Choose from these 10 top car brands for a durable and reliable vehicle

Every year, Consumer Reports magazine releases survey results on the reliability of car models. Not only does this American magazine rank car models, but it also provides a list of the most reliable, durable, and least problem-prone car manufacturers. This year is no exception.

To compile this list, Consumer Reports collected data from over 330,000 cars in the U.S. market, most of which were manufactured between 2000 and 2023. The magazine studied 20 common problems that users encounter during car ownership, such as squeaky brakes, broken interior trim, engine problems, transmission issues, electric car battery or charging problems. Consumer Reports then evaluated the severity of each problem to assign a reliability score on a 100-point scale for each car model. The reliability score of each car brand is based on the number of problems that the brand’s models experience.

It’s no surprise that the least problem-prone car manufacturers are Lexus and Toyota. The luxury brand Lexus has a predicted reliability score of 79 out of 100, while Toyota’s corresponding score is 76 out of 100. These two brands were also the top performers in last year’s survey by Consumer Reports, with only a change in ranking.

In third place is the Mini brand, which is part of the BMW Group. This result may come as a surprise, as Mini ranks above other Japanese brands such as Acura, Honda, and Subaru. The three Japanese brands occupy the fourth, fifth, and sixth positions, respectively, in Consumer Reports’ rankings.

In contrast, Mazda ranks seventh in terms of reliability. Following Mazda are Porsche, BMW, and Kia.

If you want to own the most durable and least problem-prone car, choose a car from these 10 brands

In contrast, the car brands with the lowest predicted reliability scores in this year’s survey by Consumer Reports are Chrysler, Mercedes-Benz, Rivian, Volkswagen, and Jeep. The presence of Mercedes-Benz near the bottom may disappoint many fans of the three-pointed star brand. In contrast to BMW, which ranks ninth among the top 10 most durable car manufacturers, Mercedes-Benz ranks second from the bottom.

The 10 brands with the lowest predicted reliability scores this year

“Buying a reliable car is the best way to avoid having to take it for repairs, even while it’s still under warranty, and it’s a smart way to reduce long-term ownership costs,” said Jake Fisher, Senior Director at Consumer Reports’ Auto Test Center. “That’s why customers consistently tell us that reliability is one of the most important factors when choosing a car.”

Most Reliable Asian Car Brands

According to Consumer Reports, Asian car brands continue to lead in terms of reliability in this year’s survey. The average reliability score for Asian brands is 63 out of 100. In the top 10 most durable and least problem-prone car brands this year, there are seven representatives from Asia, including Japan and South Korea.

In contrast, the average reliability score for European brands is 46 out of 100. Only three European brands made it into the top 10.

American brands are even more disappointing with an average reliability score of 39 out of 100. Buick is the top-performing American brand.

Most Durable Car Types

According to the survey, passenger cars, including sedans, hatchbacks, and wagons, are the most reliable with an average score of 57 out of 100. SUVs have an average score of 50 out of 100, and minivans have an average score of 45 out of 100.

“Sedans are no longer favored by consumers. However, they are very reliable vehicles,” commented Fisher. “Sedans often have fewer new technologies and features, so they also have fewer issues.”

The most problem-prone car type according to this year’s survey by Consumer Reports is pickup trucks. Pickup trucks have an average predicted reliability score of 41 out of 100.