One of the aspects that users value most when purchasing a new car is that it is reliable and offers consistent performance over time. A reliable vehicle reduces the chance of unexpected breakdowns, which not only gives the driver peace of mind, but also helps avoid unexpected expenses on costly repairs.
Every year, various studies come to light on the reliability of brands based on the behavior of their cars and the opinions of users. One of the analyzes with the greatest impact in the world of the automotive company is the one offered by Consumer Reports, since it is backed by tens of thousands of evaluations from its associates.
To prepare the latest ranking of the most reliable car brands, this consumer organization has collected data from more than 330,000 vehicles. The authors of the study have consulted their members about the setbacks experienced in the last 12 months with respect to their cars registered between the years 2000 and 2023.
These setbacks are grouped into 20 problem areas, ranging from simple annoyances (squealing brakes or breaking interior trim) to major and expensive problems related to the engine, transmission or batteries of electric cars.
For yet another year, Asian car manufacturers continue to lead the reliability list by a wide margin compared to other brands. Lexus and Toyota occupy the first two positions, although in third place we find Mini, which surpasses other Japanese car manufacturers such as Acura, Honda and Subaru. In total, six of the first 10 positions correspond to manufacturers from that country.
To determine the final score for each brand, Consumer Reports examines responses provided by its affiliates regarding each model. Lexus achieves first place this year, dethroning Toyota, which was the most reliable brand in 2022. Mini, for its part, is in third place, surpassing its parent company BMW, which is ninth, in a top 10 dominated by Asian brands and the only incursion of these two German manufacturers.
For its part, Chrysler stands out as the least reliable brand, followed by Mercedes-Benz and Rivian, which like Chrysler is American.
This year’s list of the most reliable car brands offers interesting facts about electrified vehicles. Overall, hybrids have 26% fewer problems than cars powered by internal combustion engines. Some more notable models are the Lexus UX, the NX Hybrid, the RAV4 Hybrid, the Highlander Hybrid and the Toyota Camry Hybrid, the report highlights.
On the other hand, plug-in hybrids (PHEV) present 146% more problems than vehicles with internal combustion engines. Some of them are even less reliable than their mainstream counterparts, such as the below-average Audi Q5 and Chrysler Pacifica. Still, there are vehicles in this category, such as the Toyota RAV4 Prime and the Kia Sportage, that score well above average.
100% electric cars do not obtain better results, with an average score of 44 points. As the report highlights, as electric vehicles reach the market and their production increases, more problems are observed with engines, charging systems and batteries.
Owners of Ford F-150 Lightning, Mustang Mach-E, Genesis GV60, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia Niro EV and EV6, Subaru Solterra, Toyota bZ4X and Volkswagen ID.4 reported problems with their cars.
