In the freshly released 2021 JD Power US Vehicle Dependabillity Study, one name remains constant (and, quite frankly, predictable). Lexus—for the ninth time in 10 years—ranks highest among all brands, scoring 81 problems per 100 vehicles. Meanwhile, Kia is the most dependable mass-market brand with a score of 97 PP100.
But let us call your attention to a revealing nugget of information in the study. According to JD Power, the most dependable car of all in the US market is—drum roll, please—none other than the Porsche 911. Yes, a sophisticated sports car. “Dependable” is probably not the first adjective you’d attach to a coupe. A pickup or a van, maybe. But a sports car?
Across its product line, the German automaker has done really well, too. Its average score is 86 PP100. That’s good enough to place the marque in second place overall, just behind Lexus.
Overall, the industry has averaged a record low 121 PP100, showing that the build quality of vehicles has improved significantly. Those surveyed were owners of 2018 model-year cars.
Meanwhile, below are the best-performing vehicles per segment (an asterisk indicates that “no other model performed above the segment average”).
MOST DEPENDABLE MODEL
- Porsche 911
SMALL PREMIUM CARS*
- BMW 2-Series (1st)
- Audi A3 (2nd)
COMPACT CARS
- Volkswagen Beetle (1st)
- Chevrolet Cruze (2nd)
- Toyota Corolla (3rd, tie)
- Toyota Prius (3rd, tie)
COMPACT PREMIUM CARS
- Lexus ES (1st)
- Lincoln MKZ (2nd)
- BMW 4-Series (3rd)
MIDSIZE CARS
- Kia Optima (1st)
- Hyundai Sonata (2nd)
- Ford Fusion (3rd)
MIDSIZE PREMIUM CARS
- Genesis G80 (1st)
- Cadillac CT6 (2nd)
- BMW 5-Series (3rd)
MIDSIZE SPORTY CARS*
- Chevrolet Camaro (1st)
- Dodge Challenger (2nd)
LARGE CARS*
- Toyota Avalon (1st)
- Chevrolet Impala (2nd)
SMALL SUVS
- Kia Sportage (1st)
- Buick Encore (2nd)
- Hyundai Tucson (3rd)
SMALL PREMIUM SUVS*
- Mercedes-Benz GLA (1st)
- Audi Q3 (2nd)
COMPACT SUVS
- Buick Envision (1st)
- Toyota RAV4 (2nd)
- Subaru Forester (3rd)
COMPACT PREMIUM SUVS
- Porsche Macan (1st)
- Lexus NX (2nd)
- Lincoln MKC (3rd)
MIDSIZE SUVS
- Kia Sorento (1st)
- Toyota Highlander (2nd)
- Ford Edge (3rd)
MIDSIZE PREMIUM SUVS
- Lexus GX (1st)
- Cadillac XT5 (2nd)
- Lexus RX (3rd)
LARGE SUVS
- Chevrolet Tahoe (1st)
- Chevrolet Suburban (2nd)
- GMC Yukon (3rd)
MINIVANS
- Toyota Sienna (1st)
- Dodge Grand Caravan (2nd)
- Chrysler Pacifica (3rd)
MIDSIZE PICKUPS*
- Nissan Frontier (1st)
- Honda Ridgeline (2nd)
LARGE LIGHT-DUTY PICKUPS
- Toyota Tundra (1st)
- Chevrolet Silverado (2nd)
- Ram 1500 (3rd)
LARGE HEAVY-DUTY PICKUPS*
- Chevrolet Silverado HD (1st)
- Ram 2500/3500 (2nd)
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