2023 J.D. Power Dependability Study – Lexus and Kia on Top, Ford and Mercedes-Benz Drop

In the month of February, on an annual basis, the esteemed researchers at J.D. Power release a study on the dependability of vehicles that have been on the road for some years. The study conducted this year relied upon responses from a significant sample size of 30,062 owners of three-year-old vehicles who acquired them in a new state. The overarching conclusion deduced from this study entails that, albeit an overall improvement in dependability across the industry is slowly surfacing, areas pertaining to advanced technology and infotainment systems, however, continue to pose unresolved complications.

The diligent scholars at J.D. Power take pains to consolidate their information, following which they utilize this information to engineer a ranking methodology founded on the number of problems observed per 100 vehicles (PP100). The resultant lower numerical score, perforce, signifies the superiority of the evaluated vehicles, and for the year 2023, the peerless crown was seized by none other than the prolific Lexus, whose score of 133 stood unparalleled.

This triumph also granted Lexus the status of the foremost luxury brand on the list. Meanwhile, a similarly noteworthy accomplishment in the category of mass-market automotive fabrication was achieved by Kia, who merited the top rank with a score of 152. However, at the opposite end of the aforementioned ranking scale, the reprehensible Land Rover bears the ignominy of securing the final and regrettable position, with a disconcerting score of 273. Notably, the industry average has been projected this year by J.D. Power at a value of 186, presenting a noteworthy, albeit moderate, increase of 6 from its 2022 predecessor.

^{Least Reliable Five Marquees, 2023 J.D. Power Vehicle Dependability Study}

For the most part, the list enumerating the automotive rankings of the year in question bears much resemblance to that of its predecessor. Nevertheless, a handful of anomalies that are deserving of mention have managed to secure themselves a conspicuous position within the rankings, and in this regard, the renowned automaker Ford has been deemed to be the most striking of them all. A stupefying declination of 61 points ensued in a single year, plummeting the Blue Oval from its status of being above the average limit in 2022, where it had attained a score of 188, down to a meagre 249, thus achieving the infamous distinction of being the lowest-ranked mass-market brand. In the proximity of Ford, one shall find Audi, concluding the rankings with a score of 252. Regrettably, Ford’s own luxury brand, Lincoln, ranks just one level higher than the infamous Land Rover, standing at 259. Finally, the disconcerting Mercedes-Benz clinches the bottom fifth position in the hierarchy, with a stupefying score of 240, exemplifying a rather unexpected and unpleasant downfall, given that the brand, hailing from Germany, had found itself in average territory merely a year prior, with a score of 195.

General Motors has triumphantly ascended to the summit, for it boasts a duo of brands in the top five. In the fourth position, one shall find Buick, a brand that has managed to score 159, while the fifth position has been secured by Chevrolet, culminating with a score of 162. Setting aside the revered brands Lexus and Kia, there exists another extraordinary top-five brand, which goes by the name of Genesis, attaining a score of 144. Although it is still a smidgen beneath the industry’s average limit, Ram has been able to boost its dependability index by a staggering 77 points from the previous year, arriving at a score of 189. Volvo, another notable player, has successfully augmented its score by 41 points, resulting in an overall score of 215. Finally, the acclaimed Japanese company Nissan has demonstrated a commendable improvement of 35 points, leading it to reach the top 10 with a score of 170.

^{Best Five Marquees, 2023 J.D. Power Vehicle Dependability Study}

Concerning the specific vehicles, J.D. Power has denoted the Lexus RX and Toyota C-HR as having the highest degree of dependability, resulting in a tie between the two. Kia has claimed the supreme rating for both compact and mid-size classes, with the Forte and Optima, correspondingly. Additionally, within the SUV realm, the Kia Sportage has also attained the best score for compact SUVs. Other noteworthy vehicles include the Chevrolet Tahoe for large SUVs, the Chevrolet Blazer for mid-size SUVs, the GMC Sierra for full-size light-duty pickups, and the Toyota Tacoma for mid-size pickups. You can obtain the complete results of the dependability study at J.D. Power.

Source and Images: Motor1