Korean Brands Top 2022 J.D. Power Vehicle Dependability Study

Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Korean Brands Lead 2022 J.D Power Vehicle Dependability Study

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Korean brands Kia, Genesis and Hyundai took three of the top four rankings in the redesigned J.D. Power 2022 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS), released today. Buick and Toyota also made the list of the brands with the fewest reported problems after three years of ownership.

“Some automakers are performing much better than others at preventing problems from occurring. These problems include the vehicle’s mechanicals, exterior and interior – but also infotainment systems, driver assistance systems and all the other electronic systems in today’s vehicles,” said David Amodeo, director of global automotive at J.D. Power.

The 2019 model-year vehicles measured in this year’s study were first examined in the J.D. Power 2019 U.S. Initial Quality Study (IQS). Seven of the 10 highest-ranked brands in the 2019 IQS are among the 10 highest-ranked brands in this year’s VDS.

The study, now in its 33rd year, has been redesigned to include all of the features and technology available in current vehicles. It covers 184 specific problem areas across nine major vehicle categories: climate; driving assistance (new in 2022); driving experience; exterior; features/controls/ displays; infotainment; interior; powertrain; and seats.

The study also now measures satisfaction with the vehicle’s condition after three years of usage:

  • whether owners find their vehicle as appealing now as when they first bought it,
  • and what software updates have been made to the vehicle.

Key findings of  2022:

  • Owners of mass market vehicles experience fewer problems: Mass market brands average 190 problems per 100 vehicles (PP100), which is 14 PP100 lower than for premium brands (204 PP100). Premium brands typically incorporate more technology in their vehicles, which increases the likelihood for problems to occur. At the same time, the build quality of mass market vehicles has improved considerably and now matches that of the premium brands.
  • Infotainment systems remain most problematic area: The infotainment category continues to be the most problematic, with an average of 51.9 PP100, which is more than twice as many problems as the next-highest category. Seven of the top 10 problem areas in the study are infotainment-related, including: built-in voice recognition (8.3 PP100); Android Auto/Apple CarPlay connectivity (5.4 PP100); built-in Bluetooth system (4.5 PP100); not enough power plugs/USB ports (4.2 PP100); navigation systems difficult to understand/use (3.7 PP100); touchscreen/display screen (3.6 PP100); and navigation system inaccurate/outdated map (3.6 PP100).
  • Most dependable model: For a second consecutive year, the Porsche 911 is the highest-ranked model in the study. This is the third time in the past four years that the 911 has earned this honor.
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