Drivers cited smartphone connection issues and annoying warnings from safety systems as major gripes in the 2024 J.D. Power Initial Quality Study
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- Ram was the highest-ranked brand in 2024 J.D. Power Initial Quality Study, followed by Chevrolet and Hyundai.
- Porsche and Lexus were the top-performing premium brands.
- EVs fared badly compared to ICE cars in the study, which looks at problems experienced in the first 90 days of ownership.
If you want to enjoy the first few months of new-vehicle ownership, buy simple, buy combustion and buy mass market. That’s one of the takeaways from J.D. Power’s latest quality survey, in which Ram and Chevy outperformed much more expensive brands.
The 2024 J.D. Power Initial Quality Study looks at the number of reported faults per 100 cars experienced in the first 90 days of ownership, and Ram owners were the most content, though even they logged 149 problems per 100.
Related: BMW And Mini Top J.D. Power’s EV Satisfaction Study, Nissan Comes Last
Chevrolet, Hyundai, Kia and Buick and Nissan occupied the next four spots, preventing Porsche, the best-performing premium brand, from climbing higher than seventh with 172. The German brand was closely followed by Lexus on 174, but BMW, Mercedes, Cadillac, Land Rover and Lincoln all languished in the bottom half of the table, each showing more than 200 problems.
Dodge performed shamefully, owners noting 301 problems, placing it right at the bottom of the list of qualifying brands (Tesla, Rivian and Polestar didn’t meet award criteria). Incredibly, Dodge ranked first in last year’s study with 140. Alfa Romeo (second-place in 2023, 27th in 2024) also took a pounding.
J.D.’s data comes from repair data as well as customer responses to 227 questions covering 10 categories that include seats, powertrain, driving experience, driving assistance and infotainment. And those last two were responsible for many of the reported problems.
Some drivers expressed frustration at connection problems with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and others complained of over-eager assistance tech like rear cross-traffic alert.
Some feature-related complaints were a result of owners not understanding the technology, like the beep heard to remind them to check the back seat when they exit. Others were down to frustration with basic design flaws, like Tesla‘s recent decision to swap column stalks for steering-wheel mounted turn signals.
EVs and PHEVs, which tend to contain more technology than simpler gas-powered cars, were found to have visited dealers far more frequently than combustion cars in the first 90-day period, and the average 180 rating for petrol and diesel vehicles was far better than the 266 scored by EVs.
One unusual problem nosing ahead of others in the list of gripes is unpleasant interior smells. While most of us think of that new-car smell as something positive, more owners surveyed reported problem odors this year than in 2023.
Highest ranking models
In the vehicle segment rankings, the Ram 1500 took the top spot for large light-duty pickups, while the highest in heavy-duty pickups was the Chevrolet Silverado HD. GM also scored wins with the Cadillac XT5 and XT6 dominating the mid-size and large luxury SUV segments, respectively, as well as with Chevy’s Equinox (compact SUV), Tahoe (large SUV), and Traverse (large crossover SUV).
Hyundai Motor Group wasn’t far behind, with the Genesis G80 taking the win in the mid-size luxury car category. They also saw segment wins for the Hyundai Santa Cruz (compact pickup truck), the Kia Carnival (MPV), and the Kia Forte (compact car).
But the real winner here is Toyota. Not only did they snag segment wins for the Lexus IS (premium sporty compact), Lexus LC (luxury coupe), and Lexus UX (subcompact luxury SUV), but also claiming the overall highest-ranked model with the Lexus LC with a score of 106 PP100 in J.D. Power’s study.
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