Unexpectedly, new technology is contributing to decreased reliability in vehicles, according to J.D. Power.

      JLR

      Recalls by automakers and consumer complaints are commonplace. A recent study, however, has revealed that car issues are more prevalent than previously thought, with dependability of new vehicles hitting new lows. Unsurprisingly, technology is largely to blame.

      The J.D. Power 2025 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS) evaluates vehicle issues over three years of ownership. The latest 2025 findings pertain to 2022 model-year vehicles and are based on feedback from 34,175 original owners collected between August and November 2024. Automakers are rated based on problems per 100 vehicles (PP100), where a lower score indicates better vehicle quality.

      Lexus secured its third consecutive top position with an overall score of 140 PP100. Buick improved to second place with 143 PP100, and J.D. Power recognized it as the leading premium brand among mass-market automakers. Volkswagen ranked last with a score of 285 PP100. The top model overall was the Toyota Avalon.

      That’s the positive news. Sadly, there was a year-over-year increase in reported issues by 6%, equating to an additional 12 PP100. The industry average now stands at 202 PP100, the highest level since 2009. While a dozen automakers achieved above-average scores, 18 fell short. Tesla reported 209 PP100 but was excluded from the final rankings as the brand “did not meet [the] study award criteria,” according to J.D. Power.

      The COVID pandemic has partly contributed to the disappointing dependability scores. After all, 2022 models were manufactured during peak pandemic times when factories lacked sufficient workers, microchips, and windshields. Supply chain challenges were widespread, and we continue to face the consequences. The inventory shortage also led to skyrocketing prices for both new and used cars.

      In-car technology also shares responsibility for these issues. It’s not just the AI assistants that automakers tout; even basic Bluetooth and connectivity seem to frustrate drivers.

      A notable observation from the J.D. Power study is that half of the top ten issues are related to device integration and usage. Both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay continue to cause problems for vehicle owners. Smartphone connectivity was identified as the leading tech issue for the second consecutive year, with a score increase to 8.4 PP100 (up from 6.3). The most significant software defect concerns were Bluetooth (4.6 PP100) and Wi-Fi (2.4 PP100).

      While these PP100 figures may seem relatively low and software issues constitute only 9% of total problems, the increasing prevalence of screens, infotainment menus, and other unwanted features indicates that this number is likely to rise. Over-the-air updates also add to the list of concerns, as 56% of owners who installed one reported no software improvements. Is this a further argument for the return of buttons?

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