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According to Motor1, J.D. Power has released its Initial Quality Study for 2025, marking the 39th iteration of this annual survey in the US.
This year, J.D. Power collected responses from 92,694 new vehicle owners and lessees, querying them on any issues they experienced within the first 90 days of ownership.
Participants answered 227 questions across various categories, including engine and transmission performance, infotainment systems, interior quality, and driving experience.
Reliability is often a challenge for luxury brands, but Lexus has bucked this trend, leading the industry with just 116 problems reported per 100 vehicles. In contrast, Audi ranked last with 269 reported issues per 100 vehicles. Volvo closely followed Audi with 258 problems per 100 vehicles.
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There was a notable disparity between Nissan and its luxury brand, Infiniti. Nissan fared better in the study, with 169 reported issues per 100 vehicles, while Infiniti, the luxury brand of the Japanese automotive group, recorded 242 issues per 100 vehicles in the first three months of ownership.
The J.D. Power study found that the industry average improved slightly this year, with 192 problems per 100 vehicles, down from 194 in 2024. Many luxury brands fell below this average, except for Lexus (1st), Jaguar (4th), Buick (9th), Genesis (10th), and Porsche (13th).
Rivian was the only brand with more reported issues than Audi per 100 vehicles. However, due to certain criteria, Rivian and Tesla (200 problems per 100 vehicles) were not included in the official rankings.
Cadillac and Toyota tied with 200 problems per 100 vehicles, placing them in the bottom half of the rankings, alongside Tesla. Mazda also ranked relatively low, with 225 issues per 100 vehicles, on par with Volkswagen.
Motor1 notes that the J.D. Power study reflects initial quality and customer satisfaction within the first 90 days of ownership and may not be indicative of long-term reliability.
J.D. Power’s study found that luxury vehicles tend to experience more issues than mainstream brands. Additionally, plug-in hybrid vehicles were more problem-prone than pure electric cars, and newer models tended to have more glitches than their predecessor versions.
The study also considered feedback beyond reliability, such as customer frustrations with adjusting climate control settings via touchscreens and cup holders that couldn’t accommodate various drink sizes.
From 2020 to 2024, Audi consistently ranked low in J.D. Power’s Initial Quality Study. However, other brands, such as Maserati, Volvo, and Chrysler in 2022, and Dodge in 2024, have occupied the lowest ranks in recent years.
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Audi has acknowledged its shortcomings, particularly regarding interior quality. In a recent interview with Motor1, Oscar da Silva Martins, Head of Audi Product and Technology Communications, conceded that while Audi had excelled in quality in the past, they are committed to regaining that reputation in the future.
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