Kia ranked 1 in JD Power reliability survey

JDPower’s ‘Vehicle Dependability Study’ (VDS) is perhaps the world’s best-known research into the reliability of car models, although it focuses on the US market. Using a proven method, the annually recurring survey focuses on cars that are about three years old at the time of the survey. This is based on model years, so this time it was the turn of model year 2019.

Remarkable shifts are taking place in the 2022 study compared to last year. For example, Lexus is now not in first place among the brands, but Kia. The Koreans are doing well anyway, because Hyundai is in third place. Luxury brand Genesis, which made it to first place ‘overall’ in 2020, is now in fourth place. It can still call itself the winner among the premium brands. Buick, the GM branch that often scored remarkably high in previous editions, comes in a very good second place in this survey. ‘Audience favourites’ Toyota and Lexus are in fifth and sixth place on the list.

Porsche

Many European brands can be found somewhere around or below the middle bracket. As usual, Porsche is doing well and once again scores the title of ‘most reliable car model’ with the 911. At the bottom of the list we find a striking number of brands of what was called FCA not so long ago with Chrysler, Alfa Romeo and Ram. It is no big surprise that Land Rover also ends up at the bottom, but Volvo’s third lowest place may well be.

In this study, calculations are made in ‘problems per 100 vehicles’, or ‘PP100’. These problems are registered in all kinds of areas, from climate control to exterior and from infotainment to powertrain. In 2022 there will be a ‘driving assistance’ category for the first time, for driving assistance systems. The VDS study should not be confused with JD Power’s Initial Quality Study, which is often presented in the summer. This looks at problems with brand new cars and not at the reliability of copies that have been on the road for some years.