Lexus was also number one in 2019, but was replaced by Genesis in 2020.
The study is based on a survey of owners who have had their vehicles for three years and graded them on 184 possible problem areas, plus their current overall condition.
The 2020 Lexus RX was one of the most-dependable models. (Lexus)
TOYOTA AND LEXUS DOMINATE MOST RELIABLE CAR BRANDS LIST AND YOU'LL BE SURPRISED WHAT'S LAST
Lexus received a score of 133 problems per 100 vehicles and was followed by its two rivals, with Genesis at 144 and Kia at 152. The industry average was 186, which was an improvement from 192 in the 2022 study.
The industry average was 186 problems per vehicle. (J.D. Power)
The Japanese brand's performance marks the 22nd time in 27 years it has been ranked number one.
Infotainment systems were responsible for the most complaints, and mainstream brands outperformed premium automakers with an average score of 182 to 205, due in large part to all the new tech being introduced first in luxury models.
"It is typical in the automotive industry to roll out concepts and features by putting them in premium vehicles first," said Frank Hanley, senior director of auto benchmarking at J.D. Power.
The 2020 Toyota C-HR tied for the top score with 111. (Toyota)
Ram, Volvo and Nissan saw the biggest improvements this year, dropping 77, 41 and 35 points respectively, while Land Rover (273), Lincoln (259), Audi (252) Ford (249) and Tesla (242) had the worst scores.
Among specific models, the Toyota C-HR and Lexus RX tied for first at 111, with the sister brands topping a total of six categories for the most wins by a single automaker, followed by BMW and General Motors with four each.