With today’s stubbornly high auto prices and interest rates, buying a car – new or used– is a high-stakes financial decision!
Every year Consumer Reports surveys hundreds of thousands of its members asking them simple but important question: What problems have they had with their vehicles in the past year?
Keith Barry, of Consumer Reports, says they ask about “everything from the engine to transmission issues, leaks, paint and trim problems. And with EVs (electric vehicles) growing in popularity, we ask electric car owners about battery and charging issues. And then we can crunch those numbers to calculate the predicted reliability of new and used cars – almost every car on the market!”
For 2023, Lexus and Toyota took the top spots for brand reliability, followed by Mini, Acura, Honda and Subaru.
And while EVs are growing in popularity, Consumer Reports members experience 79 percent more problems with their EVs compared to gas-powered cars. EV trouble spots include issues with charging, electric motors and battery problems.
“Our members are reporting the same issues with most EVs as they are with vehicles that have been designed brand new from the ground up, whether they're gas or electric," Barry said. "EVs are about the newest technology out there, and it's taking a while, even for established carmakers to work through those growing pains.”
Automakers seem to have worked out the growing pains for hybrid vehicles. Consumer Reports members reported their hybrids have 26 fewer problems on average than a gas-only car!
And Consumer Reports found the type of vehicle you drive also matters. Sedans, hatchbacks and wagons remain the most reliable vehicle types.
Pickup trucks have been at the bottom of Consumer Reports reliability rankings for seven of the past eight years, with EV trucks coming in last this year.
Auto brands at the bottom of the reliability report were Rivian, Mercedes-Benz and Chrysler.
