JD Power Vehicle Dependability Study
- Image Credit: Porsche
JD Power 2017 Vehicle Dependability Study
The 2017 JD Power Vehicle Dependability Study indicates that vehicles are getting less dependable every single year. Every car company gets a problems-per-100-vehicles rating, and the average score in 2017 is 156. The industry average was 152 in 2016, and 147 in 2015.
This is the 28th edition of the Vehicle Dependability Study, and it seeks to show problems experienced during the past 12 months by original owners of vehicles that are three years old. In this case, that means we're looking at ratings for 2014 model-year vehicles.
Problems with infotainment, navigation, and in-vehicle communication systems accounted for 22 percent of the reported problems, which makes them the biggest issues this year. The most common complaint: Bluetooth pairing/connectivity and built-in voice recognition misinterpreting commands.
Without further ado, click on the image above to see which two brands tied for first place in the 2017 rankings. Click here for more on how JD Power rankings are tallied.
- Image Credit: Lexus
Number 1 (tie): Lexus
Lexus held onto the top spot for the sixth year a row (mostly... it was actually a tie) with a rating of 110 problems per 100 vehicles. But it's not all good news for Lexus. JD Power's average dependability rating is lower across the board for the second year in a row.- Image Credit: Porsche
Number 1 (tie): Porsche
With an identical score of 110 problems per 100 vehicles, Porsche is in a statistical dead heat with Lexus for the top overall position in JD Power's 2017 Vehicle Dependability Study. Again, a score of 110 is excellent for 2017, but it's significantly lower than the 97 that Porsche earned in 2016.- Image Credit: Toyota
Number 3: Toyota
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See Local DealsToyota moves up one spot in the 2017 rankings, earning a third-place award for its score of 123 problems per 100 vehicles. Last year, Toyota got a 113 rating.
- Image Credit: Buick
Number 4: Buick
Buick falls one spot from last year to take fourth place. The brand's score of 126 problems per 100 vehicles is significantly higher in than it was last year, when Buick earned a 106.
For the second year in a row, Buick is the highest-rated American car company on JD Power's list.
- Image Credit: Mercedes-Benz
Number 5: Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz missed out on the top 10 last year, but its score of 131 problems per 100 vehicles is good enough to earn a fifth-place position for 2017.- Image Credit: Hyundai
Number 6: Hyundai
Hyundai is another new brand to the top 10 of JD Power's Vehicle Dependability Study. The Korean brand's score of 133 problems per 100 vehicles is good enough for the sixth position in 2017.- Image Credit: BMW
Number 8: BMW
With a score of 139 problems per 100 vehicles, BMW manages to snag to eight spot in JD Power's 2017 Vehicle Dependability Study.- Image Credit: Chevrolet
Number 9: Chevrolet
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See Local DealsChevrolet fell from sixth place in 2016 to ninth in 2017. Still, the Botwtie brand's score of 142 problems per 100 vehicles is significantly better than 2017's average of 156.
- Image Credit: Honda
Number 10: Honda
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See Local DealsHonda, an automaker with a sterling reputation for reliability, fell from takes seventh place in 2016 to tenth in 2017. The Japanese brand's score of 143 is much lower than last year's 126, but it's still way above average.
- Image Credit: Jaguar