Used Car Brand Reliability Rankings – Japanese Brands Lead the Way

A Consumer Reports’ Study Reveals the Most Reliable Used Car Brands

• Chrysler, Dodge, Tesla, Jeep, and Ram had the worst reliability ratings.
• Lexus, Toyota, Mazda, Acura, and Honda dominated the top spots.

As the used car market heats up, buyers are increasingly hunting for reliable pre-owned options. With so many choices out there, knowing which brands are likely to hold up over time can potentially save you from a costly mistake and guide you toward dependable options.

Consumer Reports is now shining a spotlight on the world of pre-owned cars, and their latest findings make one thing clear: Japanese brands are killing it, while Tesla and Stellantis brands are bringing up the rear. The latest rankings reveal that while some brands continue to impress, others are entrenched in the “avoid if you can” category.

To compile these reliability rankings, Consumer Reports scrutinized over 150,000 vehicles owned by its members, comparing the number of issues each model faced to the average for vehicles from 2014 to 2019. This process produced reliability scores for each brand, showcasing the best and worst in used car reliability. Only 26 brands made the cut, as the rest lacked sufficient data.

Lexus and Toyota were the most reliable used car brands by a wide margin, confirming their reputation among buyers. Steven Elek, CR’s program leader for auto data analytics, said that the two brands are known for their “conservative redesigns, incrementally improving their entire product line, rather than introducing many all-new systems”.

Mazda followed in third place, with Acura and Honda rounding out the Japanese automakers’ dominance in the top five. At the other end, Chrysler, Dodge, Tesla, Jeep, and Ram had the worst reliability ratings. Interestingly, the worst-performing brands besides Tesla are owned by Stellantis, which suggests buyers should approach these models with caution – at least for those from the 2014-2019 model years.

Consider Repair Costs and Model-Specific Issues

While these rankings give a broad view of brand reliability, experts rightly advise digging into each model individually. A generally unreliable brand might still offer a standout model, just as a traditionally reliable brand might surprise you with a dud.

Additionally, it’s extremely important to consider both the cost and type of repairs – one vehicle might have multiple issues with generally inexpensive fixes, while another could be prone to a single or a few prohibitively expensive problems. For example, a Dodge and a Porsche might have similar used prices, but the maintenance and repair costs will reflect their original price tags.

According to CR, 40 percent of Americans shopping for a vehicle in the past year were only eyeing used options, 31 percent were set on new cars, and the remaining 24 percent were considering both. In order to help buyers make informed choices, the nonprofit consumer organization created a dedicated page for used cars, where you can find recommendations based on your budget.

Consumer Reports recently released another top ten list, spotlighting the best used cars across various segments. Toyota dominated with three entries (Corolla Hybrid, RAV4 Hybrid, and Tacoma), while Mazda followed with two (CX-9 and MX-5).

Used Car Brand Reliability Rankings

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