This Is JD Power’s Most Dependable Car Of 2026
When you’re car shopping, the multitude of decisions ahead of you can be overwhelming. Given this fact, potential buyers would be wise to use all available avenues of research before making any of these decisions. Consumer reporting organizations like J.D. Power can be an invaluable source of information because they regularly publish studies that cover categories important to anyone in the market.
Yes, brand credibility is one of these important categories; J.D. Power recently released its results. 2026 reliability study. According to the findings, this year’s numbers were skewed in just a few specific ways, as issues with infotainment systems, wireless system upgrades and in-car technology contributed to the most serious issue numbers J.D. Power has recorded in recent years. Although J.D. Power doesn’t explicitly state it, such issues may have helped a surprising luxury brand earn top marks in the ’26 Most Trusted Survey’ instead of Subaru, Toyota, and other regular fixtures on such lists.
That brand is Lexus, which has several models that can take owners to 250,000 miles or beyond. In the JD Power rankings, the brand took the top spot with the lowest overall PP100 figures on the JD Power list. If you are unfamiliar with the term, PP100 measures the number of problems reported per 100 vehicles of the brands tested. Lexus’ PP100 score of 151 was the best among both premium brands and the general market, according to J.D. Power.
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How did other car brands perform against Lexus in the JD Power study?
Lexus goes fast on the track – Lexus
JD Power notes that the brand has led the premium industry in this category for the past four years, indicating that Lexus has been in the reliability rankings recently. Brand of course also owned by Toyotahas long had a solid reputation in the market for producing reliable vehicles. J.D. Power’s win puts Lexus in impressive territory; As Consumer Reports just noted, the brand has some pretty impressive overall maintenance numbers compared to BMW.
According to records, at least in the premium brands sector, Lexus took the top spot by a wide margin, while Cadillac came in second with 175 PP100 points. Meanwhile, the iconic German shingle Porsche came third with 182 PP100 points. You won’t find Subaru or Toyota in the Top 3 in J.D. Power’s mass-market car section, either. The mass market win went to Buick with 160 PP100 points. Mini came second in this category with 168 PP100 points, while Chevrolet came third with 178 PP100 points.
In addition to taking the top overall spot in J.D. Power’s ’26 Dependability survey, Lexus also boasted the most awarded vehicle on the list, with the IS winning the best overall model award. Its parent company, Toyota Motor Corporation, has more than established itself at the model level, scoring a total of 8 segment victories. The Lexus UX and GX have gotten some love, as have the Toyota Corolla, Camry, Tacoma, Sienna, and 4Runner. General Motors (GM) also picked up a handful of awards at the model level, with awards won by the Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT6, Chevy Equinox, and Chevy Tahoe.
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