New car reliability ratings should be near the top of your research list when shopping for a new vehicle. Predicted reliability can help you understand how much you’ll spend on maintenance and may help you get a feel for whether—or how often—you’ll be left stranded on the side of the road.
The good news is that new cars are more dependable than ever before, as automakers focus on build quality and longevity. Electric vehicles are becoming more common, too, so their reduced maintenance costs can be a huge benefit for some buyers.
To determine which ten automotive brands are deemed most dependable, we calculated the average ranking from the two leading authorities in this area: Consumer Reports and J.D. Power. The lower the average score across the two companies' annual reports, the more reliable the featured brands' cars have been reported to be. The results are based on feedback from vehicle owners, and updated annually to reflect reported issues and complaints. Those include glitches with infotainment systems to serious mechanical failures and everything in between.
While the automakers listed below fare better than their competitors in recent Consumer Reports and J.D. Power surveys, it should be noted few vehicles are completely trouble-free, especially if you’re shopping the used-car market. We recommend supplementing this list by researching common problems that may be associated with the specific year/make/model vehicle you’re considering purchasing, and potentially asking a trusted mechanic to inspect any cars you're considering.
Buick
Average reliability ranking: 3.5
It might be shocking to see Buick in the rankings ahead of stalwart automakers like Toyota and Lexus, but the long-running American company offers new cars that bring stellar predicted reliability ratings from J.D. Power, Consumer Reports, and others. The Buick Encore offers some of the best predicted reliability on the market today, and Buick’s other vehicles have garnered decent reviews for dependability. Buick is one of the most reliable car brands and it’s also quite generous with its warranty coverage. New models from the General Motors automaker come with a three-year/36,000-mile warranty and a five-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty.
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Lexus
Average reliability ranking: 3.5
Lexus, Toyota’s luxury brand, has consistently ranked at the top of reliability lists for years, and it typically outperforms other brands for dependability and longevity. The Lexus ES and Lexus GX are both class leaders, according to J.D. Power, and the brand’s vehicles rank highly for initial quality. Many people report that Lexus vehicles cost less to own over the long haul, though some say that parts and labor are more expensive than expected.
Lexus backs its vehicles with a four-year/50,000-mile basic warranty and a six-year/70,000-mile powertrain warranty. The brand will release its first EV in the coming months, which will get an eight-year/100,000-mile warranty on hybrid, battery, and electric drivetrain components.
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Toyota
Average reliability ranking: 4.0
Lexus made the list, so it should not be a surprise to see parent company Toyota right behind it in the reliability rankings. Over the decades, the Japanese auto giant has built its name on reliability, and its catalog is packed with reliable models in all categories. The Toyota RAV4 crossover, Camry, Corolla, 4Runner, and more all top their respective segments. The Tacoma is an excellent midsize truck and the Sienna holds it down in the minivan segment. The brand’s biggest outlier may be the Supra sports car, which relies on BMW components.
Toyota offers a three-year/36,000-mile basic warranty and a five-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty. Electric models, such as the bZ4X, come with an eight-year/100,000-mile warranty on those components.
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Hyundai
Average reliability ranking: 7.0
Just a few years ago, Hyundai was derided as a budget brand with unreliable vehicles, but things have changed. The automaker is now considered one of the best in the business, and it routinely turns in solid reliability scores from top publications. Additionally, Hyundai offers a solid ten-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty on all its vehicles.
Hyundai shifted from focusing on sales at all costs to delivering a focus on customer satisfaction and vehicle quality. As the number of reliability issues decreased, customer loyalty increased and the company began selling more cars. Hyundai’s luxury brand, Genesis, also ranks highly in both new and used car listings for reliability and value.
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Mazda
Average reliability ranking: 7.0
Mazda wins with customers on value, quality, and upscale appeal. Its vehicles are also among the most fun to drive and refined models in their respective segments. Consumer Reports named Mazda its most reliable brand for 2022, and the company’s product offerings outrank the best in the business when it comes to repair costs and longevity. Even sports cars like the MX-5 Miata land well, and Mazda’s subcompact CX-30 gives Toyota and Honda headaches.
Mazda backs its vehicles with a three-year/36,000-mile basic warranty and a five-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty. The brand’s simple lineup likely helps it in the reliability arena, as there are no pickup trucks or minivans, only cars and minivans.
Mazda covers its vehicles with a three-year/36,000-mile basic warranty and a five-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty. The brand offers a limited-range EV, the MX-30, with an eight-year/100,000-mile warranty on electric components.
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Porsche
Average reliability ranking: 10.0
It might be surprising to see a German car on this list, but the Porsche 911 is the Toyota Corolla of Europe, in case you didn’t know. That’s not exactly true, but the brand’s iconic sports cars and SUVs are among the most reliable vehicles in their segments. Porsche’s extreme focus on performance and quality has given its models a leg up on the competition, and it’s not uncommon to see Porsche vehicles running deep into six-figure territory without a hitch.
This feat is particularly impressive when you consider the amount of power that Porsche’s vehicles are putting down. Porsche offers a flat four-year/50,000-mile warranty for powertrain and basic coverage.
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Kia
Average reliability ranking: 10.5
Like Hyundai, Kia has built a new identity and reputation for itself with high-quality vehicles and stellar warranty coverage. Vehicles like the Kia Telluride, Sportage, Sorento, and others have won buyers over with incredible standard features and materials, along with smart styling. Interestingly, it’s the brand’s cars rather than its SUVs, including the Soul, Rio, and Forte, that have earned the best reliability ratings in recent years.
Kia backs all of its vehicles with a massive 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty and a five-year/60,000-mile basic warranty. The automaker currently offers one EV in the U.S., in the EV6, and it’s also covered by a five-year/60,000-mile basic and 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty. The warranty coverage and predicted reliability are better than Nissan and Subaru, and outperform many luxury brands like Infiniti.
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MINI
Average reliability ranking: 10.5
Surprise! The quirky British automaker, now owned by BMW, is relatively reliable. The corporate owners give it access to the German company’s engineering and quality know-how. The MINI Cooper manages better than average reliability ratings, and the company’s small catalog is decent overall. Getting around gripes for things like their fussy infotainment system and position as an automotive punchline, MINI’s vehicles are quite useful hatchbacks with good space and practicality. Do research on recent model years, however, as cars from some years are not as dependable as others.
MINI’s warranty extends to four years and 50,000 miles for both powertrain and basic coverage.
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Chevrolet
Average reliability ranking: 12.0
Chevrolet is another turnaround story on our list, as the company has been the butt of many reliability jokes over the past few decades. The company’s vehicles rank well for reliability, though some are not the best on fuel economy (looking at you, full-size SUVs). Even so, Chevy bests rivals GMC, Ford, and Dodge in reliability, and it matches some high-end German automakers like Audi and Mercedes-Benz for quality and dependability. Even new Chevy models like the Corvette hit the ground running, and offer excellent predicted reliability over other American brands like Chrysler, Lincoln, and Ram.
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Cadillac
Average reliability ranking: 12.5
Iconic American brand Cadillac can claim strong reliability to go with its excellent tech and comfort features. The company’s latest models are marvels of new tech, and vehicles like the Escalade offer stunning screens, responsive interfaces, and intuitive designs. The new electric Lyriq will be out soon, and the automaker will release an insane six-figure EV called the Celestiq in the next year.
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