Let’s face it: individuals aren’t shopping for BMWs as a result of they’re dependable. In actual fact, reliability has by no means been the sturdy level of luxurious automobiles. Certain, the consensus is that Lexus is normally higher than the remainder, and the 2025 U.S. Preliminary High quality Research confirms Toyota’s premium model leads the pack with fewer issues reported by house owners.
Lexus topped the record within the thirty ninth version of the research, which was based mostly on responses from 92,694 automobile consumers or lessees of 2025 mannequin 12 months autos. For each 100 automobiles from the Japanese luxurious marque, drivers reported 166 issues. BMW didn’t fare as properly, with 196 points, barely worse than the business common of 192.
Seeing the glass half full, BMWs are literally extra dependable than they have been within the 2024 U.S. Preliminary High quality Research, when house owners reported 206 points. On one other constructive word, the Munich-based automaker is properly forward of its home rivals. J.D. Energy crunched the numbers and located that Mercedes had 210 issues per 100 automobiles. Audi positioned useless final with a whopping 269 points. Infiniti and Volvo additionally ranked close to the underside, with 242 and 258 issues, respectively.
For those who personal a current-generation Z4, you’ll be glad to listen to the Graz plant in Austria, the place Magna Steyr assembles the roadster, earned the Platinum Plant High quality Award. Nevertheless, the G29 isn’t lengthy for this world, as a number of studies counsel manufacturing will finish in Might 2026.
Concerning the info assortment course of, house owners have been requested to reply to 227 questions throughout a research performed between June 2024 and Might 2025. J.D. Energy additionally factored in restore knowledge and arranged the findings into 10 distinct classes: infotainment, options, controls, and shows; exterior; driving help; inside; powertrain; seats; driving expertise; local weather; and a class for uncommon repairs.
The research additionally included awards by car section. The BMW X7 triumphed within the Giant Premium SUV class, whereas the X6 got here first amongst Higher Midsize Premium SUVs. The smaller X4, nevertheless, misplaced to the Acura RDX and Lexus NX within the Compact Premium SUV section. In the meantime, the two Collection was overwhelmed by the Acura Integra within the Small Premium class. General, the Porsche 911 emerged as the large winner.
You might argue that with the proliferation of the Neue Klasse, BMWs might develop into extra dependable, provided that EVs have far fewer mechanical parts than combustion-engine autos. Then once more, with a lot new tech on the horizon, it’s sensible to stay cautious. Even when BMW isn’t profitable reliability awards, it nonetheless reigns supreme within the luxurious section with regards to gross sales.
J.D. Energy additionally discovered that luxurious automobiles expertise 4.2 instances extra points than mainstream autos. One other fascinating discovering is that plug-in hybrids are probably the most vulnerable to issues. For each 100 PHEVs, there are 237 points, barely greater than the 212 issues reported by EV house owners.
Supply: J.D. Energy
