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The Korean carmaker’s result also meant it’s the first time it led mass-market brands in the United States, with Toyota being just behind it in fourth place with 98 PP100.
J.D. Power recently released its 2021 United States Vehicle Dependability Study, which measures the number of problems per 100 vehicles (PP100) experienced during the past 12 months by original owners of three-year-old vehicles. The 2021 VDS has been based on the responses from 33,251 original owners collected from July 2020 through November 2020.
Lexus held the Top spot again in the J.D. Power's US Vehicle Dependability Study for 2021and scored 81 PP100. It is the ninth time in the past 10 years that it has remained at the top! Porsche ranked second with 86 PP100, while Kia impressed with a reduction of 35 PP100 from 2020 to secure the third spot with 97 PP100.
The brands that were ahead of the industry average include Buick, Cadillac, Hyundai, Genesis, Lincoln, Acura, BMW, Chevrolet, Mitsubishi, and Mazda.
Do note that Korean and Japanese brands performed well - with an average of 115 PP100 compared to domestic US brands (126 PP100) and European brands (131 PP100). This gap is due in part to Korean brands Kia, Hyundai, and Genesis which, when combined, average just 99 PP100 and represent a 19-point gap compared to Japanese brands (collectively averaging 118 PP100)!
The study, now in its 32nd year covers 177 specific problems that are grouped into eight major vehicle categories, including audio/communication/entertainment/navigation (ACEN); engine/transmission; exterior; interior; features/controls/displays (FCD); driving experience; heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC); and seats.