5 Of The Highest-Quality Midsize Vehicles, According To JD Power

There is no end of midsize cars available right now, be they pickup trucks, SUVs, sedans, or even sports cars. This is great, of course, as an abundance of choice is never to be considered a bad thing, but by and large, most new car offers do all seem fairly similar to one another. At least on first impression, with most sporting similar proportions and silhouettes, the same array of features as each other, and remarkably close price points.

The problem that arises here is that it can make picking a favorite quite different, and with the average price of a new car now sitting in the region of $50,000, this is an issue, as really, you want to be absolutely sure you’re getting the best product for you as you possibly can, when outlaying this much cash. Sure, you could opt for a model from one of the most reliable new car brands, or perhaps buy from one of the brands with the best warranties on the market, but there are other ways to go about it, too.

For example, you could take the advice from a dependable third-party outlet, like J.D. Power. J.D. Power has released its highest-quality cars of 2025based on data secured from verified owners who have owned models for at least 90 days. This way, you know you’re buying based on solid data, and to make things easier, we’ve highlighted five of the highest-rated midsize models for you right here.

Let’s say you’re not too fussed about getting your hands on an SUV, unlike the rest of the world, and you’re not too bothered about being cossetted on every drive with a smattering of luxurious features and high-end tech options. Simply put, what you’re after is just a great car to get you from place to place in relative comfort and reliably. According to J.D. Power, what you’re most likely after is a 2025 Nissan Altima.

It’s smart-looking without having to sport a daring design, which means you won’t stand out for all the wrong reasons on your daily commute, and it’s nice and affordable too, with an MSRP of just $27,000, excluding dealer and destination fees. Specifically, J.D. Power awarded the Altima with an 89 out of 100 rating for the 2025 model year, seeing it rank first among all other key competitors.

When we test-drove the 2025 Altima, we found it to be a solid offering, but it did little to make it truly stand out. But maybe that’s the point. Nissan has ensured it delivers in every way that customers would expect it to, with features like an economical 2.5-liter inline-four engine, Apple and Android connectivity options, and a number of choice comfort-focused amenities, but it’s skipped out on more luxurious and tech-heavy gadgets in order to keep the final product easily affordable.

If Nissan had made the Altima more than it needed to be, it likely would have begun to compete with more premium models, seeing it enter another segment entirely, where the competition might be tougher to stand out from. Here, as an entry-level midsize option, the Altima really shines.

Moving on to arguably the most important category, the midsize premium SUV, where J.D. Power finds the Cadillac XT5 to shine among a sea of keen competitors. With SUVs dominating the sales charts and almost every automaker offering something in the midsize segment, this is perhaps the hardest area for a particular model to shine, although the XT5 has managed it by impressing with a strong show of quality.

A score of 87 out of 100 is awarded, falling into J.D. Power’s ‘great’ category, just 3 points shy of the highest available category, but nonetheless, 87 is a strong score, and strong enough to outshine the competition. Despite offering a premium edge, with available features such as automatic parking assist, wireless Apple and Android connectivity, heated leather seats, and a multitude of other convenience and comfort-focused options, the XT5 is still pleasingly affordable.

It’s not a bargain by any stretch, with prices kicking off at $44,295, with taxes, destination, and dealer fees to be added, but it still creeps in below the average price of a new car right now by around 10%, and it offers plenty of premium touches, in a stylish SUV package that’s big enough for the average U.S. family. Under the hood is a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four engine, which hooks up to a nine-speed automatic transmission, but for a more premium driving experience, buyers might consider upgrading to the Premium Luxury or Sport trims, which come with the option of a more powerful 3.6-liter V6.

America loves its pickup trucks, and alongside the Jeep Gladiator, the Hyundai Santa Cruz — one of which we test drove and found to deliver a quiet and comfortable ride – picks up the award from J.D. Power as the highest quality midsize pickup. Both the Hyundai and Jeep impressed with a score of 88 in terms of reliability, but with the Hyundai coming in at almost $10,000 cheaper than the Jeep, the feat becomes all the more impressive.

To be precise, Hyundai retails the Santa Cruz at $29,500 (2026 model year), subject to dealer and destination fees. Sure, the Jeep offers all sorts that the Santa Cruz does not, such as real off-road capability, but the Santa Cruz will likely be more than enough truck for most buyers, if they were actually honest with what they needed.

What the Santa Cruz can offer, though, is an available all-wheel drive system, a 12.3-inch touchscreen with navigation, tie-down points and hidden storage in the bed, plus space inside for a small family. For the path less trodden, the Hyundai is also available with all-terrain tires and a terrain mode select, which allows you to cross snow, mud, and sand a little easier than without. That’s quite the package, and it’s reassuring to know that owners rate the quality of it all so highly that it, alongside the Jeep, has the fewest number of quality issues per 100 trucks sold in the first 90 days out of the entire midsize segment.

For anyone with a desire for something a little sportier than a sedan, pickup, crossover, or SUV, J.D. Power also recommends a number of midsize sports cars based on their impressive owner-led quality scores. Again, here we are provided with a couple of winners, namely the Porsche 911 as the premium sporty car winner, and the 2025 Ford Mustang as the midsize sporty car champ.

J.D. Power gives the ‘Stang a score of 85 out of 100 in terms of quality, and worthy of mention is the score of 92 out of 100 for its driving experience, which bodes extremely well for a car of this nature. Sports cars naturally appear to drivers who know a thing or two about what makes a good car, and so they may expect more than a typical driver, which is perhaps why automakers might be tempted to step things up a notch in terms of quality. Also, sports cars tend to cost more, and a higher asking price also brings about an expectation of high quality.

Ford offers a number of engine and output options with the current Mustang, including the entry-level EcoBoost, with a 2.3-liter boosted inline-four, plus the GT and Dark Horse models, which both employ a naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V8 — with the Dark Horse finding a few extra horses from it. The EcoBoost Fastback begins at just $32,640, plus dealer and destination fees, although opting for the Dark Horse Premium will over double this price, and a few choice options will soon see the price soar north of $70,000 — you really can spend as little or as much as you want.

Swapping back to the luxurious side of things, J.D.Power crowns the 2025 Lexus ES as the leader when it comes to quality in the midsize premium segment. If the Altima was the best option at the cheaper end of the market, this is the answer for those wanting a high-quality product that also comes with an extra dose of comfort and luxury. An award of 89 out of 100 is given to the Lexus, so it’s just one point away from jumping out of the ‘great’ category and into the ‘best’ group. This should come as no surprise to anyone familiar with the reliability of Toyota and Lexus products.

The ES certainly delivers on the premium aspect too, coming with the availability of features such as a quilted leather-trimmed interior, a head-up display, wood trim, ambient lighting, and so much more. Prices kick off at $43,435 for the base ES 250 AWD model, and the book stops with the flagship ES Black Line Special Edition, which sells for $53,860; usual fees apply for both models here. The latter comes with a 302-horsepower V6 engine, as do all ES 350 models, while the ES 250 makes do with a 203-horsepower inline-four.