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2025 J.D. Power VDS: BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi Reliability Compared

BMW scored 189 PP100 in J.D. Power’s 2025 VDS, ahead of Mercedes-Benz at 243 and Audi at 273. Here’s what the brand-level results mean.
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In J.D. Power’s 2025 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS), BMW scored 189 problems per 100 vehicles (PP100), Mercedes-Benz scored 243, and Audi scored 273. Lower is better, so BMW had the lowest reported-problem score of the three; Mercedes-Benz and Audi were above the study average of 202 PP100. These are brand-level results for owners of three-year-old vehicles, not a prediction of how any particular model or used car will perform.

2025 J.D. Power VDS scores: BMW vs. Mercedes-Benz vs. Audi

Brand 2025 VDS score Difference from 202 PP100 study average
BMW 189 PP100 13 below average
Mercedes-Benz 243 PP100 41 above average
Audi 273 PP100 71 above average
Study average 202 PP100 —

Source: J.D. Power’s 2025 U.S. VDS ranking. Differences from average are arithmetic comparisons of the published scores. J.D. Power cautions that numerical ranking differences are not necessarily statistically significant, so the scores do not prove that every BMW will have fewer problems than every Mercedes-Benz or Audi.

What the 2025 VDS measures

The study surveyed 34,175 original owners of 2022 model-year vehicles after three years of ownership. Fieldwork ran from August through November 2024. J.D. Power counted owner-reported problems across 184 specific areas in nine categories: climate, driving assistance, driving experience, exterior, features/controls/displays, infotainment, interior, powertrain, and seats. J.D. Power’s study announcement describes the sample, scope, and categories.

PP100 means problems per 100 vehicles; a lower figure indicates fewer reported problems in the study. Because the measure covers technology and user-experience issues alongside vehicle systems, a higher score should not be read as a direct count of catastrophic mechanical failures. Nor does a brand-wide score establish the reliability of an individual model, trim, engine, or specific used vehicle.

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How to interpret the gaps

BMW: below the study average

BMW’s 189 PP100 was 13 points below the overall 202 PP100 average and the lowest of these three brands in this edition of the study. That is a result for the 2022 model-year cohort surveyed, not a guarantee about newer BMWs or a specific car.

Mercedes-Benz: above the study average

Mercedes-Benz recorded 243 PP100, 41 points above the study average. The score reflects the VDS’s broad set of reported problems; it does not isolate any single model or type of fault.

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Audi: highest score among the three

Audi recorded 273 PP100, 71 points above the study average and the highest score of the three brands in this comparison. As with the other scores, this is a brand-level finding for the study’s defined cohort and categories.

Why the industry average rose

The 2025 industry average was 202 PP100, 12 PP100 worse than the previous year and a 6% increase, according to J.D. Power. The study identified Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity as the industry’s most frequently reported problem for a second consecutive year: 8.4 PP100 in 2025, compared with 6.3 PP100 in 2024. This is an industry-wide finding; it does not show that BMW, Mercedes-Benz, or Audi individually had that problem at the same rate.

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J.D. Power’s director of auto benchmarking, Jason Norton, said the three-year-old vehicles in the study were built during a period when the industry was dealing with major disruptions. The comment offers context for the cohort’s results, rather than a brand-specific explanation for any score.

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Is the 2025 VDS the latest ranking?

No. As of October 7, 2026, J.D. Power’s U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study overview lists the 2026 study as published in February 2026. The figures above are specifically the 2025 comparison; they should not be presented as the current-year ranking. The cited 2025 ranking does not establish the three brands’ 2026 scores.

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What to take from the comparison when shopping

  • For this 2025 U.S. VDS comparison, BMW had the lowest reported-problem score among the three; Mercedes-Benz and Audi were above the study average.
  • Use the numbers as broad context, not as a substitute for model-specific reliability information or an inspection of an individual used car.
  • When comparing reliability rankings, keep the study year, country, vehicle cohort, and scoring method in view. Results from different studies may measure different owners, time periods, or kinds of problems.

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