Buying a used car, the most crucial consideration is reliability. On Tuesday, August 27, the renowned U.S. magazine “Consumer Reports” released a report showing that Lexus and Toyota ranked first and second in the reliability of used cars.
This marks the first time “Consumer Reports” has ranked 26 automotive brands for the reliability of used cars, focusing on 5 to 10-year-old vehicles. Buyers can refer to this ranking to reduce the risk of purchasing a used car.
Lexus and Toyota have a significant advantage over the third-ranked Mazda. “Consumer Reports” pointed out that these three brands have consistently maintained average or better reliability ratings over the years. Acura and Honda are among the top five. Brands ranking from 6th to 10th respectively are Buick, BMW, Subaru, Nissan, and Mercedes-Benz.
On the other hand, Tesla, Dodge, and Chrysler ranked 24th, 25th, and 26th respectively.
The evaluation method of this ranking is based on reported issues with 5 to 10-year-old car models by members, to rank the brands.
Steven Elek, the senior automotive data analyst at “Consumer Reports,” said, “Brands like Lexus and Toyota have been more conservative in redesigning, gradually improving their entire product lines rather than introducing many new systems. Our data consistently shows that cars from these brands are reliable when they are new, and they remain reliable as the driving time progresses.”
Elek stated that the reliability consistency of other brand models varies significantly. For example, only the 2018 and 2019 Chevrolet Equinox models had higher reliability than average during their six-year tenure, whereas the reliability of the 2014-2019 Chevrolet Silverado models was below average. “That’s why when buying a used car, it’s best to check the reliability ratings for each model year,” he said.
The magazine mentioned that the reliability of each model may differ from the brand’s average level. For used cars, each vehicle is unique with its own driving and service history.
It’s not surprising that the results of used car brand reliability surveys are often different from new car reliability predictions. For new cars, “Consumer Reports” analysis is based on the most recent three years of reliability, as well as factors such as brand history and shared components.
Regarding Tesla’s ranking, the magazine mentioned that Tesla ranked 14th among 30 new car brand reliability rankings, placing it in the middle tier, while in the average ranking of used car reliability brands, it ranked 24th. A decade ago, Tesla focused on building the Model S, a new car featuring untested technology. Today, Tesla’s sales mainly come from the lower-priced Model 3 and Model Y. These popular electric vehicles are based on the experience of early models and continuous manufacturing and engineering improvements.
“Our data indicates this difference; multiple owners of the 2014-2015 Model S reported the need to replace electric motors, battery packs, or infotainment hardware,” Elek said. “These components may also fail over time, meaning it will take a few more years to know if new Tesla models will experience similar issues. We will continue to monitor the data to understand potential trends.”
For those looking to spend less than $10,000, “Consumer Reports” recommends the 2017 Chevrolet Cruze, calling this fuel-efficient sedan “stand out for its comfortable ride, relatively spacious interior, and effortless power from its turbocharged four-cylinder engine.”
The magazine found that the 2019 Hyundai Elantra is suitable for consumers with a budget of $15,000 or less, citing its easy handling, spacious interior, roomy rear seats, and high fuel efficiency. The 2018 Honda HR-V is suitable for consumers looking for an SUV at the same price range.