Ram topped all other mass-market brands in overall quality according to new research J.D. Power released Thursday.
Chevrolet and Hyundai ranked second and third in the 2024 U.S. Initial Quality Study, which found gas- and diesel-powered vehicles had fewer problems than battery electrics or vehicles from premium brands with more complicated systems reliant on connectivity.
“Owners of cutting-edge, tech-filled BEVs and PHEVs 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,” J.D. Power Senior Director of Auto Benchmarking Frank Hanley said in a statement.
“It is not surprising that the introduction of new technology has challenged manufacturers to maintain vehicle quality,” he said.
Porsche ranked best among premium brands, followed by Lexus and Genesis. The Lexus LC had the fewest problems of any vehicle model.
Polestar topped the list of vehicles with the most quality problems, followed by Dodge. Rivian and Tesla tied for third.
Gas- and diesel-powered vehicles averaged 180 problems per 100 vehicles, while battery electric vehicles had a score of 266.
Hanley noted that some technologies that were problematic in previous studies showed marked improvement this year, including voice recognition and parking cameras. However, other technologies, such as rear seat reminders to help drivers remember if a child or pet is in the rear seat, added to vehicles’ problem rating.
Rear cross traffic warnings and reverse automatic emergency braking features are also problematic because they issue inaccurate alerts that annoy drivers, the report found.
Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are among the top 10 problems, with Apple and Samsung users saying they frequently experienced problems connecting their phones with the vehicle or lost the connection.
The report found that features, controls and displays were the second most problematic area for all cars, though EVs experienced 30% more problems. The report said the issue was exacerbated by Tesla’s decision to move its horn and turn signal functions to buttons on the steering wheel.
For the 38th year of its annual Initial Quality Study, J.D. Power surveyed 99,144 purchases and lessees of new 2024 model-year vehicles 90 days after they took ownership.