Top 10 Most Dependable Automakers of 2019: J.D. Power
J.D. Power is well-known for its annual U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study, which attempts to rank automakers based on reliability using data obtained through consumer polling.
J.D. Power published the 2019 edition of the list this week, which showed some small shifts in vehicle dependability over last year.
For the study, J.D. Power quizzes the original owners of vehicles after three years of ownership on various categories, including Exterior, Interior, Seats, Engine/Transmission, Driving Experience, Audio/Navigation and Controls/Displays. The quiz measures the number of problems experienced per 100 vehicles, with J.D. Power then ranking brands based on that metric, assigning them a ‘PP100’ score. The lower the score, the fewer problems experienced by owners of vehicles from that brand. Simple!
SEE ALSO: Top 10 Vehicles with the Best Resale Value: 2019
Scroll below to see which brands achieved the best PP100 score from J.D. Power this year. It should be noted that small problems with technology, such as faulty voice recognition systems or a slower-than-usual infotainment screen, count as a “problem” in this study, so a low-ranked vehicle may not be unreliable in a traditional sense, but may instead have issues related to the way its technology operates.
10. Kia
Kia is still mighty reliable, appearing in J.D. Power’s top 10 for most dependable brands, but has dropped from 5th place in 2018 to 10th. It had a PP100 score of 122 last year and posted a similar score of 126 this year.
8. Hyundai (Tie)
Hyundai has fallen from 6th place in last year’s study to 9th this year. It had a PP100 score of 127 last year and had a score of 124 this year, so Hyundai’s dependability score didn’t get worse — the competition just got better.
8. Audi (Tie)
Some German brands have struggled in J.D. Power’s Vehicle Dependability Study in recent years, but Audi managed to improve upon its past performance, posting up a PP100 score of 124. Audi did not appear on the top 10 last year.
ALSO SEE: Are CVT Transmissions Reliable?
7. BMW
BMW’s PP100 score for 2019 was 122, a good improvement over its 2018 score of 127.
6. MINI
MINI is a surprising brand to see on this list. Its vehicles proved to be dependable in the past few years, though, achieving a PP100 score of 119.
5. Buick
Buick is becoming a staple of the J.D. Power Vehicle Dependability Study. It made a surprise appearance on the list last year with a PP100 score of 116 and returns this year with a solid score of 118.
SEE ALSO: Top 10 Best Engines of 2019: WardsAuto
4. Chevrolet
Another General Motors brand appears on the list in the way of Chevrolet. It posted a PP100 score of 124 in 2018 and improved upon it this year with a 115. Nice!
2. Toyota (tie)
Toyota is the king of vehicle dependability. It posted a PP100 score of 108 last year, enough to tie for second and a huge improvement over last year’s score of 127.
2. Porsche (tie)
Porsche is another brand that is becoming well-known for its dependability. It had a PP100 score of 100 last year and was slightly worse this year with a score of 108.
1. Lexus
For the eighth straight year (!!!) Lexus is the undisputed champion of vehicle dependability. It posted a PP100 score of 99 last year and this year had a score of 106.
ALSO SEE: Top 10 Best Cars for Teens – The Short List
Get the Flash Player to see this player.
Sam McEachern holds a diploma in journalism from St. Clair College in Windsor, Ontario, and has been covering the automotive industry for over 5 years. He conducts reviews and writes AutoGuide's news content. He's a die-hard motorsports fan with a passion for performance cars of all sorts.
More by Sam McEachern
Comments
Join the conversation