According to J.D. Power’ s 2023 Initial Quality Study, new vehicles are experiencing more issues, partly due to the implementation of new technologies, including safety systems.

The study revealed that industry-wide problems per 100 vehicles increased by 12 to an average of 192.

J.D. Power’ s annual initial quality rankings are based on survey responses from new car buyers or lessees of current model-year vehicles within their first 90 days of ownership.

The 2023 Initial Quality Study, released on Thursday, highlighted the growing number of quality problems in the automotive industry. Frank Hanley, senior director of auto benchmarking at J.D. Power, stated that today’ s vehicles are more complex, offering new and exciting technology but not always satisfying owners.

The study found that industry-wide problems per 100 vehicles rose by 12 to 192, following last year’ s increase of 18 problems per 100 vehicles, attributed to supply chain disruptions during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The report specifically mentioned issues with advanced driver-assistance features like lane-departure warnings and automatic emergency braking, as well as widespread problems with wireless charging pads for smartphones.

While the increase in problems is partially linked to new technologies, the study also identified difficulties with basic components such as door handles. Some automakers, inspired by Tesla, have introduced high-tech door handles to their new models, which have become a “percolating problem area.” The study revealed that seven out of the ten worst offenders were electric vehicles (EVs).

In terms of brand rankings, three Stellantis brands - Dodge, Ram, and Alfa Romeo - took the top spots for quality this year. However, Volvo, Tesla, and Polestar ranked at the bottom, with 257 and 313 problems per 100 vehicles, respectively.

Among U.S. automakers, General Motors performed well, with all four of its brands - Chevrolet, GMC, Buick, and Cadillac - making it into the top 10 for quality. On the other hand, Ford Motor had a lower performance, with both the Ford brand and Lincoln falling below average.

While Hyundai and Kia exceeded expectations, Toyota underperformed with 194 problems per 100 vehicles, slightly worse than the average.

Dodge, Ram, and Buick were the top mass-market brands for initial quality, while Alfa Romeo, Porsche, and Cadillac led among premium brands.

EV manufacturers like Tesla, Polestar, Lucid, and Rivian are not officially included in the study since they do not provide J.D. Power with access to customer data as required by law in 15 states. However, J.D. Power was able to calculate scores for Tesla and Polestar using data collected from other states. Lucid and Rivian had sample sizes too small to be eligible for rankings and awards but were included in the overall industry averages.

J.D. Power’ s annual initial quality rankings serve as an important benchmark within the auto industry. This year’ s results were based on responses from over 93,000 participants.

The company also conducts separate surveys to assess brands’ long-term dependability, the appeal of new vehicle features, and car buyers’ purchasing experiences across different brands.