by Ukrainians do not change cars every couple of years like Europeans, which makes the issue of quality and reliability of cars particularly relevant to us. This parameter is key both for new and used cars. 
Naturally, there are many different quality ratings from various countries. Among the most well-known are the German TUV, the American J.D. Power, and Consumer Reports.
Usually, they form their reliability statistics based on inspection data or owner surveys. The American agency J.D. Power traditionally publishes extensive quality ratings for new cars during the first 90 days of ownership. In 2019, the best were:
- The most reliable car of the year – Porsche 911
- Small cars – Kia Rio
- Small premium cars – BMW 2-Series
- Compact cars – Kia Forte (Cerato)
- Compact sports cars – Mini Cooper
- Compact premium cars – Genesis G70
- Midsize cars – Chevrolet Malibu and Ford Fusion (Mondeo)
- Midsize sports cars – Dodge Challenger
- Midsize premium cars – Mercedes-Benz CLS
- Large cars – Nissan Maxima
- Minivans – Kia Sedona
- Small crossovers – Kia Sportage
- Compact crossovers – Chevrolet Equinox
- Compact premium crossovers – BMW X4
- Midsize pickups – Ford Ranger
- Midsize crossovers – Hyundai Santa Fe
- Midsize premium crossovers – Lexus RX
- Large SUVs – Chevrolet Tahoe
- Large premium SUVs – Cadillac Escalade
- Large light pickups – Nissan Titan
- Large heavy pickups – Chevrolet Silverado HD
Consumer Reports also examines new cars and surveys their owners. Furthermore, in addition to reliability, they also consider driving characteristics and safety.
- Compact cars – Toyota Yaris;
- Compact premium cars – Audi A4;
- Midsize cars – Toyota Camry;
- Full-size cars – Toyota Avalon;
- Hybrids – Toyota Prius;
- Subcompact crossovers – Hyundai Kona;
- Compact crossovers – Subaru Forester;
- Midsize crossovers – Subaru Ascent;
- Premium crossovers – BMW X5;
- Pickups – Ford F-150.
If you are interested in the quality and reliability of used cars, you should look at the TUV rating. Moreover, the Germans even break it down into sections depending on the age of the car.
The best used cars aged 2-3 years:
- Porsche 911
- Mercedes B-class
- Mercedes GLK
- Mercedes SLK
- Audi Q3
- Mercedes E-class Coupe
- Hyundai i20
- Mercedes C-class
- Mercedes A-class
- Audi A4/A5
The most high-quality cars aged 10-11 years:
- Porsche 911
- Mazda 2
- Audi TT
- Mercedes SLK
- VW Golf Plus
- Toyota Auris
- Toyota Corolla Verso
- Opel Agila
- VW Tiguan
- Mercedes A-class
If you look at the most reliable cars on different sides of the ocean, the ratings differ significantly. Although there are common trends: for example, Porsche 911 received high marks in both Europe and America. The brand of the car also plays a significant role.
In the U.S., many Toyota models receive high ratings, while in Germany, it is Mercedes. Of course, the quality and reliability of a car largely depend on the technologies used in them. Proven naturally aspirated engines are more durable and less demanding on fuel quality than turbo engines. Therefore, it is not surprising that, for example, in the U.S., a 2013 Hyundai Elantra with over 1.5 million km mileage is still in use. Modern electronic systems can also be finicky.
Therefore, when choosing a car (especially a used one), you should think about what is more important to you – features or simplicity and reliability.
