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Best New-Car Initial Quality — J.D. Power IQS

Ranked from the J.D. Power U.S. Initial Quality Study (IQS) (2025). CarOutlay adds the ownership-cost lens — what each result means for the real 5-year cost of owning the car.

Source-verified · 2026-06-15J.D. Power · U.S. Initial Quality Study (IQS) (2025) Official source ↗

The ranking

2025 model-year vehicles, problems reported in the first 90 days of ownership. Study average: 192 PP100. Lower is better.

Problems per 100 vehicles (PP100), first 90 days Lower is better
  1. Lexus Best initial quality Highest-ranked brand overall and among premium brands. 166 PP100
  2. Nissan Highest-ranked mass-market brand. 169 PP100
  3. Hyundai 173 PP100
  4. Jaguar 175 PP100
  5. Chevrolet 178 PP100
  6. Honda 179 PP100
  7. Dodge Jumped 24 positions year over year. 180 PP100
  8. Kia 181 PP100
  9. Buick 183 PP100
  10. Genesis 183 PP100
  11. Jeep 186 PP100
  12. Subaru 187 PP100
  13. Porsche 188 PP100
  14. Ford Just above the 192 study average. 193 PP100
  15. BMW 196 PP100
  16. Acura 198 PP100
  17. GMC 199 PP100
  18. Cadillac 200 PP100
  19. Toyota 200 PP100
  20. Lincoln 206 PP100

Lowest-ranked brands for initial quality

The brands with the most reported problems in the same 2025 study, for contrast. (Tesla 200 and Rivian 274 were not rank-eligible due to insufficient data.)

Problems per 100 vehicles (PP100) Ranked lowest initial quality first — higher PP100 = more problems
  1. Audi Lowest-ranked rank-eligible brand for 2025. 269 PP100
  2. Volvo 258 PP100
  3. Infiniti 242 PP100
  4. Volkswagen 225 PP100
  5. Mazda 225 PP100

Why this matters for your cost of ownership

Initial quality is the leading indicator of how a new car will behave once you own it. Problems in the first 90 days — rattles, glitchy infotainment, climate or powertrain faults — predict the warranty visits, downtime, and eventually the out-of-warranty repairs you'll pay for over a five-year hold. It is a different lens from long-term dependability: IQS captures brand-new build quality, while a dependability study captures three-year-old wear. Strong initial quality also helps protect resale value, since first owners who avoid early defects tend to keep cleaner service records. Pair this with our most-reliable-brands page, then set a realistic maintenance tier in our TCO calculator based on where your brand lands.

Open the 5-Year TCO calculator

How this ranking is measured

J.D. Power's Initial Quality Study, now in its 39th year, measures the number of problems experienced per 100 vehicles (PP100) by buyers and lessees of new vehicles during the first 90 days of ownership. The 2025 study is based on responses from 92,694 owners of 2025 model-year vehicles surveyed from June 2024 through May 2025, and for the first time it also incorporates real-world dealer repair-visit data. It covers 227 Voice-of-the-Customer questions plus repair data across 10 categories — infotainment; features, controls and displays; exterior; driving assistance; interior; powertrain; seats; driving experience; climate; and unspecified. A lower PP100 score means fewer problems and higher initial quality. The highest-ranking individual model overall was the Porsche 911 at 116 PP100, and General Motors received the most model-level segment awards (five).

Source: J.D. Power, U.S. Initial Quality Study (IQS) (2025). Based on responses from 92,694 purchasers and lessees of new 2025 model-year vehicles, surveyed after 90 days of ownership, plus dealer repair-visit data. Study average: 192 PP100. View the original study ↗

Frequently asked questions

What car brand has the best initial quality in 2025?

Lexus has the best new-car initial quality in J.D. Power's 2025 U.S. Initial Quality Study, scoring 166 problems per 100 vehicles (PP100) — the lowest (best) score overall. Nissan is the top mass-market brand at 169 PP100, followed by Hyundai (173) and Jaguar (175). The 2025 study average was 192 PP100.

What's the difference between Initial Quality (IQS) and Dependability (VDS)?

Both are J.D. Power studies measured in problems per 100 vehicles (PP100), but they look at different points in ownership. The Initial Quality Study surveys owners of brand-new vehicles after 90 days, capturing early build quality and design issues. The Vehicle Dependability Study surveys owners of three-year-old vehicles, capturing how problems accumulate with age. A car can rank well on one and not the other, so checking both gives the fullest picture.

Does good initial quality save me money?

Indirectly, yes. Fewer early problems mean fewer warranty visits and less downtime, and brands that build well out of the gate tend to carry that into the out-of-warranty years when repairs come out of your pocket. Initial quality also supports resale value. It isn't a guarantee — every car still needs routine maintenance — but a low PP100 score reduces the risk of frustrating, repeated early defects.

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