Three years is long enough for small annoyances, glitches and outright failures to show up in a vehicle, and a yearly owner-survey study collects exactly those reports. Sedans, minivans, pickups and SUVs from Toyota, Lexus, GM and others earned recognition this time. Here are fourteen of the models that stood out.
1. Lexus IS: Top Of The Study
The Lexus IS earned the best overall result in J.D. Power’s 2026 Vehicle Dependability Study, which surveys owners of three-year-old vehicles, here 2023 model-year cars. Owners report problems per 100 vehicles, so a lower tally means fewer things went wrong across the first three years of ownership.
For used-car shoppers, a result like this signals that a sport sedan can also be a low-hassle one. Still, a score describes a model’s typical record, so an individual car’s service history deserves a look before any purchase is settled.
2. Toyota Camry: Midsize Sedan Staple
The Camry was one of eight model-level awards that Toyota Motor Corp. collected in the J.D. Power dependability results. Those honors went to individual models rather than whole brands, which makes the Camry’s inclusion a statement about one specific sedan’s three-year record.
Buyers weighing a used sedan can treat the award as one data point among several, alongside recall history and maintenance records. The study measures problems owners experienced, so it captures annoyances as well as outright breakdowns, and a low count suggests fewer of both.
3. Toyota Sienna: Minivan Standout
A model-level award went to the Sienna in a study where the industry averaged 204 problems per 100 vehicles. That industry figure is the yardstick, and any model that lands well below it has owners reporting noticeably fewer defects, glitches and complaints after three years of family duty.
Minivans take heavy daily use, from sliding doors to infotainment screens, so a strong dependability record carries extra weight for households shopping used. Parents comparing three-year-old vans can reasonably put the Sienna near the top of a shortlist, then verify condition in person.
4. Toyota Tacoma: Midsize Pickup Winner
Among midsize pickups, the Tacoma took the segment win in the 2026 study, according to Autoblog’s rundown of winners. Segment awards compare a truck only against its direct rivals, which makes the result a head-to-head verdict rather than a cross-industry average.
Trucks are bought for work and towing, where downtime costs real money, so dependability matters more than in a commuter car. Shoppers eyeing a used midsize pickup can use the segment win as a reason to put the Tacoma on the list, while still inspecting wear from hauling.
5. Lexus UX: Compact Luxury Pick
The UX is another of Toyota Motor Corp.’s eight model-level awards, as listed in CarPro’s study breakdown. Pairing a small luxury crossover with a strong dependability showing suggests that a premium badge and low problem counts can arrive in the same affordable-to-own package.
Used luxury shoppers often worry about costly electronics and finicky trim. A model that owners rate well after three years eases some of that concern, though the study counts reported problems rather than repair bills, so insurance and parts costs still deserve separate comparison.
6. Lexus GX: Premium Brand Leader
The GX won a model-level award in a year when Lexus led premium brands for a fourth straight year, scoring 151 problems per 100 vehicles. That brand tally sits well under the 204 industry average, and the GX contributed to it as one of the nameplate’s award-winning models.
Large body-on-frame luxury SUVs are expensive to fix when something fails, so a good dependability showing carries financial weight for owners. Buyers should note that the figure describes the model overall, not any single vehicle, and should confirm maintenance history before trusting a low-problem reputation.
7. Toyota 4Runner: Rugged Family Hauler
The 4Runner is another of the model-level award winners credited to Toyota Motor Corp. in the 2026 study coverage. Part of a haul of eight awards for the automaker, its recognition reflects owners reporting few problems after three years with a truck-based SUV.
Off-road-capable SUVs face harsher conditions than most family vehicles, which makes a clean record notable. Used shoppers can read the award as encouraging, but trail abuse, towing and deferred maintenance vary widely, so a careful inspection still matters more than any published ranking.
8. Nissan Murano: Midsize SUV Winner
The Murano is the segment winner among midsize SUVs, as noted in Autoblog’s dependability roundup. Winning a segment means owners of this crossover reported fewer problems per 100 vehicles than owners of every direct competitor in the category.
That result rests on J.D. Power’s owner-reported problem counts, which makes it a useful data point for shoppers weighing midsize SUVs on dependability. As with any study score, a pre-purchase inspection and service records remain the sensible checks on a specific used example.
9. BMW X4: Premium Segment Win
The X4 was named the segment winner among compact premium SUVs, according to Autoblog’s list of winners. Its win came against rivals from other luxury brands, which are generally packed with the sort of technology that can generate owner complaints.
A sloping-roof luxury crossover is often seen as a style choice rather than a reliability pick, so the result challenges that assumption. Shoppers considering a three-year-old example should still price out maintenance, since German luxury upkeep tends to cost more even when problem counts stay low.
10. Ram 1500: Full-Size Truck Winner
The Ram 1500 earned the segment win among large light-duty pickups, as reported by Autoblog’s study summary. Full-size trucks are among the most contested vehicles in America, so topping the category means beating the best-known nameplates in the market.
Pickup owners tend to use their trucks hard and stack on options, which makes a low problem count harder to achieve. Used buyers can treat the win as a positive sign for the model line, then check trim-level details, towing history and any open recalls on the specific truck.
11. Buick Enclave: Mass-Market Best
The Enclave ranked first among upper midsize SUVs, and Buick was the highest mass-market nameplate, as outlined in General Motors’ announcement. The three-row crossover therefore helped carry its brand to the top of the non-luxury pack in the study.
A mass-market brand beating its price-point rivals suggests that dependable ownership does not require a luxury sticker. Families shopping for a three-year-old three-row SUV can add the Enclave to the shortlist, remembering that the source here is the automaker’s own summary of the study results.
12. Chevrolet Equinox: Compact SUV Leader
The Equinox ranked first in the compact SUV segment in the 2026 study, a result highlighted in the automaker’s study recap. Compact crossovers are the busiest corner of the market, so a first-place finish there places the Equinox against the most heavily shopped competition.
Because compact SUVs are bought in huge numbers, many used examples are available, and a strong dependability result helps narrow the field. Shoppers should keep in mind that the source is General Motors itself, so the ranking claim is worth confirming against J.D. Power’s published tables.
13. Chevrolet Tahoe: Large SUV Champion
The Tahoe ranked first among large SUVs in the 2026 study, according to General Motors’ press release. Big truck-based SUVs combine towing hardware, seating for many passengers and plenty of electronics, all of which give owners more chances to report something wrong.
Leading that category after three years suggests the Tahoe handled that complexity well. Used buyers should still weigh fuel costs, size and trim-level features, and should check that the vehicle’s service history matches the heavy duty that large SUVs often see.
14. Cadillac XT6: Premium Three-Row
The XT6 ranked first among upper midsize premium SUVs in the 2026 study, as listed in the GM announcement. Taking a premium segment gives Cadillac a bright spot in a ranking where Lexus led the luxury brands overall at 151 problems per 100 vehicles.
Luxury three-row crossovers can be costly to fix, so owners value a model with a good dependability record. Shoppers should treat the result as encouraging for the XT6 specifically, while remembering that brand-level standings and individual vehicle condition can tell different stories.
More from Morning Overview
- Seven of Earth’s nine planetary boundaries are breached, and all seven are worsening
- The NSA says three phone features should be off whenever you aren’t using them
- Hurricane Hunter radar shows four warning signs that a tropical cyclone is about to strengthen, a University of Miami study found
- Tropical Storm Rachel is dumping up to 12 inches on four Mexican states on its way to major hurricane strength
