Reliability
Most Reliable Car Brands
Ranked from the J.D. Power U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS) (2025). CarOutlay adds the ownership-cost lens — what each result means for the real 5-year cost of owning the car.
The ranking
2022 model-year vehicles after three years of ownership. Lower PP100 = more dependable.
- Lexus Most dependable Highest-ranked brand overall, third year in a row. 140 PP100
- Buick Highest-ranked mass-market brand. 143 PP100
- Mazda 161 PP100
- Toyota 162 PP100
- Cadillac 169 PP100
- Chevrolet 169 PP100
- GMC 181 PP100
- Porsche 186 PP100
- BMW 189 PP100
- MINI 190 PP100
Least dependable brands
The lowest-ranked brands in the same 2025 study — for contrast.
- Volkswagen Lowest-ranked brand for 2025. 285 PP100
- Chrysler 282 PP100
- Jeep 275 PP100
Why this matters for your cost of ownership
Reliability is the most under-counted line item in car ownership. A dependable brand means fewer out-of-warranty repairs, fewer days in the shop, and slower mechanical decline — all of which show up directly in your maintenance budget and indirectly in resale value. The difference between a 140-PP100 brand and a 285-PP100 brand can be thousands of dollars in repairs over a five-year hold. When you run a vehicle through our TCO calculator, the maintenance tier you choose should reflect where its brand lands on a dependability study like this one.
Open the 5-Year TCO calculatorHow this ranking is measured
J.D. Power's Vehicle Dependability Study measures the number of problems experienced per 100 vehicles (PP100) during the prior 12 months by original owners of three-year-old vehicles (2022 models in the 2025 study). It covers 184 specific problem areas across nine categories — from infotainment and climate systems to the engine and transmission. A lower PP100 score means fewer problems and higher dependability. Brand-level model awards in 2025 went to vehicles including the Lexus GX, Toyota Camry, Corolla, RAV4, Sienna and Tacoma; the Cadillac XT6, Chevrolet Corvette, Silverado and Tahoe; and the Nissan Kicks and Murano.
Source: J.D. Power, U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS) (2025). Based on responses from 34,175 original owners of 2022 model-year vehicles, measured after three years of ownership. Industry average: 202 PP100. View the original study ↗
Frequently asked questions
What is the most reliable car brand in 2025?
Lexus is the most reliable car brand in J.D. Power's 2025 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study, scoring 140 problems per 100 vehicles (PP100) — the lowest (best) score for the third consecutive year. Buick is the most dependable mass-market brand at 143 PP100, followed by Mazda (161) and Toyota (162).
What does PP100 mean?
PP100 stands for 'problems per 100 vehicles.' It's the number of problems reported by owners for every 100 vehicles over the prior 12 months. A lower PP100 score is better — it means fewer problems. The 2025 industry average was 202 PP100, so any brand below that is more dependable than average.
Does a reliable brand actually save me money?
Yes — mostly through lower repair costs and less downtime once the factory warranty ends. Reliability also supports resale value, since dependable models tend to depreciate more slowly. It doesn't eliminate maintenance (every car needs tires, brakes, and fluids), but it reduces the risk of expensive, unexpected failures that can run into the thousands.
Is J.D. Power dependability the same as Consumer Reports reliability?
They measure similar things differently. J.D. Power surveys original owners of three-year-old vehicles about problems in the past year (PP100). Consumer Reports surveys members across many model years and predicts reliability on a 0–100 scale. Both are credible; checking more than one source gives you the fullest picture before you buy.
Related rankings
Get the car ownership cost checklist
A free, plain-English guide to every cost you'll face owning a car — plus occasional updates when state registration fees or tax rules change. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. We never share your email.