The same J.D Power survey also claims Audi and Chrysler are the least reliable
Okay, so in the latest J.D. Power Vehicle Dependability Study, a survey which looks at how many cars owners in the U.S report as being reliable or unreliable concluded that Lexus and Toyota are top performers with the least issues needing a fix at the shop, but there has been an overall decrease in vehicle dependability across the board.
This shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone as brands like Toyota and Honda are known to have made many great and reliable cars that very rarely break down or experience any problem at all, and even have built cars in the past that run very well today. These days, however, as part of business, cars are not built to last long.
Moreover, the survey, which garnered responses from over 30,000 car owners of 2021 model-year vehicles after three years of ownership, highlights infotainment technologies as a significant source of driver dissatisfaction. We have often said that there is too much tech in new cars here at DSF and it looks like we were right.
The J.D Power survey actually concluded that systems like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are particularly problematic, reflecting a broader trend in the industry. Still, these systems are actually quite popular here in Malaysia and some may consider, even essential, to the driving experience. Do you think so?
On top of that, for the second consecutive year, Lexus claims the highest overall ranking in the premium brand category, followed by Porsche and BMW (shocking). In the mass market segment, Toyota secures the top position, with Buick coming in second and Chevrolet and Mini tying for third.
Now anyone who has ever owned a new BMW will tell you that these cars are actually quite well built and not problematic at all. Typically, older BMWs are seen as problematic as the next owner does not use original parts or service the car on time and this is what makes it problematic. The J.D Power survey should prove this.
Even more interestingly, the J.D Power survey also notes a decline in long-term vehicle dependability, with an increase in reported problems for nearly two-thirds of the brands included in the study. This is also not surprising as mentioned earlier. It should also be noted that Tesla is the fifth least reliable brand on the list.
Still, at the end of the day, a car is something we choose ourselves, so if you like a car and can live with its general unreliability, then buy it, if you only care about reliability, well, Toyota and Lexus have you covered.
