They are the best of the best.
The brands that pass the test of who makes the most reliable cars as ranked by Consumer Reports (CR).
The Lexus and Toyota brands rated first and second, respectively. This is a reversal of last year’s rankings, but both manufacturers were still top ranked. The top two are followed in rank by Mini, Acura and Honda, respectively, rounding out the best five brands.
The 10 most reliable individual vehicles comprise a virtual Toyota-fest, but more on that later.
Following are the top 10 brands along with the number of models included and their average score on Consumer Reports’ 100-point scale based on CR data of 330,000 vehicles:
- Lexus (7), 79
- Toyota (20), 76
- Mini (2), 71
- Acura (4), 70
- Honda (10), 70
- Subaru (8), 69
- Mazda (5), 67
- Porsche (2), 66
- BMW (10), 64
- Kia (14), 61
Other top-20 brands reported by CR include Hyundai, Buick, Infiniti, Tesla, Ram, Cadillac, Nissan, Genesis, Audi and Chevrolet.
And then there are the 10 most-reliable vehicles, which, according to CR, feature seven from Toyota, and include some hybrid models:
- Toyota 4Runner
- Toyota Camry Hybrid
- Toyota Camry
- Toyota RAV4 Prime
- BMW X5
- Subaru Forester
- Toyota RAV4
- Acura RDX
- Toyota Corolla
- Toyota Highlander Hybrid
As KBB.com states in an article about the CR top 10, the most reliable cars are “those that have been in production for a long time.” The Toyota 4Runner, for example, “has been in production with just minor changes since 2009.”
Of course, everyone’s taste in a personal set of wheels is different. The rankings leave a lot of room for other vehicle selections with more than 350 current models available each year plus older models.
The CR survey, which provided detailed data on 2000 to 2024 models, took into account 20 “trouble areas” comprising major and minor engine issues, engine cooling, major and minor transmission and clutch issues, drive system, fuel systems and emissions, electrical system, climate system, suspension and steering, brakes, exhaust, paint and trim, body integrity (noise and leaks), body hardware, power equipment and accessories and in-car electronics. Included in this year’s survey was also three new trouble areas: EV and hybrid battery, EV charging and electric motor.
If you are looking to dig deeper into any of the brands or vehicles that topped the CR rankings, a test drive can provide the perfect solution. Check out our Dealer Locator to find a dealership near you.
