Dependability and reliability surveys rarely agree on every detail, yet the same names keep appearing near the bottom. Two major studies, one tracking problems reported by owners and one built on member surveys, supply the rankings behind this list. Here are twelve brands that finished near the back of the pack.
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1. Volkswagen: Worst Of All Brands
Volkswagen finished last in J.D. Power’s 2026 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study with 301 problems per 100 vehicles, against an industry average of 204, according to SlashGear’s J.D. Power summary.
A gap of nearly 100 problems over the average is a wide margin. Owners of three-year-old Volkswagens should expect more issues than with typical rivals, though the figure is a brand average. The gap is the largest of any brand in the study, with Volvo’s 296 next in line.
2. Volvo: Second From The Bottom
Volvo scored 296 problems per 100 vehicles in J.D. Power’s 2026 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study, second-worst, against an industry average of 204, according to a Volvo dependability score.
Lower scores mean fewer problems, so a higher number is worse. The score places Volvo close to Volkswagen at the bottom of the study. The sample comes from owners of three-year-old vehicles, so the score reflects problems that appear after the warranty honeymoon.
3. Land Rover: Third-Worst Score
Land Rover scored 274 problems per 100 vehicles in J.D. Power’s 2026 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study, third-worst, against an industry average of 204, as reported by the 2026 dependability study.
The result is a brand-wide average, not a verdict on any single model. Lower scores mean fewer problems, so shoppers should compare it with the industry figure. SlashGear highlights the brand in an article about makers that rank worse than Jeep, a name often associated with reliability complaints.
4. Jeep: Fourth From The Bottom
Jeep landed fourth from the bottom in J.D. Power’s 2026 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study with 267 problems per 100 vehicles, according to a Jeep dependability result, against an industry average of 204.
Jeep appears again in the Consumer Reports rankings elsewhere, which suggests the concern is not limited to one survey. Prospective owners can weigh trim and powertrain choices accordingly. SlashGear frames Jeep as a brand many shoppers assume is the worst, but three names scored even lower in the same study.
5. Audi: Luxury Brand Below Average
Audi scored 244 problems per 100 vehicles in J.D. Power’s 2026 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study, fifth-worst, against an industry average of 204, according to Motor1’s dependability study.
A premium price does not guarantee fewer problems. Lower scores mean fewer problems, so Audi’s result sits 40 above the industry average. The score appears in Motor1’s list of the bottom ten, so it is one of several European luxury brands below the 204 average.
6. Mercedes-Benz: Star Badge, More Problems
Mercedes-Benz scored 235 problems per 100 vehicles in J.D. Power’s 2026 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study, sixth-worst, against an industry average of 204, per Motor1’s J.D. Power list.
The figure places the German luxury brand one spot better than Audi in this ranking. Buyers considering a used Mercedes can treat the result as a reason to review a vehicle’s history carefully. Mercedes-Benz sits alongside Audi in this part of the table, so German luxury brands account for a notable share of the lower rankings.
7. Infiniti: Tied With Acura
Infiniti scored 233 problems per 100 vehicles in J.D. Power’s 2026 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study, seventh-worst and tied with Acura, against an industry average of 204, per the 2026 VDS rankings.
The score is close to the cluster of other luxury marques above it. Shoppers should compare it with the industry average rather than assume a Japanese luxury badge means top-tier dependability. Both tied brands are well above the industry average of 204, so neither can claim a clear edge over the other in this study.
8. Acura: Japanese Luxury Tie
Acura scored 233 problems per 100 vehicles in J.D. Power’s 2026 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study, eighth-worst and tied with Infiniti, according to a J.D. Power ranking. The industry average was 204.
The tie shows two Japanese luxury brands finishing in the same spot. For buyers, the difference from the average is 29 problems per 100 vehicles. Motor1 lists the brand in the bottom ten, so a result in the 230s is not an isolated blip for the luxury segment.
9. Rivian: Last In Consumer Reports
Consumer Reports’ 2026 brand report card placed Rivian in last place in its Annual Auto Reliability Survey ranking, according to Consumer Reports’ brand report card, which names it among the bottom brands.
As a young manufacturer, Rivian has less history than the established names around it. Shoppers can read the result as a caution about early-production reliability. Rivian was named alongside Lincoln, Chrysler, GMC, Jeep and Ram in the bottom of the ranking, so the placement is not unique to one brand.
10. Ram Trucks: Second From Last
Consumer Reports’ 2026 brand report card ranks Ram 25th in its Annual Auto Reliability Survey, second from the bottom and ahead of only Rivian, per the 2026 brand report card.
The ranking draws on a survey of Consumer Reports members. Truck buyers weighing Ram against rivals can use it as one data point alongside owner reviews. Jeep also appears in this ranking at 24th and Chrysler at 22nd, so several American names cluster near the bottom of the table.
11. GMC: Bottom Five Overall
Consumer Reports’ 2026 brand report card ranks GMC 23rd for reliability and places it in the bottom five of its overall brand report card, according to Consumer Reports’ reliability ranks.
The ranking is based on member survey data. GMC shares platforms with Chevrolet, so shoppers may want to compare how each brand fares in the same report. The list names Lincoln, Chrysler, GMC, Jeep, Ram and Rivian at the bottom, which puts GMC in company with several American brands.
12. Chrysler: Bottom Third Finish
Consumer Reports’ 2026 brand report card ranks Chrysler 22nd for reliability, in the bottom third of the rankings, according to a 2026 brand ranking.
The result comes from the Annual Auto Reliability Survey of members. Minivan shoppers can check how the Pacifica fares in model-level data before deciding. The ranking names Chrysler between Lincoln and GMC, showing that several American mainstream brands share the weaker end of the table, alongside one newer electric-vehicle maker.
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