The most reliable used vehicles in 2026 according to J.D. Power
The American firm J.D. Power has just published its latest annual vehicle reliability rankings. As the exercise is based on three-year-old models, those from 2023 are taken into consideration this time.
The study was conducted among more than 33,000 owners and covers more than 180 specific points, ranging from bodywork to seats, mechanics, controls and displays, as well as driving and electronic aids.
J.D. Power notes that persistent bugs with infotainment systems, inconsistent performance of remote software updates, and exterior vehicle defects are driving long-term reliability issues to unprecedented levels. For the third consecutive year, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity are causing the most complaints.
For all vehicles across the industry, the average number of problems reported per 100 vehicles (PP100) rose to 204, the highest level since 2009.
“As owners keep their vehicles longer, software updates and new technologies should improve the owner experience over time. Yet many complain about integration issues with their phones and a lack of improvement, or even a total lack of benefits, after an update,” says Jason Norton, director of automotive benchmarking at J.D. Power.
Interestingly, gasoline vehicles (198 PP100) perform best, followed by hybrid vehicles (213 PP100). Electric vehicles (237 PP100) and plug-in hybrids have worsened (281 PP100) in terms of reliability.
The best and worst brands for reliability
J.D. Power's 2026 reliability study once again ranks Lexus at the top of the list with only 151 PP100. Next come Buick (160), MINI (168), Cadillac (175), Chevrolet (178), Subaru (181), Porsche (182), Toyota (185), Kia (193), and Nissan (194).
At the bottom of the rankings, we once again find Volkswagen (301), Volvo (296), Land Rover (274), Jeep (267), Audi (244), Mercedes-Benz (235), Infiniti (233), Acura (233), GMC (229), and Ford (228). Tesla (226) is not officially included in the list because it does not sufficiently meet the study's criteria.
The most reliable vehicles
Now, what are the most reliable three-year-old vehicles in 2026 according to J.D. Power? Keep scrolling down to see the different categories.
- Compact car – Toyota Corolla
- Compact luxury car – Lexus IS (most reliable model overall)
- Mid-size car – Toyota Camry
- Subcompact SUV – Subaru Crosstrek
- Luxury subcompact SUV – Lexus UX
- Compact SUV – Chevrolet Equinox
- Compact luxury SUV – BMW X4
- Mid-size SUV – Nissan Murano
- Luxury midsize SUV – Lexus GX
- Mid-size three-row SUV – Buick Enclave
- Luxury three-row midsize SUV – Cadillac XT6
- Full-size SUV – Chevrolet Tahoe
- Van – Toyota Sienna
- Midsize pickup truck – Toyota Tacoma
- Full-size pickup truck – Ram 1500
