Kia Is Most Reliable Brand In The 2022 J.D. Power Vehicle Dependability Study

In the 33rd year of J.D. Power's Vehicle Dependability Study, 2022's most reliable auto brand is Kia.

J.D. Power's 2022 Vehicle Dependability Study is essentially a test of vehicles from the 2019 model year. How have they performed over the course of the first three years of ownership? J.D. Power quantifies this by listing the number of problems per 100 vehicles (PP100), which works out to an average of 192 across the entire auto industry. That's 32% more than Kia. 

• J.D. Power says so-called premium brands are a primary culprit – they see 14 more PP100 vehicle than mass-market brands, which suggests the ownership experience isn't so premium at all.
• The Kia Sorento is the top-ranked "Upper Midsize SUV." Over 37,000 Sorentos were sold in Canada over the last three years.
• J.D. Power's Vehicle Dependability Study surveys around 30,000 three-year-old vehicles regarding trouble spots experienced in the last 12 months in 184 potential problem areas in nine different sections of the vehicle: climate, driving experience, exterior, features/controls/displays, infotainment, interior, powertrain, seats, and driving assistance.

Kia's No.1 result in 2022 shouldn't come as a huge surprise. Kia has been moving up the ranks quite quickly, from 11th in 2017, to 5th in 2018, to third in 2021, and now to the top position in the industry.