J.D. Power has just published its 2024 Vehicle Dependability Study, which is based on responses from 30,595 original owners of 2021 model-year vehicles after three years of ownership. It covers more than 180 specific problem areas across nine major vehicle categories: climate; driving assistance; driving experience; exterior; features/controls/displays; infotainment; interior; powertrain; and seats.
The main takeaway from this year’s study is that dependability levels are down across the industry, with nearly two-thirds of brands generating more problems than a year ago. “This can likely be attributed to the tumultuous time during which these vehicles were built, and owners are keeping their vehicles for much longer,” said Frank Hanley, senior director of auto benchmarking at J.D. Power.
- Also: 2024 Buick Envision Gets New Tech and Styling
- Also: All-New Toyota 4Runner to Debut Next Week, Here’s What to Expect
Owners are experiencing more problems with infotainment systems and advanced driver assistance features, not to mention battery-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, according to the study.
Lexus leads the entire industry with 135 owner-reported problems per 100 vehicles. It is followed Toyota (147), Buick (149), Chevrolet (174), MINI (174), Porsche (175), Mazda (185), Kia (187), as well as BMW, Dodge and Jeep (190). Surprised by the last three?
At the bottom of the ranking are Chrysler (310), Audi (275), Land Rover (268), Volkswagen (267) and Lincoln (251). Tesla (252) is not included due to a small sample size.
Now, what about the most dependable three-year-old models in 2024? Check out the photo gallery above for a look at the category winners according to J.D. Power.