New car prices are higher than ever before, and the global economy is looking a bit, let’s say shaky, so many Americans are looking at keeping their current car running, or buying a new car that they plan to drive for the next decade or so. Long-term reliability is thus a supremely important consideration for many car owners and prospective buyers alike. Long-term reliability is a difficult thing to measure, but one of the most trusted names in that area is JD Power, and its annual Vehicle Dependability Study or VDS. The 2026 VDS came out last month, and it’s filled with surprises from Mini earning third place to Cadillac in fourth to Toyota in eighth.
Lexus is the most dependable brand for the fourth consecutive year, and it sells the most dependable model overall: the Lexus IS. Buick clinched the number two spot for the second consecutive year, and Mini is the third most reliable car brand, rising from tenth place just last year. Cadillac came in fourth and Chevrolet came in as the fifth most reliable brand, which is a bit of a surprise despite each company climbing one position each over last year’s results.
The least dependable companies are less surprising
In order to reach its conclusions, JD Power measures how many problems a manufacturer has per 100 vehicles produced (PP100,) and even Lexus, the most dependable brand, has 151 problems per 100 vehicles, but the worst performer had about twice that many problems per 100 cars. Rounding out the more problematic end of the study, the five worst performing car companies are Audi, Jeep, Land Rover, Volvo, and Volkswagen in decreasing order.
Audi ranked as the 24th most reliable brand on the list, with 244 problems per 100 vehicles, followed by Jeep with 267 problems per 100 vehicles. The three worst performers were Land Rover with 274 PP100, Volvo with 296 PP100, and Volkswagen with 301 PP100. Yikes.
JD Power
Last year, Volkswagen was also ranked last place, but it only recorded 285 PP100, meaning its quality has further deteriorated since last year. Chrysler, Jeep, Audi, and Land Rover rounded out the five worst performers last year, so their 2026 results shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise.
New cars have more problems than ever before
JD Power says, “persistent problems with infotainment systems, spotty performance of over-the-air (OTA) software updates, and issues with vehicle exteriors have driven long-term dependability problems to new highs. Compared with 2025 results, vehicle problems after three years of ownership have increased by 2 problems per 100 vehicles (PP100), resulting in an industry average of 204 PP100. A lower score indicates higher vehicle quality.”
Four of the top five industry problems are directly related to owner integration of phones to their vehicles, with the top issue for the third consecutive year being Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity issues. The other most common issues include problems with built-in Bluetooth systems, wireless chargers, and OEM app connectivity.
The annual study incorporates 184 specific problem areas across nine major categories: climate, driving assistance, driving experience, exterior, features/ controls/ displays, infotainment, interior, powertrain, and seats. These results come from responses from 33,268 original owners of 2023 models after three years of ownership.
