Most problematic car brands

Volvo’s cars have more issues than any other brand you can currently purchase, according to the J.D. Power 2023 U.S. Initial Quality Study (IQS).

The study, which is conducted annually and has been running for 37 years, based its findings on responses from 93,380 buyers and lessees of new 2023 model-year vehicles who were surveyed on issues experienced early on in their ownership periods.

The results were compiled into a report that details the number of reported problems per 100 vehicles (PP100) for each car brand.

J.D. Power found that the quality of cars has seen a sharp decrease in the last two years as the average number of complaints saw a jump of 30 points to reach a new industry average of 192 PP100, meaning there are now 192 problems reported for every 100 vehicles on the road.

“The automotive industry is facing a wide range of quality problems, a phenomenon not seen in the 37-year history of the IQS,” said Frank Hanley, senior director of auto benchmarking at J.D. Power.

A growing problem

Hanley attributed the increase in quality issues to the greater use of technology in modern cars, such as the infotainment and audio systems, but also noted a decline in general care for smaller details like cupholders which fail to serve their purpose adequately.

“The industry is at a major crossroad and the path each manufacturer chooses is paramount for its future. From persistent problems carrying over from years past to an increase in new types of problems, today’s new vehicles are more complex – offering new and exciting technology – but not always satisfying owners,” he said.

The IQS uses a 223-question survey that focuses on nine vehicle categories – infotainment, features, controls and displays, exterior, driving assistance, interior, powertrain, seats, driving experience, and climate.

The below table shows how each of the car brands examined in the survey performed. Note that an asterisk indicates that the manufacturer is not available in South Africa.

Volvo taking the number one spot alongside Chrysler is surprising, as is the fact that VW, Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz – names that are typically associated with top-notch German engineering – also made it onto the list.

Likewise, Mazda, Toyota, and Mitsubishi, three well-established Japanese automakers, were all named despite their legendary reliability status.

In contrast, the most reliable brand South Africans have access to, according to the survey, is none other than Alfa Romeo – the Italian automaker known for style rather than rugged dependability.

It’s also worth noting that Tesla, Polestar, Rivian, and Lucid – four electric-car makers – were all surveyed but not officially added to the rankings due to legislation that prevents them from being recorded in certain states.

Their unofficial scores, based on the data that J.D. Power was able to find, are as follows:

• Tesla – 257 PP100
• Rivian – 282 PP100
• Polestar – 313 PP100
• Lucid – 340 PP100

While it’s important to remember that these numbers are based on a much smaller sample size than the other automakers, it does raise concerns as to the general quality of these pricey battery-powered rides.