How Do J.D. Power Reliability Ratings Work?

J.D. Power Publishes 3 Different Ratings for Car Buyers

A new car is one of the most expensive items you’ll ever buy, so you don’t want to roll the dice and guess which model will be reliable for the long run. Fortunately, consumer insights firm J.D. Power publishes three different measures of automotive reliability and quality each year. A fourth study evaluates the quality of service and customer satisfaction at car dealers and independent service facilities.

On the following slides, we’ll examine the three major studies and how J.D. Power determines the rankings in each. Then, we’ll look at the recently announced winners of 2017’s Initial Quality Study.

At U.S. News & World Report, we use information from the J.D. Power Vehicle Dependability Study and Initial Quality Study in our rankings of new and used vehicles. 

J.D. Power Initial Quality Study

The most widely reported survey is the J.D. Power Initial Quality Study (IQS). The study looks at the number of issues that customers experience in the first 90 days of ownership. For the 2017 study, the company talked to 80,000 consumers about their new vehicles. The results are reported in the number of problems per 100 vehicles.

As a brand, Kia is a repeat winner. Rankings for 2017 show 72 problems per 100 vehicles. Scores for top-rated vehicles in each of J.D. Power’s segments are listed on the last several pages of this article.

Areas that have the highest number of issues include advanced infotainment and high-tech safety systems. In some cases, customers report problems that stem from them not understanding the complex systems, making it incumbent on dealers to properly teach customers about all the facets of their new vehicles.

2017 marks the company’s 30th year performing the study.

• Read the 2017 Kia Soul Full Review
• See 2017 Kia Soul Photos
• See Compact Cars Rankings

J.D. Power Vehicle Dependability Study

Through the Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS), J.D. Power rates 3-year-old vehicles by analyzing the number and types of problems reported by original owners in the last 12 months of ownership.

The 2017 VDS shows that two of the most popular vehicles sold in 2014 – the 2014 Toyota Camry sedan and 2014 Ford F-150 full-size pickup – are also the most reliable. Lexus, Porsche, and Toyota top the brand rankings for 2017. Out of 18 segments studied, Toyota and its Lexus division account for 10 of the top-ranking models.

• Read the 2017 Ford F-150 Full Review
• See 2017 Ford F-150 Photos
• See Full Size Pickup Trucks Rankings

J.D. Power Automotive Performance, Execution, and Layout Study

For a more subjective measure of what people like about their new cars, trucks, SUVs, and minivans, J.D. Power created the Automotive Performance, Execution, and Layout (APEAL) Study. Consumers scored vehicles available with advanced driver assistance and safety technology higher in the ratings than those that lack the features.

In the last study, which was released in the summer of 2016, the top-rated manufacturer was Porsche. General Motors models won top honors in six market segments, while Hyundai and its Kia subsidiary led five classes. J.D. Power gathered the data from 80,000 customers after 90 days of new-car ownership.

• Read the 2017 Porsche 911 Full Review
• See 2017 Porsche 911 Photos
• See Luxury Sports Cars Rankings

2017 J.D. Power IQS Top Performers: Small, Compact, and MPV Segments

J.D. Power recently released their 2017 IQS results. On the next several slides, we'll break down the top-ranking vehicle in each segment that they study.

The top-ranked option in their Small Car segment is the 2017 Chevrolet Sonic, which also holds a spot near the top of U.S. News & World Report’s subcompact car rankings. If your budget is a bit bigger, take a look at the top performer in their Small Premium segment, the 2017 BMW 2 Series. The 2 Series holds a spot in the top tier of our luxury small car rankings.

The 2017 Kia Forte holds the top spot in J.D. Power’s IQS Compact Car segment, while the 2017 Mini Cooper holds the top spot in their Compact Sporty Car class.

If you’re looking for a versatile small car, J.D. Power rates the 2017 Kia Soul as their top Multi-Purpose Vehicle. It holds a spot at the top of our compact car rankings and is the winner of both our 2017 Best Compact Car for the Money and Best Compact Car for Families awards.

In the J.D. Power Compact Premium Car segment, the BMW 4 Series receives top marks. It is also one of the top-rated models in our luxury small car rankings.

• Read the 2017 Kia Forte Full Review
• See 2017 Kia Forte Photos
• See Compact Cars Rankings

2017 J.D. Power IQS Top Performers: Midsize and Large Car Segments

In their Midsize Car category, J.D. Power found that the 2017 Toyota Camry had the fewest reported problems. It’s also a top-rated model in our midsize car rankings. For buyers looking for something sportier, consider the 2017 Ford Mustang, which J.D. Power rates as its top Midsize Sporty Car.

The 2017 Lexus GS scores the top spot in the IQS Midsize Premium Car segment, while the 2017 Porsche 911 (our top-ranked luxury sports car) earns J.D. Power’s top ranking in the Midsize Premium Sporty Car class.

The top position in their Large Car segment goes to the 2017 Kia Cadenza, and the top-rated choice in their Minivan segment is the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica.

• Read the 2017 Lexus GS Full Review
• See 2017 Lexus GS Photos
• See Luxury Midsize Cars Rankings

2017 J.D. Power IQS Top Performers: Small and Compact SUV Segments

In its first year of production, the 2017 Kia Niro takes the top honor in the 2017 J.D. Power IQS Small SUV segment. The Niro is a hybrid subcompact SUV with EPA-estimated fuel economy of up to 52 mpg in the city.

In J.D. Power’s Small Premium SUV category, the 2017 Mercedes-Benz GLA holds the top spot.

The 2017 GMC Terrain comes out on top in the study’s Compact SUV segment, while the 2017 Porsche Macan is the highest-rated Compact Premium SUV. 

• Read the 2017 Kia Niro Full Review
• See 2017 Kia Niro Photos
• See Subcompact SUVs Rankings

2017 J.D. Power IQS Top Performers: Midsize and Large SUV Segments

The top-scoring option in J.D. Power’s Midsize SUV category is the 2017 Kia Sorento. The Sorento is also one of the top-rated models in our midsize SUV rankings and the winner of our 2017 Best 3-Row SUV for the Money award.

The winner of U.S. News & World Report’s 2017 Best Large SUV for the Money award – the 2017 Ford Expedition – is also the top-rated model in J.D. Power’s Large SUV class. At the top of J.D. Power’s Midsize Premium SUV segment is the 2017 BMW X6, and the 2017 Infiniti QX80 takes the top spot in their Large Premium SUV category.

• Read the 2017 Kia Sorento Full Review
• See 2017 Kia Sorento Photos
• See Midsize SUVs Rankings

2017 J.D. Power IQS Top Performers: Pickups

Pickup trucks are some of the top-selling vehicles in the U.S. market, and buyers tend to keep them for a long time. Therefore, reliability is a paramount buying consideration in the class. The 2017 Chevrolet Silverado holds the top spot in J.D. Power’s Large Light-Duty Pickup segment. 

The 2017 Nissan Frontier, which does not do well in our rankings of compact pickups, receives the top honor in J.D. Power's Midsize Pickup class. In their Large Heavy Duty Pickup segment, the 2017 Chevrolet Silverado HD earns the top rating. 

• Read the 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Full Review
• See 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Photos
• See Full Size Pickup Trucks Rankings

2017 J.D. Power IQS Top Performers: Top Brands

Proving that you don’t have to pay for a premium badge to get top quality, Kia comes through as the highest-rated brand in the IQS for the second year in a row. It is followed by Genesis (Hyundai’s new luxury brand) and Porsche.

In fourth place overall, Ford is the top domestic brand. Holding the bottom positions – with more than double the Kia’s number of reported problems per 100 vehicles – are Jaguar and Fiat.

The most improved brand in the 2017 study is Mini. Ram, Acura, Volvo, and Ford also show significant improvement from last year’s scores

• Read the 2017 Genesis G80 Full Review
• See 2017 Genesis G80 Photos
• See Luxury Midsize Cars Rankings

2017 J.D. Power IQS: Surprises in 2017’s Results

According to J.D. Power, initial quality scores across the entire industry are improving on a steady basis, even with the proliferation of complex infotainment systems and safety technology. Brands once known as stalwarts of initial quality – like Lexus and Toyota – rank near average in 2017's study.

The two makes, however, rank at the top of J.D. Power’s Vehicle Dependability Study, meaning the problems customers find when the cars are new are either taken care of or cease to be issues as customers learn more about the cars’ systems.

For the second year in a row, domestic nameplates outscore import brands in the overall results. This has only happened three times in the study’s 30-year history. Among General Motors brands, Chevrolet’s performance outpaces its more premium Buick and Cadillac siblings.

• Read the 2017 Toyota 86 Full Review
• See 2017 Toyota 86 Photos
• See Sports Cars Rankings

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