Selected Findings of the 2025 Study**

• Premium vehicles have more defects than mass market counterparts: While design-related issues are equal between mass market and premium vehicles, defect/malfunction-related issues are more prevalent on premium vehicles. Exterior is the largest area of discrepancy, with premium vehicles averaging 4.2 more problems than mass market vehicles, mostly driven by those from non-traditional automakers.
• Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) have most problems: For the first time, PHEVs, on average, have more problems than their battery electric vehicle (BEV) counterparts (237 PP100 vs. 212 PP100, respectively). Gasoline (184 PP100) and hybrid (196 PP100) vehicles have fewer problems than PHEVs and BEVs. The improvement in BEVs is driven by a 62 PP100 improvement for Tesla.
• Problematic launches and late model-year changeovers: New-model launches account for the highest number of problems (203 PP100) since the study was redesigned in 2020, compared with 190 PP100 for carryover models. Of the 18 new models launched this year, only two have fewer problems than their respective segment average.
“Typically, problems for new launches are balanced with some being successful and others having issues,” Hanley said. “This year, however, new launches are notably more problematic.”
• Shifting consumer preferences increase cupholder frustration: While it seemed like manufacturers had cupholders figured out, given that owners are now bringing more reusable containers into their vehicles, manufacturers are struggling to keep up with being able to accommodate all the different shapes and sizes that are increasingly available. Consequently, owners are again citing more problems in this area, with the expectation that their vehicle should be able to hold different sizes of containers.
• The parent corporation receiving the most model-level awards is General Motors Company (five awards), followed by Ford Motor Company (four awards) and Honda Motor Company (three awards). Among brands, Ford receives the most segment awards (four), followed by Chevrolet (three).
• General Motors Company models that rank highest in their respective segment are Buick Encore GX, Cadillac XT5, Chevrolet Blazer, Chevrolet Silverado and Chevrolet Tahoe.
• Ford Motor Company models that rank highest in their respective segment are Ford Escape, Ford F-150, Ford Mustang and Ford Super Duty.
• Honda Motor Company models that rank highest in their respective segment are Acura Integra, Acura RDX and Honda Odyssey.
• Volkswagen AG has the highest-ranking model overall, the Porsche 911, with 116 PP100.