Most reliable: Porsche, Lexus
Lexus and Porsche are the auto brands that showed the fewest problems after three years of ownership, though technology troubles continue to drag down dependability ratings overall, a new survey from research firm J.D. Power finds.
On average, owners of 2014 models reported 156 issues per 100 cars in the past 12 months, up four from last year’s survey, says J.D. Power in the 2017 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study.
Twenty-two percent of the problems involved balky tech, whether it was related to audio systems, communication, infotainment or navigation. Last year, the figure was 20 percent.
Most problems involved smartphones and other devices that refused to pair through Bluetooth, and voice recognition systems that had trouble recognizing voices. Next came batteries that failed or wore out prematurely.
The 10 best-selling models also averaged fewer problems, 134 per 100 cars. The best-selling truck, the Ford F-150, and car, Toyota Camry, led their respec- tive categories.
“Buyers are increasingly avoiding models with poor reputations for dependability, so manufacturers can’t afford to let their quality slip,” said Dave Sargent, vice president of global automotive at J.D. Power.
As for best brands, Lexus and Porsche tied for first place for fewest problems with 110 per 100 cars. Lexus has been at the top for six straight years. The worst brand was Fiat, with 298 per 100 cars, followed by Jeep and Infiniti.
and Buick came in third and fourth, respectively, marking strong showings for nonluxury brands.
“The good news is consumers don’t have to spend a lot of money to get a very dependable vehicle,” Sargent said.
The most improved brand was Hyundai, which shed 25 problems per 100 vehicles to come in at 133. It ranked sixth, up from 19th last year. Power says it was Hyundai’s best-ever showing.
Dodge and Ford improved by 21 problems per 100 vehicles.