The 2022 JD Power Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS) ratings are in, and Korean brands rank highest in both the mass-market and premium categories. Among mass-market brands, Kia scores highest with a reported 145 Problems Per 100 (PP100) vehicles. Genesis tops the list as the most dependable in the premium-brand category, at 155 PP100.
To arrive at these conclusions, JD Power surveys tens of thousands of verified, original owners of three-year-old 2019 model-year vehicles. The VDS collects owner feedback in 184 problem areas across nine major categories, including:
Based on this voice of the consumer data, JD Power determines which makes and models are most and least troublesome to their owners, rated on a 1,000-point scale with a PP100 score.
According to the 2022 JD Power VDS, the following mass-market brands provide the highest levels of dependability after three years of ownership:
In the premium vehicle category, these are the highest-ranked brands:
In each vehicle segment included in the study, these are the highest-ranked 2019 model-year vehicles. The first set covers mass-market brand cars and minivans:
These are the top-rated mass-market SUVs and pickup trucks for dependability:
This list includes the highest rated premium-brand models for dependability:
The most dependable individual model in the 2022 JD Power VDS is the 2019 Porsche 911.
According to JD Power, infotainment systems produce more than twice the number of complaints of any other category measured by the VDS, accounting for seven of the top ten most frequently cited problem areas.
The trouble spots, listed in order from most to least problematic, are:
Additionally, the 2022 JD Power VDS finds that, as a group, mass-market brands are more dependable than premium brands because their build quality now matches that of the more expensive vehicles, and they contain less technology.
For 2022, JD Power redesigned the VDS to reflect the proliferation of modern technology in today’s vehicles. It also newly measures owner satisfaction with software updates.
David Amodeo, director of global automotive at JD Power, explained the advantage to automakers who can provide vehicle owners with regular over-the-air software updates. In a statement, Amodeo said: “Automakers are increasingly looking at owners’ relationships with their vehicles as having similarities to other consumer technology. For instance, cellphones update all the time with over-the-air software releases and, increasingly, automakers must take advantage of this approach to fix problems, improve features and add capabilities to keep owners satisfied. Automakers that are able to do this best will have a huge advantage.”
For automakers, the implication is that by addressing owner complaints about technology, brands can improve their dependability rankings in the future. Learn more about all JD Power car ratings.
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