I Dug Into J.D. Power's 3-Year Reliability Scores, PHEVs Are Now the Worst Powertrain You Can Buy
J.D. Power's 2025 Vehicle Dependability Study found that plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) have the worst reliability after three years, with 242 problems per 100 vehicles. The gap between PHEVs and battery electrics widened by 59 problems in a single year due to PHEVs declining by 26 while EVs improved by 33.
Plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) have been found to be the least reliable powertrain after three years of ownership, according to J.D. Power's 2025 Vehicle Dependability Study. PHEVs scored 242 problems per 100 vehicles, behind diesel, full EVs, gas, and conventional hybrids. The reliability issue is attributed to owners not plugging in their vehicles as intended, resulting in the car carrying dead weight and experiencing thermal cycling stress. The study found that PHEVs declined by 26 problems year over year, while EVs improved by 33. The software integration in PHEVs is a major contributor to the reliability issues, as it struggles to manage handoffs between electric and combustion modes. The result is a vehicle that frustrates its owner on multiple fronts. New 2022 model year PHEVs scored 241 problems, while carryover models managed 196, suggesting that fresh complexity is the primary driver of PHEV failure.
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