Daily Slideshow: Lexus Models Top J.D. Power's List of Most Dependable
Lexus leads all brands in the J.D. Power 2018 Vehicle Dependability Study, with Porsche close behind.
Dependable Results
Meet the new boss, same as the old boss. Lexus led four categories (and Toyota two more,) and topped all manufacturers in J.D. Power’s 2018 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study. The consultancy firm's influential study measures the number of problems experienced per 100 vehicles over the past 12 months by original owners of 2015 model-year vehicles. The study covers 177 specific problems divided into eight major categories. A lower numerical score indicates higher quality and Lexus earned the top score with 99 problems per hundred cars, with Porsche close behind at 100 problems per hundred, and Buick coming third with 116 (Toyota came in at 127). This marks the seventh straight year for Lexus as the most reliable brand, this in the midst of historically high marks for the industry overall. The study reported a 9 percent improvement in vehicle dependability over last year's results and the first improvement for the industry overall since 2013's study.
Lexus CT
"Improving dependability ultimately supports new vehicle sales and provides a better perception of the brand," said Jonathan Banks, Vice President of Vehicle Analysis and Analytics at J.D. Power. That's good news for Lexus and Lexus buyers alike. Buyers of the Lexus CT hybrid received the good news that their car led the Small Premium Car category, finishing ahead of the BMW 2 Series, which also showed impressive results.
Lexus IS
Lexus also finished first in the Compact Premium Car category, ranking ahead of its competitors, the Infiniti Q40 and the BMW 4 Series. About the study, which collected data from 36,896 original owners, Dave Sargent, Vice President of Global Automotive at J.D. Power said, "For the most part, automotive manufacturers continue to meet consumers’ vehicle dependability expectations . . . vehicle dependability is, without question, at its best level ever. For people looking for a new or used model, now is a good time to find that special vehicle."
Lexus GS
In the Midsize Premium Car segment, Lexus's GS model led all other models, again finishing ahead of BMW who came in second with their popular 5 series line. Lexus again proves that it's "the Lexus" of cars.
Lexus RX (and GX)
In the fiercely-contested Midsize Premium SUV category, Lexus's stalwart RX badge ranked highest. Lexus's popular SUV finished ahead of the second place Lincoln MKX and another Lexus, the GX, in third.
In the Small Premium SUV category, however, the Mercedes-Benz GLK finished ahead of Lexus. The discontinued GLX ranked higher than the second-place Porsche Macan, with the Lexus NX coming in at third.
Family Values
Lexus relation Toyota also lead their respective categories in quality, with the Toyota Tacoma taking top honors among the field of Midsize Pickups, and the Prius finishing first in the Compact Car class. Toyota as a brand finished ninth overall in dependability in the J.D. Power survey. The survey includes all manner of problems, and demerits in areas like voice recognition and Bluetooth connectivity, two of the most common complaints, can drag a model's ranking down. Reliability has been shown to be an important factor for car buyers, with owners who did not experience any problems with their vehicle reporting that they'd purchase the same brand again in more than 50 percent of cases. J.D. Power also found a strong connection between long-term quality and resale values, as the firm's Jonathan Banks sated, "Strong dependability scores not only improve demand for used vehicles but also are a contributor to higher residual values." After last year's overall tie with Porsche in the survey, it's reassuring to see Lexus again capture the top spot in an area that is at the core of the brand's values.
To keep your Lexus on the road and running right check out the How-to section of ClubLexus.