J.D. Power and Associates has just released its annual Vehicle Dependability Study. Lexus has taken the top spot for the eighth year in a row, but there are some surprises. And it shows that vehicles are continuing to get more reliable year after year.
The Vehicle Dependability Study focuses on three-year-old vehicles, this time 2016 model year cars and trucks. It's the 30th year for the study, that surveys actual owners and has them report on problems and repairs to their vehicle. The study reports problems per 100 vehicles (PP100) that occurred during the previous 12 months in 177 specific areas and eight major vehicle categories. Like golf, a lower score is better.
Tops on the list was Lexus, with 106 PP100. Number two, the same as last year, was Porsche with 108. While both of those were worse than last year's results, which were 99 and 100 respectively, the rest of the industry is catching up quickly. Toyota was third this year, also with 108 PP100, improved from 9th and 127 last year. Chevrolet was in fourth with 115, up from sixth and 124 last year.
Chrysler showed the biggest improvement this year, dropping 65 PP100 to 146 and moving from the bottom of 2018's list to midpack this year. Mini also had a strong climb, improving 34 PP100 to move ahead of parent BMW.
The industry as a whole improved 6 PP100 to 136, from 142 last year and 156 in 2017.
For the first time this year, J.D. Power awarded a Most Dependable Model overall, not just class winners. The winner was the Porsche 911. Because the study is of MY 2016 vehicles, there were some models that are no longer with us as class winners as well. Like the Chrysler Town and Country and Buick Verano. GM took home the most segment awards with five and Toyota/Lexus were second with four.
