In general, most people have three things in common when they buy a new car: price, fuel economy and reliability. The price is easy to look at although you know it can change depending on the dealer you go to, and so is fuel economy. Trust, on the other hand, is more difficult.
You can spend hours on forums trying to decide for yourself, or you can look at the results of a Consumer Reports reliability survey that includes data on more than 300,000 vehicles built between 2000 and 2024. occasionally, but if reliability is your biggest concern, this list of the most reliable cars according to Consumer Reports’ data is a good place to start.
And while we won’t pretend it doesn’t include many of the Lexus and Toyota models, those are certainly not the only brands featured. And don’t forget to check out the list of least-reliable cars, either.
Toyota Prius
Reliability Score: 76
Overall Score: 77
The discussion took the big hybrids updated with more power and a new design. In addition to its great fuel economy, Consumer Reports praised the Toyota Prius’ speed, the practicality of its liftback design and Toyota’s decision to add all-wheel drive as an option.
Toyota Corolla Hybrid
Reliability Score: 76
Overall Score: 75
If you just want the least-expensive new car you can buy that also gets the best gas mileage possible, you’ll have a hard time beating the Corolla Hybrid. Consumer Reports also praised its comfortable ride and easy-to-use cabin controls.
Lexus NX Hybrid
Reliability Score: 76
Overall Score: 83
The Lexus NX Hybrid is Consumer Reports’ favorite luxury compact crossover, praising it for its comfort and durability and the 38 mpg it achieved overall in an independent fuel economy test. It may be a unique RAV4 on the ground, but that’s not a bad thing.
Lexus NX
Reliability Score: 77
Overall Score: 78
If you go for the regular gas-powered Lexus NX over the hybrid, you’ll save a few dollars, but the difference isn’t as big as you might expect. That said, it edged out the NX Hybrid in terms of reliability.
Hyundai Elantra Hybrid
Reliability Score: 79
Overall Score: 82
Did you see? We told you that this list is not all Toyota and Lexus products. And according to Consumer Reports’ data, the Elantra Hybrid is not only more reliable than the Corolla Hybrid, but it’s also a better car overall. That said, it will cost you less than a Toyota.
BMW i4
Reliability Score: 82
Overall Score: 90
If there’s one EV that Consumer Reports likes, it’s the BMW i4. It is proven to be incredibly reliable, incredibly well made and comes with high owner satisfaction while still being fast and offering amazing handling. If you’re looking for a Tesla alternative, you’ll want to give the i4 a look.
Toyota RAV4 Hybrid
Reliability Score: 83
Overall Score: 81
The Toyota RAV4 Hybrid may not be as luxurious as the Lexus NX, and it’s showing its age, but on the other hand, it wins on two things that new car buyers care about – gas mileage and reliability. Additionally, almost every version of the RAV4 Hybrid costs less than $40,000.
Mazda MX-5 Miata
Reliability Score: 84
Overall Score: 83
If you want an affordable sports car, the Mazda Miata has been as good as it gets for decades, and it still is today. It’s incredibly reliable, can have an excellent manual, comes with high-performance and still gets good gas mileage. Why buy something (unless you’re too tall)?
Toyota RAV4 Prime
Reliability Score: 84
Overall Score: 88
Most people don’t even think to compare an electric sedan and a plug-in-hybrid crossover, and for good reason. At the same time, however, both the BMW i4 and Toyota RAV4 Prime received impressive overall scores to go with their strong reliability. A perfect two-car garage perhaps?
Toyota Corolla
Reliability Score: 84
Overall Score: 76
Toyota has done a great job of making sure its hybrids are reliable and stay that way long after the warranty expires, but if reliability is your biggest concern, the regular gas-only Corolla is the way to go. It will also save you $1,500 compared to the hybrid, so it will take longer for the better fuel economy to make up for the cost difference.
Toyota RAV4
Reliability Score: 86
Overall Score: 76
Like the Corolla, the gas-only RAV4 proved more reliable in a Consumer Reports survey than the hybrid version. And although it is understandable that many people prefer the idea of the hybrid, with an MSRP of about 3,000 dollars, the gas version is still going to be the cheapest option unless you keep it for a long time.
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