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We’ve talked about J.D. Power studies before, but here comes a study worth waiting for. The 2018 J.D. Power Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS) ratings have been released, and the results are great. Most automakers have improved, and there’s a little love for everybody.
In comparison to the 2017 results, the overall vehicle dependability score improved by 9-percent. Before this year’s study, there wasn’t an industry improvement since 2013, so automakers are definitely listening to the consumer and they are making improvements and changes.
Similar to the J.D. Power Initial Quality Study, a study that surveys owners of new vehicles after 90 days of ownership how they feel about their car, the J.D. power VDS surveys owners of 2015 model-year vehicles after three years of ownership. The Vehicle Dependability Study has been going on for 29 years and measures the number of problems experienced per 100 vehicles (PP100) by original owners of 2015 model-year vehicles over the past 12 months. The study covers eight major vehicle categories that cover 177 specific problems, and the results found that the industry average improved by 14 PP100 from last year, 2017.
“Strong dependability scores not only improve demand for used vehicles, but also are a contributor to higher residual values … Improving dependability ultimately supports new vehicle sales and provides a better perception of the brand.” - Jonathan Banks, Vice President of Vehicle Analysis and Analytics at J.D. Power.
Interestingly enough, mass market brands have shown to close the gap between their brands and those of “Luxury”, with only a difference of 7 PP100. That’s one of the major pros found in the results of this study. When looking at the overall industry score, and the improvement of 9-percent, it goes to show that the auto market is shifting into a better direction. Dave Sargent, Vice President, Global Automotive at J.D. Power said, “… For people looking for a new or used model, now is a good time to find that special vehicle.” That’s quite the statement.
Many brands have shown improvement for the 2018 Vehicle Dependability Study. Kia Motors earned fifth place this year, its best-ever VDS performance, along with Dodge also reaching their best-ever rankings. Chevrolet took some segment awards home with the Chevrolet Equinox, Chevrolet Malibu, Chevrolet Traverse, and Chevrolet Silverado models. The Dodge Challenger and the Kia Rio also received awards for their car segment for 2018.
In this year’s study, Lexus outperformed all 31 brands in the study with an overall score of 90 PP 100. Kia Motors was the fifth best brand out of all brands with a reported 122 PP 100, and Chevrolet tied with Hyundai at 124 PP100.
When it comes to most dependable vehicles by segment, there was a lot of good news for many of the vehicles available at NowCar. Chevy had four models that had the best scores in their segment and six models that were ranked second or third most dependable in their segment. The Kia Rio is the highest ranked vehicle for the small car segment, and the Chevy Sonic was a runner up in the same segment. The Dodge Challenger had the highest dependability rating in the midsize sporty car segment, and here’s a blast from the past, the Chrysler Town Country was runner up for the minivan segment.
You can find many of these vehicles on NowCar when you buy a car online.