The Most Reliable Car Brand Isn't Toyota Or Honda, According To Consumer Reports
First, let's understand how our friends at Consumer Reports conduct their annual survey. The publication asks its subscribers about the issues they have encountered with their vehicles over the past year. Feedback was requested on specific trouble spots, including the powertrain, suspension, steering, brakes, climate systems, build quality, and in-car electronics. Using data from over 300,000 vehicles, this information was evaluated to identify potential issues and assign a predicted reliability score to each model. Based on these scores, Consumer Reports provides an overall rating for each brand.
Using a 100-point scoring system, Subaru ranked as the top brand with a score of 68 out of 100, followed by Lexus with 65 and Toyota with 62. All three scores are classified as "above average" reliability by Consumer Reports. In fourth place is Honda (59), while the least reliable brands were Cadillac (27) and Rivian (14).
Read more: Consumer Reports' 10 Best Used Cars Under $20,000 Are A Great Way To Dodge Republican Tariffs
Subaru's back-to-basics mentality, characterized by conservative redesigns, shared components, and a smaller model lineup, likely contributes to its strong reliability rating. With each redesign, Subaru tends to adopt a more incremental approach, minimizing the implementation of new technology and engineering that could lead to issues, particularly among first-year models. Furthermore, Subaru maintains a relatively small lineup; while Toyota offers over 20 models in the United States, Subaru produces only nine.
Within this smaller lineup, Consumer Reports notes that Subaru models share many components, which can further reduce the risk of introducing new problems. For instance, the Subaru Impreza, Crosstrek, and WRX are all related models. Another example of simplification is seen within its models; the popular Forester has offered only a single powertrain since 2019. However, this changes with the new Forester Hybrid.
Since individual model ratings influence the overall brand rating, it's important to highlight the Forester's stellar 98 out of 100 reliability rating. This not only positions it as the MVP of the lineup but also makes it one of the most reliable models evaluated, with a near-perfect rating. The Impreza also secured a well-above-average reliability rating, earning an impressive score of 89. Meanwhile, the Crosstrek (75), Legacy (66), and Outback (61) all received better-than-average ratings, while the Ascent earned an average rating of 50. Only one model received a below-average score: the Solterra (38). Neither the Subaru BRZ nor the WRX had sufficient reliability survey data available to be considered alongside the other seven models.
We've discussed why Subaru has performed well, but why has Toyota dropped in the reliability rankings? First, it's important to note that Toyota is ranked third, and its Lexus luxury division is ranked second — both impressive achievements considering that 22 brands were evaluated. By offering twice as many models as Subaru, including a minivan, two pickup trucks, several mid-size SUVs, and a full-size SUV, Toyota's increased variety of unique models can add more complexity, which may lead to more issues and potentially impact its overall score.
Most Toyota models received average, above-average, or well-above-average reliability ratings in the survey. Only three Toyota models scored below average: the bZ4x EV (38), the Tacoma mid-size pickup truck (29), and the Tundra full-size pickup truck (32). Considering that the new Tacoma reportedly experienced transmission issues at under 1,000 miles and the Tundra was part of a massive engine recall, it's not surprising that these trucks lowered the brand's overall average. If it weren't for these low-scoring pickup trucks, Toyota might have surpassed Subaru. Meanwhile, Honda's overall rating is affected by its Prologue crossover EV (30/100), which shares many components with the Chevrolet Blazer EV. Nevertheless, Toyota and Honda remain among the top four brands.
With a smaller, simpler lineup, Subaru claims the top spot for reliability this year. However, Toyota and Honda are close behind. While this reliability ranking is based on brand, it's essential to research the specific model you're considering, as even the most reliable brands have vehicles that may encounter issues.
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