J.D. Power’s 2022 Worst Car Brands for Dependability

J.D. Power’s annual survey of drivers has compiled the reliability scores for 2019 models, and along with the happy winners, there is also a roster of those companies whose cars were more trouble-prone.

The study covers 184 specific problem areas across nine major vehicle categories: climate; driving assistance (new in 2022); driving experience; exterior; features/controls/ displays; infotainment; interior; powertrain; and seats.

As a rule of thumb, premium brands fared worse than their mass-market counterparts. That’s because the posh models tend to be loaded with more new technology, which presents more opportunities for problems.

Also, the definition of “dependability” needs some explanation here; carmakers were dinged for not having enough USB outlets in their cars, so that’s hardly a strand-you-roadside kind of “dependability” concern.

The 2022 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study is based on responses from 29,487 original owners of 2019 model-year vehicles after three years of ownership. The study was fielded from July 2021 through November 2021.

The survey found an average of 192 problems per 100 vehicles (PP100), which means that the average 2019 car in the survey had 1.9 problems during the last three years. The worst-scoring brands had more problems than that, with the last-place brand averaging 288 PP100, or close to three problems in three years. Click through our gallery to see which brands ended up at the bottom of J.D. Power’s dependability list.

Related:J.D. Power's 2022 Most Dependable Cars