3rd place: GMC Yukon
Minivan – Toyota Sienna
2nd place: Dodge Grand Caravan, 3rd place: Chrysler Pacifica
Midsize Pickup – Nissan Frontier
2nd place: Honda Ridgeline
Large Light-duty Pickup – Toyota Tundra
2nd place: Chevrolet Silverado 1500, 3rd place: Ram 1500
Large Heavy-duty Pickup – Chevrolet Silverado HD
2nd place: Ram 2500/3500