Read This if Reliability Ranks High on Your Car-Shopping Checklist
The Lexus GX luxury SUV notched top reliability scores from owner surveys in Consumer Reports’ latest annual reliability study, while the Ram 3500 heavy-duty pickup truck ranked worst. The magazine released the latest update to its influential reliability grades, based this year on survey data from owners of a claimed 500,000-plus cars. From these surveys, Consumer Reports derives reliability predictions for new 2019 model-year cars.
Related: What’s the Most Reliable 2015 Model?
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Shop the 2018 Lexus GX 460 near you
Toyota and its Lexus luxury division are responsible for seven of the top 10 cars in predicted reliability:
1. Lexus GX
2. Toyota Prius c
3. Toyota Prius Prime
4. Mazda MX-5 Miata
5. Toyota Corolla
6. Lexus NX
7. Toyota Prius
8. Honda Fit
9. Kia Sedona
10. Toyota Highlander
The top finisher is hardly the newest finisher. Quite the opposite: The 2019 model year will be the GX’s 10th without a full redesign. The SUV has had a checkered past over the years, too: Consumer Reports flagged its unresponsive electronic stability system at the outset, as it made the car too easy to tip over. The move prompted Toyota to stop sales and issue a recall to recalibrate the software.
What about the least reliable models? Consumer Reports cites these 10, starting with the worst:
1. Ram 3500
2. Tesla Model X
3. Cadillac ATS
4. Honda Clarity
5. Chevrolet Traverse
6. Kia Cadenza
7. Chevrolet Silverado 2500
8. Buick Enclave
9. Volkswagen Atlas
10. Honda Odyssey
The magazine has noted in years past that new or redesigned cars typically have lower reliability scores, a point this year’s survey seems to underline. Among the 10 most reliable cars on the market, all but three — the Prius, Prius Prime and MX-5 Miata — trace their current generations back to the 2015 model year or earlier. Six of the 10 least reliable cars, meanwhile, were redesigned in just the last two years (2017 or 2018).
In terms of overall brand reliability, Consumer Reports rates Toyota and its Lexus brand at the top of the charts, followed by a collection of Japanese, Korean and European brands rounding out the top 10. At the bottom of the list, meanwhile, are three luxury brands from two continents.
1. Lexus
2. Toyota
3. Mazda
4. Subaru
5. Kia
6. Infiniti
7. Audi
8. BMW
9. Mini
10. Hyundai
11. Porsche
12. Genesis
13. Acura
14. Nissan
15. Honda
16. Volkswagen
17. Mercedes-Benz
18. Ford
19. Buick
20. Lincoln
21. Dodge
22. Jeep
23. Chevrolet
24. Chrysler
25. GMC
26. Ram
27. Tesla
28. Cadillac
29. Volvo
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