Buick Wins Big in 2020 J.D. Power Dependability Study
Every year, J.D. Power compiles a list of America’s most dependable vehicles based on strictly regulated logistics and embarrassment of research. In the 2020 study, the internationally-respected consumer insight company named Buick the most dependable mass-market brand, as well as conferring it several other major accolades and individual vehicle awards.
Meet the most dependable small SUV: The Buick Encore
Immediately following the honor of Buick’s mass-market gold medal is its status as J.D. Power’s third highest-rated brand out of more than 30 evaluated nameplates. The list includes iconic luxury brands like BMW and Mercedes-Benz, high-end sports car manufacturers like Porsche, pricey premium SUV purveyors like Land Rover, and traditionally dependable automakers like Subaru, Toyota, and Honda.
Buick topped them all.
In addition to beating dozens of brands for both the bronze and gold podiums for overall dependability, several Buick vehicles earned top marks in their individual classes. The Buick Regal beat out the Volkswagen Passat and the Toyota Camry to claim the Highest-Ranked Midsize Car distinction, and the Buick Encore walked away with the Highest-Ranked Small SUV title, outpacing both the Kira Niro and the Volkswagen Tiguan. Buick also ranked in the top three for the Large Car and Midsize SUV segments for the LaCrosse and the Enclave, respectively.
How does J.D. Power choose winners?
J.D. Power refuses to publish results for vehicles without a sufficient number of samples. It also vets models within their segments to determine whether they represent enough of the total market to be relevant to the study. For the overall awards, J.D. Power ranks brands based on issues reported during their independent research. Scores are based on the number of problems experienced per 100 vehicles of the same type.
A dependable car deserves dependable service: Give yours the best
Using this metric, Buick outpaces the industry average by 31 points, and the last-ranked brand — Land Rover — by 117 points. For reference, the cheapest base Land Rover model (the unranked Discovery) costs over $14,000 than more the least expensive Buick model (the top-ranked Encore).
The difference between the most expensive Land Rover (the unranked Range Rover) and the most luxurious Buick (the top trim of the ranked Enclave) is even more substantial at over than $37,000.
If you listen closely, you can hear the sound of a Buick executive dropping a mic somewhere in the distance.
The News Wheel is a digital auto magazine providing readers with a fresh perspective on the latest car news. We’re located in the heart of America (Dayton, Ohio) and our goal is to deliver an entertaining and informative perspective on what’s trending in the automotive world. See more articles from The News Wheel.