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The 2024 Toyota 4Runner 4x4 Limited V6 at the Washington, DC Auto Show at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.
Jack Grimes; (Source: Michael Brochstein/SOPA Images via ZUMA/Alamy)
Neck-snapping acceleration is thrilling, and swanky interiors can be seductive, but the most important quality a car can offer is reliability. After all, zippy performance and plush seats won’t do you much good if the car won’t start in the morning. Thankfully, two firms — J.D. Power and Consumer Reports — scour thousands of owner surveys each year to find the most dependable vehicles and try to predict which new models will be the most reliable next year.
And with the average vehicle in the U.S. being 12½ years old, owners are clearly trying to squeeze more value out of their purchases, making reliability all the more critical. Here’s a look at what drivers are saying when it comes to how dependable (and not) cars are.
Overall, drivers say reliability is declining
Unfortunately, J.D. Power’s latest survey, released in February, found that overall long-term dependability declined compared to last year, with four more problems per 100 vehicles than in 2023.
What is causing the decline in reported dependability? Frank Hanley, senior director of auto benchmarking at J.D. Power, said cars with complex technology such as EVs are experiencing the biggest growing pains because of their issues with software updates and the level of complexity they present to users.
Some tech issues are also still plaguing owners, including problems connecting Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to their in-dash car systems and inaccurate built-in voice recognition systems. Other more serious issues with tech include drivers complaining about advanced driver assistance safety systems, such as the frequency of blind spot warning alerts.
EVs are getting a particularly bad rep
The J.D. Power survey also backed up many of the findings from the earlier Consumer Reports study published in November 2023, underscoring recent trends in the industry.
Particularly noteworthy, fully electric EVs generated more complaints among owners, with hybrid models (those that use gas and a self-charging battery power component) proving to be more dependable. One reason for such a trend, analysts acknowledged, is the increase in EV sales, so there was more data on EVs this year compared to previous surveys.
“EVs certainly have less maintenance than a conventional car,” said Jon Linkov, the deputy autos editor at Consumer Reports. “But for start-ups like Rivian and Lucid, while their EV technologies are really robust, the other stuff is maybe less great.” Those companies are still finding it difficult to maintain quality control, while, conversely, established automakers are finding it difficult to build reliable all-electric power trains.
Toyota wins most reliable of them all
Another area of agreement among owners in both surveys was their assessment of the most reliable automotive brand in the mainstream market: Toyota. J.D. Power’s gave Toyota nine awards in different segments, more than any other brand, as well as placing it in the number one spot for dependability in the mass market segment (Buick ranked second). Even when price wasn’t a consideration, Toyota managed to come in first overall with its luxury Lexus brand.
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