A new J.D Power study highlights the issues that repairers see with EVs in the workshop, and reveals the most reliable car for overall product quality.
The 2024 J.D Power U.S. Initial Quality Study (IQS) is the auto industry standard for benchmarking new vehicle quality.
According to J.D. Power’s most recent IQS, there are 195 problems per 100 (PP100) on average for 2024 model year vehicles within franchise dealership repair visits.
There are even more issues with premium brands including electric vehicles (EVs).
Trouble with EVs
J.D. Power found that repair data on EVs and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) require more repairs than petrol or diesel-powered vehicles in all repair categories.
J.D Power senior director of auto benchmarking, Frank Hanley, highlighted how owners of EVs and PHEVs are experiencing serious issues.
“Owners are experiencing problems that are of a severity level high enough for them to take their new vehicle into the dealership at a rate three times higher than that of gas-powered vehicle owners,” Hanley says.
The main issues in EVs are everyday functions such as windshield wipers, rear-view mirrors and the operation of OEM smartphone applications.
Repairs in this category is more than 30 per cent higher in EVs than in gas-powered vehicles. The issue is exacerbated by Tesla’s recent switch to steering wheel-mounted buttons for horn and turn signal functions.
Highest-Ranking Brands and Models
According to the J.D Power study, Ram is the highest-ranking brand overall in initial quality with a score of 149 PP100. Among mass-market brands, Chevrolet ranks second, and Hyundai ranks third.
Among premium brands, Porsche ranks highest with a score of 172 PP100. Lexus ranks second and Genesis ranks third.
How the study judges product quality
The study examines 227 problems, which are organised into nine categories:
- Climate
- Driving Assistance
- Driving Experience
- Exterior
- Features/Controls/Displays (FCD)
- Infotainment
- Interior
- Powertrain
- Seats
Vehicle repair visits are integrated into the scoring to provide an even more comprehensive picture of product quality.
To read the J.D Power study, click here.