How Dependable Are GM Vehicles In High-Volume Segments?

Gorehamj · February 23, 2017

John Goreham
Contributing Writer, GM-Trucks.com
2-23-2017

Vehicle dependability is the talk this week because J.D. Power and Associates has released the results of its Vehicle Dependability Study. The study is basically the results of a 177-question survey the group sends to owners. In this year's study, the model year of the vehicles looked is 2014. The study looks at how many problems the cars have in their first year of ownership. Any study has its strengths and weaknesses, but this is the one that many automakers, including GM, take very seriously. GM spends millions of dollars to advertise how well its brands and models do on this survey.

GM vehicles do top the list in many vehicle segments. For example, GM's Silverado HD is the top-rated truck for durability in its segment. GM's Chevy Camaro is also the top-rated pony car. The Tahoe and Sonic both win their huge-sized and tiny-sized vehicle type classes. The bad news is this; Every segment GM vehicles won is a low-volume segment.

What really matters to most of us is the "1500 series pickup" segment, the midsize sedan segment, and the compact crossover segment. Why? Because those are the three largest vehicle segments by sales, and together they account for almost everything on the road today. All of these segments have multiple top-selling models with sales between 30,000-50,000 units per month. GM's segment-toppers, like the Sonic, Tahoe and Camaro don't usually top 4,000 units in any given month.

In order of size, the compact crossover is now the largest vehicle segment, having recently surpassed full-size pickups. Great news! GM's Equinox and Terrain are the top two vehicles anyone bought. Sure, Toyota's FJ Cruiser topped the list, but it was a very-low-volume specialty vehicle and is now discontinued. Here GM shines.

Next up is full-size "1500" pickups. Here GM lags. Ford is the winner, and if you look at the chart, Ford wins across the board. Toyota is next. Silverado and Sierra have a ways to go to be near these other brands' models.

Finally, the classic midsized family sedan. The Toyota Camry is the single highest rated vehicle in the country period-Not just in its segment. It is also usually in the top-five overall of top models sold and is usually the leading sedan for sales in America. GM's cars do well in this segment. The Chevy Malibu is second on the list. The low-volume Buick Regal is fourth. We will let the readers judge how far off the GM vehicles are from the Camry, but take note of where the second-highest seller is on this list, the Accord. It is mid-pack, below both GM cars in the class.

Related: GM's Least American Brand, Buick, Most Dependable, Caddy Last

Get right to the Study we reference with this link. It shows the above images larger on the screen.

Note: This story was inspired by member Colossus, who posted a comment under our recent Camaro story asking basically "Where are the news and marketing stories about everyday GM vehicles?" Thanks, it got us thinking.

barry G · February 23, 2017

How many owners?

..and then there is contrast beyond mainstream results.

my northern truck, a wimpy half ton. which of course needed steel welded in, just got its 21st inspection at 358,600 miles.

Needed nothing.

The list of work to get to that point is years long...hardly painful. nothing was all at once, ever.

I don't see how JD power and associates is legit.

The HD silverado does not get hammered like an old dodge cummins 12 valve, and the powerstroke of recent years.

I bet they run empty more often.

1997SierraSLT · February 23, 2017

It's all so subjective. As a consumer you have to simply weed through the plethora of information available. More importantly, you have to dig deep and decipher who's funding who and try to determine how these "reporting agencies" generate their revenue.

For instance, I read through a Consumer Reports magazine the other day and they absolutely shredded certain GM vehicles such as the Tahoe, Escalade, Silverado, Sierra, and a few others on quality, reliability, and resale value.

It sounds like J.D Powers and GM have quite a strong "I'll pad your wallet if you pad my wallet" relationship....

Nargg · February 27, 2017

It's all so subjective. As a consumer you have to simply weed through the plethora of information available. More importantly, you have to dig deep and decipher who's funding who and try to determine how these "reporting agencies" generate their revenue.

For instance, I read through a Consumer Reports magazine the other day and they absolutely shredded certain GM vehicles such as the Tahoe, Escalade, Silverado, Sierra, and a few others on quality, reliability, and resale value.

It sounds like J.D Powers and GM have quite a strong "I'll pad your wallet if you pad my wallet" relationship....

Do you have proof?

KARNUT · February 27, 2017

My sons 15 suburban is a nightmare, it like the electronics has a short and effects every thing. There're on their third trip to the dealer, the local dealer told them they're 5 days deep with just electrical issues. They took it to another dealership, we'll see.