Vehicle Dependability in China Shows Modest Improvement; Design-Related Problems Drive Overall Quality Trends, J.D. Power Finds

SHANGHAI: 20 Aug. 2026 – Vehicle dependability of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles in China has increased slightly in 2026, as the average number of problems per 100 vehicles (or PP100) has decreased by 5.3 to 192 year over year, according to the J.D. Power 2026 China Vehicle Dependability StudySM (VDS), released today. Premium and mass market brands average 183 PP100 and 195 PP100, respectively.

This is the first year since 2022 that the number of owner-reported problems has decreased. Malfunction-related problems account for approximately 54% of overall PP100 in 2026, and have remained relatively stable across the five-year period. Design-related problems, by contrast, reached a high of 90 PP100 in 2025, up from 78 in 2022 before declining to 87 this year, and are the primary driver of fluctuations in overall PP100.

Now in its 17th year in China, the study measures the number of problems experienced per 100 vehicles during the past six months by owners of 13- to 48-month-old vehicles. A lower score reflects higher vehicle quality. The study covers 177 specific problems grouped into nine major vehicle categories: exterior; interior; driving experience; features/controls/displays (FCD); infotainment; climate; seats; powertrain; and driving assistance. 

"The decline in PP100 in 2026 is an encouraging sign after three consecutive years of deterioration, particularly amid faster product cycles and mounting cost pressures, as design-related PP100 declined to 87 and malfunction-related PP100 also decreased to 104," said Sean Wang, general manager of vehicle product competitiveness solutions at J.D. Power China. "Driver assistance and infotainment have accounted for a growing share of problems for four consecutive years, with infotainment now the largest source of long-term quality problems in ICE vehicles. Durability also becomes much more pronounced later in the ownership cycle: PP100 remains relatively stable during the first three years but jumps by more than 40 points in the three- to four-year ownership period. The increase is particularly pronounced among international mass market brands, while premium brands remain well below the industry average at this stage."

Following are additional findings of the 2026 study:

• Traditional mechanical reliability improves: During the past five years, long-term quality problems in ICE vehicles have increasingly shifted from traditional mechanical systems toward electronic and intelligent technologies. Powertrain problems have declined from 9.5% of total PP100 in 2022 to 6.0% in 2026, the largest improvement among all vehicle categories. By contrast, infotainment has increased to 15.9% and is the category with the highest number of problems for three consecutive years. Driving assistance problems have increased to 8.6%, up 3.4 percentage points from 2022—the largest increase among the nine categories. As traditional mechanical systems mature, the long-term stability and ease of use of frequently used smart features, including in-vehicle interaction and driver assistance, are becoming increasingly more important to overall vehicle dependability. Quality improvement strategies therefore need to strike a better balance between mechanical reliability and digital usability.

• Quality risks emerge later in ownership, making 3- to 4-year ownership a critical durability test: This year’s study finds that overall PP100 jumps by 47 points in the 3- to 4-year ownership period compared with the 2- to 3-year period, marking a critical window for long-term quality risks to surface. As ownership lengthens, NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) problems become particularly pronounced, with tire noise, wind noise and various rattles increasingly reported. Problems involving the exterior, infotainment and powertrain also become more pronounced with longer ownership. Automakers need to ensure that long-term validation programs more closely reflect real-world ownership cycles.

• Brand-group quality gaps narrow, shifting competition toward targeted improvement: As shifts in initial quality carry through into longer-term ownership, dependability gaps among the three major brand groups are narrowing. Premium brands (183 PP100) have seen malfunction-related PP100 increase by 15 points since 2022, eroding their traditional advantage in hardware reliability. For international mass market brands (191 PP100), malfunction-related problems have remained relatively stable, while design-related problems have trended upward. Chinese domestic brands (201 PP100) have posted a notable decline in malfunction-related problems in 2026, although design-related problems remain elevated. As overall performance converges, smart technology design and usability are becoming a shared quality challenge, making group-specific improvements increasingly important for differentiation.

• Post-2000 owners are more sensitive to the pace of quality deterioration: Post-2000 owners report the most problems of any age group, averaging 205 PP100, with malfunction-related problems accounting for the largest generational gap. The difference becomes more pronounced over time: PP100 among these owners during 1- to 2-year ownership is 178.6, which is below the industry average, but reaches 247.0 during 2- to 3-year ownership, 50.8 points above the comparable industry level. The largest category-level gaps are in seats and driving experience, while wear-and-damage PP100 is 6.4 points above the industry average, with seat-surface wear and uneven tire wear standing out. The findings suggest that younger owners are especially aware of how fast vehicle quality declines, underscoring the need to improve durability in high-wear parts. 

Highest-Ranked Brands and Models 

Land Rover ranks highest in vehicle dependability among premium brands with 167 PP100, while Porsche (179 PP100) ranks second and BMW (181 PP100) ranks third.

FAW Toyota is the highest-ranked mass market brand with 167 PP100. GAC Toyota (173 PP100) ranks second and Changan Ford (178 PP100) ranks third.

Chery is the highest-ranked Chinese domestic brand with 181 PP100. FAW Hongqi and GAC Trumpchi, each with 186 PP100, rank second in a tie.

In the 2026 study, 14 models from 11 brands are eligible for awards across 14 segments.[1]

• Chery models ranking highest in their respective segments areChery Tiggo 7/7 Plus and Chery Tiggo 8 Pro.
• GAC Toyota models ranking highest in their respective segments are Toyota Camry and Toyota Wildlander.
• Land Rover models ranking highest in their respective segments are Land Rover Discovery Sport and Range Rover.

Other models that rank highest in their respective segment are Changan Eado Plus; Mercedes-Benz C-Class; Nissan Sylphy Classic; Toyota Corolla; Volvo S90; Lexus RX; Ford Edge/Edge L; and Buick All New GL8.

The 2026 China Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS) is based on responses from 11,119 vehicle owners who purchased their vehicle between January 2022 and March 2025. The study includes 109 models from 34 different brands, with all 34 brands and 105 models meeting the minimum sample size requirement. The study was fielded from January through April 2026 in 81 major cities across China. 

To learn more about the China Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS), please contact us: china.marketing@jdpa.com

About J.D. Power

J.D. Power is a global leader in consumer insights, advisory services and data and analytics. Those capabilities enable J.D. Power to help its clients drive customer satisfaction, growth and profitability. Established in 1968, J.D. Power has offices serving North America, Asia Pacific and Europe. For more information, please visit china.jdpower.com or stay connected with us on J.D. Power WeChat and Weibo.

[1] Brands listed in alphabetical order.