In the annual reliability rating for 2026, based on surveys of car owners, Volkswagen took last place. In penultimate place was the Volvo brand, a step higher – Land Rover. American car owners named Lexus models as the most reliable and problem-free.
The study estimates the number of identified problems per 100 cars over three years of ownership: the latest rating evaluates the reliability of cars produced in 2023.
Volkswagen, which American car owners are most dissatisfied with, had 301 problems per 100 cars. Moreover, a year ago he had 285 of them per 100 cars, that is, over the year the situation has worsened. Volvo identified 296 malfunctions and difficulties per 100 vehicles, Land Rover – 274, Jeep – 267, Audi – 244.
The main reasons for complaints from owners, as in previous years, do not lie in engines or transmissions. The main irritant is electronics and multimedia. Four out of the five most common problems are related to connecting smartphones: failures of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, unstable operation of Bluetooth, wireless charging and proprietary mobile applications of automakers.
JD Power experts note that the overall reliability level of new cars is not growing: the industry average has risen to 204 problems per 100 cars, which is worse than the 2025 result.
The ranking of the most reliable brands for the fourth year in a row was topped by Lexus (151 faults per 100 cars), and the Lexus IS sedan was recognized as the most reliable in its class. “Silver” was held by Buick for the second year in a row, and Mini unexpectedly closed the top three – a year ago it was only tenth. American car owners ranked Cadillac and Chevrolet in fourth and fifth place in terms of reliability. The JD Power study covered responses from 33.3 thousand owners and took into account 184 types of problems in nine categories – from powertrain operation to driver assistance systems.
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