By Danie Botha
You'd think that premium vehicles are more immune to reliability issues, right? Apparently not. According to JD Power's 2025 US Dependability Study, the problems owners experience with premium vehicles increased to the highest level since the survey's current format was established in 2022.
Of the top five industry issues, four of those issues are related to the integration of mobile phones with in-car entertainment systems. Interestingly, problems with hybrid, plug-in hybrid and battery electric vehicles (BEVs) were on the rise in 2025, while gas-powered vehicles saw a decline in problems in 2025. Overall, traditional gas-powered cars proved to be the most reliable powertrain option on the market.
Here's a list of V8 powered SUVs, according to the rankings the brands scored in the 2025 JD Power Dependability Study.
Note
This list comprises 10 SUVs powered by V8 engines. The SUVs are listed according to the ranking the respective brands achieved in the 2025 JD Power Dependability Study. Ranking listed from position 10, to number 1. MSRP values exclude destination fees.
Land Rover Defender
Problems Per 100 Vehicles: 274
The Land Rover Defender Octa V8 is, simply put, a magnificent beast. It is powered by a twin-turbocharged V8 engine that delivers 626 hp, and it will get you to 60 mph in just 3.8 seconds. It thunders, blasts and roars, all at the same time.
But, Land Rover also recorded an average of 274 problems per 100 vehicles. Only Volvo and Volkswagen fared worse. Chances are therefore pretty good that your magnificent Octa may eventually turn into a bit of a liability. Electronic and electrical issues seem to be a major issue, while customers also don't rate the Land Rover dealership experience very highly (according to a JD Power survey).
| *Land Rover Defender Octa | |
|---|---|
| Engine | 4.4-liter, twin-turbocharged V8 |
| Power | 626 hp |
| Torque | 553–590 lb-ft |
| 0-60 mph | 3.8 seconds |
| MSRP | Starting from $158,300 |
*Land Rover Defender Octa
Range Rover
Problems Per 100 Vehicles: 274
| Engine | 4.4-liter, twin-turbocharged V8 |
|---|---|
| Power | 523 hp |
| Torque | 553 lb-ft |
| 0-60 mph | 4.4 seconds |
| MSRP | From $131,400 (est) |
*Range Rover P530 specifications
As beautiful and as sumptuously luxurious as the Range Rover may, it shares the same number of problems per 100 vehicles as the Land Rover Defender (274). For the record, the industry standard for all brands is 204 problems per 100 cars.
Common issues in modern Range Rovers seem to revolve around electronic systems, with infotainment glitches sited as a major issue by Auto Service World. Other problem areas identified by Auto Service World include air suspension glitches, electronic sensor malfunctions (which can often result in an expensive SUV parked up next to the road), and keyless entry problems. As Auto Service World states, the modern Range Rover is the result when high-tech luxury meets reality. Buying a used one? Read this first.
Audi RS Q8
Problems Per 100 Vehicles: 244
| Engine | 4.0-liter, twin-turbocharged V8 |
|---|---|
| Power | 631 hp |
| Torque | 627 lb-ft |
| 0-60 mph | 3.4 seconds |
| MSRP | From $138,300 |
German car company Audi's RS Q8 is quite a way up the road from the Land Rover duo, recording 244 problems per 100 cars. That is still 40 problems beyond the industry standard, though. According to Servicemycar.com, problems mostly seem to revolve around electronic glitches, which can affect various systems, including glitchy infotainment systems and faulty sensors. A long-standing Audi issue, especially in high-performance RS models, is automatic gearbox gremlins.
The four-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine has 631 hp in the game, and it can blast the big SUV to 60 mph in just 3.4 seconds. It is fast! And you can now pick up a used version at a steal.
Mercedes-Benz G-Class
Problems Per 100 Vehicles: 235
| Engine | 4.0-liter, twin-turbocharged V8 |
|---|---|
| Power | 577 hp |
| Torque | 627 lb-ft |
| 0-60 mph | 4.1 seconds |
| MSRP | From $183,000 |
*Mercedes-AMG G63 specifications
SUVs don't get much more Chuck Norris-y than the thunderous Mercedes-AMG G63. It is big, bold, loud and an extremely capable 4WD. Back in the 80s, Mercedes-Benz products were renowned for the quality of the build, the mechanics and the materials used throughout its vehicles. Following a slump in the 90s, quality dropped, along with quality perceptions of the brand.
Cargarageexprt.com states that turbocharger maladies on the thundering four-liter, twin-turbocharged V8 engine are the most prevalent of the engine's potential problems. Electronic glitches are also noted. The Mercedes brand recorded a rather disappointing 235 problems per 100 vehicles in 2025.
GMC Yukon
Problems Per 100 Vehicles: 229
| Engine | 6.2-liter V8 |
|---|---|
| Power | 420 hp |
| Torque | 460 lb-ft |
| 0-60 mph | 6.2 seconds (estimated) |
| MSRP | From $98,395 |
*GMC Yukon AT4 Ultimate specifications
Bigger is better when it comes to the GMC Yukon. The large SUV is powered by a 420-hp, 6.2-liter V8, enabling the big GMC to get to 60 mph in around six seconds. GMC, as part of the General Motors empire, recorded 229 problems per 100 vehicles in the 2025 JD Power Vehicle Dependibility study.
Common problems, according to the www.at4forum.com community, include electronic issues that seem to favor the infotainment system. Build quality issues also seem to regularly feature on forums, while some online commentators refer to the 10-speed automatic gearbox as a potential weak point. Here are all the Yukon generations, ranked according to their reliability.
Sources: Land Rover, Range Rover, Audi, Mercedes-Benz, GMC, BMW, Porsche, Chevrolet Suburban, Chevrolet Tahoe, Cadillac, JD Power.
Read the full article on CarBuzz
This article originally appeared on CarBuzz and is republished here with permission.
