The 10 Most Reliable Car Brands For Your Money
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Buying a new automobile can be both exciting and overwhelming. If you’re going to shell out thousands of dollars on your wheels, so many factors come into consideration.
Does it fit your budget? Fit your lifestyle? What’s the warranty? How much will it cost you each month? And perhaps, most important, just how reliable is it?
Using data from the J.D. Power and Associates 2023 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study, GOBankingRates put together a list of the manufacturers that saw the fewest reported problems from vehicle owners in the first three years they drove their cars.
These manufacturers were the top 10 whose cars came in under the industry average of 186 problems per 100 new cars. Take a look if you need a reliable vehicle.
8. (Tie) Nissan
- Problems per 100 vehicles: 170
No Nissan ranked in the top three in models per segment in the J.D. Power study, but its overall high finish shows its reliability among a number of models.
8. (Tie) MINI
- Problems per 100 vehicles: 170
The MINI Cooper, known for its quirky look, also gets much credit for its sportiness as the J.D. Power study named it the top compact sporty car in 2023. The shining star of the category, no other car in the class performed well enough for inclusion in the rankings.
8. (Tie) Hyundai
- Problems per 100 vehicles: 170
The prolific automobile maker isn’t just reliable — two of its models made the shortlist for top vehicles in their segment. The Elantra was rated among the top three compact cars, and the Santa Fe got high marks in the midsize SUV class, based on fewest problems.
7. Toyota
- Problems per 100 vehicles: 168
Toyotas are known for their reliability and reasonable price. Despite the Toyota Corolla finishing among the top three in the compact segment in reliability for 2022, it was outshined by its bigger relatives. With the Toyota C-HR (small SUV), Toyota Highlander (upper midsize SUV), Toyota Tacoma (midsize pickup) and Tacoma Sienna (minivan) ranking tops in their classes, it’s no wonder Toyota makes this spot on the list.
6. Mitsubishi
- Problems per 100 vehicles: 167
Car buyers looking at 2024 models have some extra incentives. Not only did Mitsubishi finish sixth on the list for reliability, but the manufacturer is also standing behind its product. Now standard on 2024 models are a 10-year, 100,000-mile powertrain limited warranty; limited maintenance over two years and 30,000 miles; and roadside assistance for five years, no matter how many miles you have driven.
5. Chevrolet
- Problems per 100 vehicles: 162
The first American manufacturer on the list, Chevrolet had a strong showing in the J.D. Power survey. Two SUVs – the Chevrolet Tahoe (large SUV) and the Chevrolet Blazer (midsize SUV) – topped their segments, while the TRAX also received accolated in the small SUV segments. Among other vehicles, the Chevrolet Malibu (midsize car) and Chevrolet Colorado (midsize pickup) were among the top three finishers in the categories, and in the large heavy duty pickup class, the Chevrolet Silverado HD took the honors.
4. Buick
- Problems per 100 vehicles: 159
Buick’s Encore was ranked in the top three on the shortlist of best small SUVs, as did the Buick Envision in the compact SUV class. Like Chevrolet, Buick is a division of General Motors. It doesn’t produce as many models as some competitors, but Buick’s products seem to please drivers.
3. Kia
- Problems per 100 vehicles: 152
You can’t go wrong with Kia if you’re looking to spend as little time as possible at the dealership. At 152 problems per 100 vehicles, this manufacturer made some of 2023’s most reliable cars. The Kia Forte (compact car), Kia Optima (midsize car) and Kia Sportage (compact SUV) were named most reliable in their segments. The Kia Sorento (upper midsize SUV) and Kia Sedona (minivan), ranked among the most reliable.
2. Genesis
- Problems per 100 vehicles: 144
Luxury cars don’t always mean “zero problems.” The trade-off to having more complex tech in your car is that the tech can require a lot of support. Despite that, Genesis still earns the No. 2 spot on this list because of having 144 problems per 100 vehicles.
1. Lexus
- Problems per 100 vehicles: 133
Luxury doesn’t mean sacrifice in reliability, and Lexus proves that with its Lexus NX and Lexus RX. The NX came in top on the list of compact premium SUV for reliability in 2023, with the RX getting the same honor in the midsize premium SUV segment.
Mark Shrayber contributed to the reporting for this article.
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