Let’s face it: individuals aren’t shopping for BMWs as a result of they’re dependable. In truth, reliability has by no means been the sturdy level of luxurious vehicles. Certain, the consensus is that Lexus is often higher than the remainder, and the 2025 U.S. Preliminary High quality Examine 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 examine, which was based mostly on responses from 92,694 automotive patrons or lessees of 2025 mannequin yr automobiles. For each 100 vehicles from the Japanese luxurious marque, drivers reported 166 issues. BMW didn’t fare as effectively, with 196 points, barely worse than the business common of 192.
Seeing the glass half full, BMWs are literally extra dependable than they had been within the 2024 U.S. Preliminary High quality Examine, when house owners reported 206 points. On one other optimistic observe, the Munich-based automaker is effectively forward of its home opponents. J.D. Energy crunched the numbers and located that Mercedes had 210 issues per 100 vehicles. Audi positioned useless final with a whopping 269 points. Infiniti and Volvo additionally ranked close to the underside, with 242 and 258 issues, respectively.
In the event you 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. Nonetheless, the G29 isn’t lengthy for this world, as a number of studies recommend manufacturing will finish in Might 2026.
Concerning the info assortment course of, house owners had been requested to reply to 227 questions throughout a examine performed between June 2024 and Might 2025. J.D. Energy additionally factored in restore information 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 examine additionally included awards by car phase. The BMW X7 triumphed within the Giant Premium SUV class, whereas the X6 got here first amongst Higher Midsize Premium SUVs. The smaller X4, nonetheless, misplaced to the Acura RDX and Lexus NX within the Compact Premium SUV phase. In the meantime, the two Collection was crushed by the Acura Integra within the Small Premium class. Total, the Porsche 911 emerged as the massive winner.
You could possibly argue that with the proliferation of the Neue Klasse, BMWs might change into extra dependable, provided that EVs have far fewer mechanical parts than combustion-engine automobiles. 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 phase on the subject of gross sales.
J.D. Energy additionally discovered that luxurious vehicles expertise 4.2 occasions extra points than mainstream automobiles. One other fascinating discovering is that plug-in hybrids are essentially the most susceptible 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
