Lexus Vehicles Tops 'The Most Dependable' List Again With Kia In Third

J.D. Power has released its annual US vehicle dependability study for 2021 which measures the number of problems per 100 vehicles (PP100) experienced during the past 12 months by original owners of three-year-old vehicles. 

The 2021 US Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS) is based on a nationwide response from 33,251 original owners of 2018 model-year vehicles after three years of ownership. The study was fielded from July 2020 through November 2020.

The study covers 177 specific problems grouped into eight major vehicle categories such as the exterior, engine/transmission, controls, infotainment system, air-conditioning and seats. A lower score in the J.D. Power study means that the model is more “dependable”.

There is no weightage to the specific issues- meaning the difficulty to turn on simple features such as the wipers will score the same as a troublesome transmission.

“Today’s three-year-old vehicles are of higher quality and more dependable than in previous years.

“Most owners aren’t experiencing their vehicles breaking down or falling apart but, for many, vehicle technology continues to function poorly or inconsistently,” said Vice President of J.D. Power Automotive, Dave Sargent.

Lexus ranks highest in overall vehicle dependability among all brands, with a score of 81 PP100. This is the ninth time in 10 years that Lexus ranks highest. Porsche (86 PP100) ranks second, followed by Kia (97 PP100). Toyota scored just one unit higher than Kia.

Kia, the highest scorer in mass-market brands, also takes the bragging rights for most improvement, with a reduction of 35 PP100 compared to its 2020 score. 

Hyundai scored 101 PP100, while Mazda scored 121 PP100 and Nissan scored 128 PP100. Honda is the worst performing Japanese brand at 145 PP100, sliding from 139 PP100 a year earlier.

The Porsche 911 is the highest-ranked model in the 2021 study. It is the second time in three years that it has been named the Most Dependable Model.  

The industry average is 121 PP100, which J.D. Power says it’s the lowest score that sees a continuing downward trend from 142 PP100 three years ago.  

BMW (108) meanwhile stay clear of Mercedes-Benz (122) and Audi (127). Volvo (143) see a large reduction compared to its 2020 score, improving but is still lagging the German and Asian premium marques.

This edition is also the first time Tesla has been audited, scoring a dismal 176 PP100, placing it 30th out of the 34 manufacturers being surveyed.