by The organization Consumer Reports has published new car reliability ratings, based on a survey of owners of about 380 thousand vehicles. The main findings of the study are:
Leaders and Outsiders of the Rating
If you are looking for a new car that will spend more time in your garage than at the service center, the study provides familiar recommendations. It’s better to stick with proven brands and treat new technologies with caution. Toyota came out on top of the rating, Subaru took second place, and Lexus took third. Honda and BMW also made it into the top five.
This is the case when an automaker becomes ambitious simultaneously with new platforms, new powertrains, and new technologies. The engineering team sometimes hits the mark. Sometimes owners involuntarily become unpaid members of the research and development department.
Tesla’s Sharp Progress and Mazda’s Fall
Tesla demonstrated the best transformation, rising eight positions compared to last year’s study and landing in ninth place overall. This was facilitated by improved scores for the Model 3 and, in particular, the Model Y. This does not mean that everything at Tesla is suddenly flawless – the Cybertruck, for example, still showed below-average results. However, it indicates that the company is finally getting a better handle on some assembly, finishing, and hardware issues.
The brand that suffered a setback was Mazda. It fell eight spots and landed in 14th place. Older Mazda models performed quite well, but the newer, more complex CX-70 and CX-90 crossovers, especially in the plug-in hybrid version, are reportedly still causing problems for owners.
Trends Among Car Types
According to Consumer Reports, hybrids continue to be a safe choice for internal combustion engine enthusiasts looking for better fuel economy. Electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids, on the contrary, still dominate among the least reliable models in the survey, especially when they are brand new or significantly updated.
Position of American Brands
Among other interesting points in the rating is Buick, which became the highest-ranking traditional brand from Detroit’s “Big Three,” taking eighth place. Ford landed in 11th position. The relatively new brand Rivian closed the rating, ending up in last, 26th place. It is worth noting that brands such as Jaguar, Land Rover, Fiat, and Alfa Romeo were excluded from the study due to insufficient data.
The study also confirmed that Asian brands still dominate in reliability, Europeans are in the middle of the ranking, and American brands overall are lagging, even despite Tesla’s jump, which gave cause for celebration.
Reliability is something to be proud of. It may not look “sexy,” but if your idea of excitement doesn’t include constant stays in service center waiting rooms and driving temporary loaner cars, then Consumer Reports has a clear message: perhaps it’s worth letting someone else be the first to test the latest technologies.
Full Reliability Rating Table
Below is the full Consumer Reports reliability rating table, showing positions, brands, and scores.
Position | Brand | Score
1. Toyota – 66
2. Subaru – 63
3. Lexus – 60
4. Honda – 59
5. BMW – 58
6. Nissan – 57
7. Acura – 54
8. Buick – 51
9. Tesla – 50
10. Kia – 49
11. Ford – 48
12. Hyundai – 48
13. Audi – 44
14. Mazda – 43
15. Volvo – 42
16. Volkswagen – 42
17. Chevrolet – 42
18. Cadillac – 41
19. Mercedes-Benz – 41
20. Lincoln – 40
21. Genesis – 33
22. Chrysler – 31
23. GMC – 31
24. Jeep – 28
25. Ram – 26
26. Rivian – 24
This data clearly illustrates that reliability remains a key factor for many buyers, and it is closely linked to a conservative approach to technology. Toyota’s success and Mazda’s failure with its new PHEV models are just two examples of this trend. The future will show whether electric vehicle and plug-in hybrid manufacturers can quickly overcome “growing pains” and establish stable quality to compete with traditional hybrids, which have already proven their stability in the market. For now, it seems the smartest strategy for a buyer who values their time and money is to choose proven solutions.
