These are the Most Reliable Car Brands in the World

Subaru has topped the Consumer Reports ranking of the most reliable car brands, surpassing Lexus and Toyota, which have traditionally held the top spots. Consumer Reports is a non-profit organization formed by the American Consumers Union.

This consumer organization conducts exhaustive tests and publishes rankings based on various factors, such as crash safety, reliability, and safety features.

With over seven million subscribers, Consumer Reports gathered data on more than 300,000 vehicles from models released between 2000 and 2024. To analyze the issues these vehicles might have caused, reliability scores (from 1 to 100) were assigned, weighing their severity and combining the results with test and survey data to rate each vehicle in 20 specific areas, ranging from minor inconveniences to major engine, transmission, and battery failures.

This time, Subaru, Lexus, and Toyota lead our reliability ranking, while GMC, Cadillac, and Rivian occupy the last place.

"While brand rankings can guide you to the showroom, it's also crucial to analyze the reliability of specific models before making a purchase decision," says Jake Fisher, senior director of automotive testing at Consumer Reports. "Even within high-ranking companies, there can be significant variation in reliability."

Among the Subaru models analyzed, the Forester, newly introduced to the Spanish market, has performed well above average, and the Crosstrek and Outback also remain above average.

"Subaru cars share many reliable components," says Steven Elek, who oversees automotive data analysis at Consumer Reports. "This common feature means that when Subaru redesigns a vehicle, it can make fewer incremental changes by incorporating reliable systems. This reduces the risk of new problems."

Lexus and Toyota rank second and third in brand reliability scores in this year's rankings. Four Lexus models scored above average, while three were average. Toyota has four models that scored well above average, seven that scored above average, and five that scored average.

After Subaru, Lexus, and Toyota, Honda ranks fourth. Three of its models scored above average this year, while seven scored average. Acura, Honda's luxury sub-brand, ranks fifth, with one model above average and one model average.

On average, hybrid propulsion systems remain reliable, while pure electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) are improving despite ongoing reliability issues.

Hybrid technology has evolved and improved over the years. "Although they remain extremely fuel-efficient, today's hybrids also offer reliability similar to conventional gasoline cars, despite their greater complexity," says Fisher. On average, hybrids have a similar number of problems as cars powered by internal combustion engines (ICE).

But not all hybrids are the same. The most reliable models (from Hyundai, Kia, Lexus, and Toyota) have achieved the highest reliability scores in several categories. For example, the Toyota Corolla Hybrid, Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, Hyundai Elantra Hybrid, and Lexus NX Hybrid are among the most reliable models in this year's survey. Kia's Sorento Hybrid is the most reliable three-row SUV, closely followed by the Toyota Highlander Hybrid.

Asian-based automakers continue to lead the industry in reliability, with an overall average score of 57 for the region on a scale of 1 to 100. This year, 8 of the 10 most reliable brands are Asian brands.

Next, European manufacturers rank second with 48, with Audi and BMW on our list of the 10 most reliable brands.

American brands lag behind both with an average score of 38. The highest-scoring domestic brand is Buick, in 11th place, with all models having average reliability. However, others, like Rivian, have reliability well below average for all models in their range.

"As a category, sedans remain very reliable," says Jake Fisher, senior director of automotive testing at Consumer Reports. "Even when redesigned, they often have few of the latest features, which can cause problems when launched to the market. These sedans remain a practical choice."

SUVs received a reliability rating of 49, while trucks ranked last with 36.