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Kia leads J.D. Power's Vehicle Dependability Study for 2022

For the first year ever, Kia leads J.D. Power's annual Vehicle Dependability Study with a score of 145 problems per 100 vehicles. Buick (147) and Hyundai (148) round out the top three. The highest premium brand on the list is Genesis, with a score of 148. It's common for so-called "mass market" brands to lead this particular study, according to J.D. Power, as "premium" brands "typically incorporate more technology in their vehicles, which increases the likelihood for problems to occur" and aren't necessarily built to a higher standard that less-expensive brands. The highest-rated single nameplate is the Porsche 911. It's the third time out of the past four years and the second year in a row that Porsche's quintessential sports car has taken top honors. Porsche as a brand sits in seventh place (162) just behind Lexus (159) and ahead of Dodge (166). At the very bottom of the list is Land Rover with a dismal score of 284; the SUV specialist held the same unfortunate distinction on last year's list. Ram (266), Volvo (256), Alfa Romeo (245) and Acura (244) also performed poorly. The overall industry average score sits at 192 — mass market brands average a score of 190 while premium brands sit 14 points lower at 204. While Tesla is unofficially included in some of J.D. Power's results, the agency says the sample size it has access to for this study is too small to include. As has been the case for the past several years, infotainment systems dominate the list of problems reported by owners. Popular (or unpopular, depending on your point of view) complaints include built-in voice recognition (8.3 PP100), Android Auto/Apple CarPlay connectivity (5.4 PP100), built-in Bluetooth system (4.5 PP100), not enough power plugs/USB ports (4.2 PP100), navigation systems difficult to understand/use (3.7 PP100), touchscreen/display screen (3.6 PP100), and navigation system inaccurate/outdated map (3.6 PP100). While problems with the car's infotainment and technology packages are indeed bothersome, it's important to remember that such issues aren't usually leaving owners stranded with an immovable vehicle like a broken transmission or blown engine would. Culling infotainment complaints from the results would reduce the average problem-per-100-vehicle score by a staggering 51.9 points. The vehicles included in this study are from the 2019 model year. That means owners have had three years to get to know their cars and trucks. It's the 33rd year that J.D.

What does a million-mile car really tell us?

A million miles. Nearly every car brand and motor oil company plays the million-mile marketing racket at some point. The typical recipe is to take a car that experienced a ton of low-stress highway miles, and make it a rolling testament to the long-term qualities of whatever reputation you're trying to prop up. Saab, Lincoln, Toyota, Honda, Ford, Chrysler. It's a tired game that I would normally just consider one of the pointless ranking exercises of our time. But the truth is, when it comes to a car's longevity, it's almost always the owner that makes the real difference, not the brand. Like a pitcher at a baseball game, the owner mostly determines the victories and the defeats for his car. Some specific models are the basement dwellers of our time – I'm looking at you, Chrysler car with the 2.7-liter engine! But a lot of cars and trucks hit right around the average that is a powertrain whose longevity is mainly determined by that person who turns the key and hopefully learns that patient art of long-term ownership. The best owners are the ones who deserve the attention. So with that in mind, let me introduce you to Matt Farah's Million Mile Lexus. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. This Lexus could be written off as another cynical marketing exercise in this business, performed by those who didn't do the real driving in the past and have no plans at all on doing the bulk of the driving in the future. Matt's actually doing a few things that are genuinely cool, though. Letting other auto journalists and enthusiasts drive it along the way and giving Regular Car Reviews a crack at it. Focusing on the rare virtues of the first-generation Lexus, which, to be frank, can out-diesel a diesel. There is a great story to be had with this car. This isn't a car that was "going to the junkyard" and magically given the kiss of life. That story is far more vast than a guy who bought a high-mileage car in great overall condition. This isn't a car that was "going to the junkyard" and magically given the kiss of life so that it can endure the ages. This Lexus, like all other high-mileage models worthy of our love, has been given one hell of a good maintenance regimen by the prior owners. It was taken care of and primarily maintained at the dealership, where it probably received the best parts and service, thanks in enormous part to owners who were willing to pay that exorbitantly high bill.

Toyota may put Mirai hydrogen fuel cell powertrain into a Lexus

Toyota is hoping to define the world of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles with its uniquely styled Mirai sedan in a fashion similar to the way the Prius pops into people's minds when they think of a hybrid. The Japanese automaker believes it can sell about 700 FCEVs worldwide in the first year alone and build rapidly from there to an estimated 3,000 sales in the US by 2017. Of course, not everyone is completely enamored with the Mirai's design. Toyota is rumored to have an alternative in the works to quell some of those naysayers, possibly taking flagship form with a new Lexus LS powered by fuel-cell tech. The LS FCEV could be unveiled by 2017 to sit at the very top of brand's lineup. According to an inside source speaking to the Australian website Motoring, the front end would feature larger air intakes to cool the electrical components. The fuel cell would reportedly be positioned under the front seat, and the hydrogen tanks would be located under and behind the rear seat. Somehow, Motoring claims that all of this might be lighter than the current LS600hL hybrid, to the tune about 440 pounds. The model is also claimed to offer a range of about 239 miles, just a bit shy of the Mirai's roughly 300 miles. Assuming this vehicle actually exists, the cost for buyers of this flagship would almost certainly ring up at more than the LS600hL's $120,440 base price. Autoblog has reached out to Toyota for any further info about this rumor, one way or the other. If we hear back, we'll update this story with the details. Featured Gallery 2016 Toyota Mirai View 15 Photos News Source: MotoringImage Credit: Toyota Green Rumormill Lexus Toyota Alternative Fuels Hybrid Luxury Sedan lexus ls toyota mirai rumor fcev Lexus LS600h