Report: What Brand Makes the Most Reliable Used Cars?
While used-car prices are coming down from the high they hit during the pandemic, the average cost still hovers near $29,000, per Cars.com data. Now, Consumer Reports, which has been ranking new-car reliability for years, has released its first-ever ranking of used cars that are 5 to 10 years old.
Related: What Are the Best Used Cars for $20,000?
Alex Knizek, associate director of auto test development for CR, said, “With the historically high price of new autos these days, more and more people are naturally looking to the pre-owned market in search of a better value.” According to the nonprofit research and testing organization, 40% of car shoppers in the past year were only considering used cars versus 31% only looking at new vehicles and 24% shopping new and used. (The remaining 5% apparently were considering commuting via balloon or birds.)
To generate its rankings, Consumer Reports compiled data from its members, who were surveyed on problems with vehicles from model-years 2014-19. Data covers more than 150,000 vehicles, and the survey addresses 20 potential issues ranging from minor problems (e.g., squeaky brakes and broken interior trim) to major failures (e.g., engine, transmission and electric-vehicle charging problems). Responses are weighted and used to calculate a model’s reliability score. CR then averaged each brand’s model scores for those six model years to generate the overall brand reliability score.
Used-Car Brand Reliability Rankings
- Lexus: 75
- Toyota: 72
- Mazda: 59
- Acura: 57
- Honda: 55
- Buick: 47
- BMW: 46
- Subaru: 46
- Nissan: 45
- Mercedes-Benz: 43
- Cadillac: 42
- Mini: 42
- Lincoln: 42
- Volkswagen: 41
- Volvo: 40
- Audi: 39
- Hyundai: 38
- Chevrolet: 38
- Kia: 38
- Ford: 36
- GMC: 36
- Ram: 35
- Jeep: 32
- Tesla: 30
- Dodge: 28
- Chrysler: 27
CR notes that individual model reliability tends to be more variable in brands with lower overall scores; brands that rate higher overall tend to have individual models that score consistently higher. For example, the 2018-19 Chevrolet Equinox scored above average but were the only two model years in that generation’s six-year run to do so; meanwhile, the 2014-19 Silverado was below average every year. (Further model-level information is available at Consumer Reports).
Along with its brand rankings, CR also named its first-ever 10 Top Picks for used cars. The following 10 vehicles all earned CR’s recommendation when new, score above average for reliability and are available for less than $20,000. Oddly, CR notes that all come standard with stability control, which has been mandatory on cars sold in the U.S. since September 2011 — two years before the first model year covered by this survey.
Consumer Reports 10 Top Used Car Picks
- Hybrid Small Sedan: 2021 Toyota Corolla Hybrid
- Hybrid SUV: 2018 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid
- Three-Row SUV: 2020 Mazda CX-9
- Small SUV: 2021 Kia Sportage
- Luxury SUV: 2020 Buick Envision
- Pickup Truck: 2015 Toyota Tacoma
- Sports Car: 2019 Mazda MX-5 Miata
- Small Sedan (less than $15,000): 2019 Hyundai Elantra
- Small SUV (less than $15,000): 2018 Honda HR-V
- Small Sedan (less than $10,000): 2017 Chevrolet Cruze
CR’s Knizek notes, “Car shoppers who can’t find the exact model year as one of our Top Picks should check if there’s a reliable model within the same generation. They’ll find much the same quality, possibly even cheaper, by considering older versions of the same car.”
More From Cars.com:
- How to Buy a Beater: 5 Tips for Bargain-Basement Used-Car Shoppers
- Making Sense of Used Car Warranties
- How to Compare CPO Programs
- What’s the Safest, Most Affordable Car for Teens?
- Sub-$30,000 New Cars Are So Hot Right Now: Report
Related Video:
Cars.com’s Editorial department is your source for automotive news and reviews. In line with Cars.com’s long-standing ethics policy, editors and reviewers don’t accept gifts or free trips from automakers. The Editorial department is independent of Cars.com’s advertising, sales and sponsored content departments.
