The 2024 J.D. Power Initial Quality study is out and once again the Ram 1500 is on top of the full-size truck category.
This annual study looked at the first 90 days of ownership and had 99,144 responses from new 2024 model-year vehicles. It was conducted from July 2023 through May 2024 and is now in its 38th year.
Ram 1500 and Ram Brand wins again
For the second year in a row, the Ram 1500 has placed on top with the least amount of problems. And for the second time ever, the Ram brand has won the top award again, a first for any truck-only brand.
This year, it won the category exclusively as the only truck to be listed by J.D. Power as performing above the segment average.
J.D. Power doesn’t provide information on trucks that don’t meet the segment average.
“This recognition is particularly uplifting because our customers are extremely demanding,” said Ram-brand CEO Chris Feuell in a press release. “Satisfying them to the point where we rise above every other brand in the industry is a testament to the boundless creativity of our designers and engineers, and the unwavering dedication of our assemblers and dealers.”
Ram has been cleaning up on the initial quality study lately by ranking consistently above its competitors in the full-size truck category for the last few years.
Also, it was listed as the most reliable brand overall once again matching the feat in 2021.
Other category winners include:
2024 J.D. Power Initial Quality Study top concerns
In a press release, J.D. Power said it found four key areas affecting consumers.
First, advanced safety features like the rear seat reminder alert confuse owners and lead to frustrations.
Second, owners are experiencing issues with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay systems losing their connection.
Third, in-vehicle controls or lack of them are causing issues. J.D. Power specifically cites Tesla’s move to steering-wheel mounted buttons for horn and turn signal functions as a big issue.
Fourth, the new car smells and not in a good way. An unpleasant interior odor has become a key issue for owners and has worsened the most from 2023.
Bad news for battery electric vehicles
For the first time, the study incorporated franchise dealership repair visits. The results were not good for BEVs.
Owners of BEVs and plug-in hybrid vehicles were found to have more repairs than gas-powered vehicles in all repair categories.
“Owners of cutting edge, tech-filled BEVs and PHEVs are experiencing problems that are of a severity level high enough for them to take their new vehicle into the dealership at a rate three times higher than that of gas-powered vehicle owners,” said Frank Hanley, senior director of auto benchmarking at J.D. Power.
Gas and diesel-powered vehicles experienced 180 problems per 100 vehicles (PP100) meanwhile BEVs were 86 points higher at 266 PP100.
The bottom line
The first 90 days of ownership is a good metric for determining if the vehicle was built well and it is easy for the consumer to use. This study should be one of several you use when considering buying your next vehicle.
