Each year, Consumer Reports issues a comprehensive study that tracks the reliability of all vehicles sold in the United States covering brand new models to models up to ten years old.
Known as the Consumer Reports Reliability Survey, the information that they gather and organize is always a welcome resource to consumers looking to make an educated decision when purchasing a new or used vehicle.
This year Consumer Reports sent out over 8 million surveys to its subscriber base asking about the experiences with their vehicles over the previous 12 months.
Over 1.1 million people responded to the survey, making it one of the most useful and data-rich studies about vehicle ownership for 2015 and beyond.
I wanted to highlight a few of the vehicles and manufacturers that earned the highest reliability rankings to give you an idea of what the Consumer Reports Reliability Survey is all about.
Toyota: Most Reliable Non-Luxury Auto Maker
Toyota comes in at number 2 for overall reliability (their luxury arm, Lexus, holds the number 1 spot) and continues to enjoy a comfortable lead for most reliable non-luxury auto maker.
One of the reasons Toyota manages to do that, we believe, is that they introduce new technologies slowly and on proven platforms.
While their vehicles may seem to some as plain, you can’t deny the fact that the Toyota line-up has some the most impressive and reliable mainstream vehicles in the industry today.
Honda, Subaru & Kia: Reliability Trending Way Up
Consumer Reports was also impressed with the reliability of Honda, Subaru and Kia as each brand’s reliability climbed the charts four, three and six spots respectively over last year’s results.
Taking up three of the top ten spots in the reliability survey, each brand has vehicles that offer above average reliability.
Buick Earns Top Reliability Marks
Coming in at six overall and fourth among non-luxury brands, Buick has the distinction of being the only domestic manufacturer to crack the top ten in overall reliability.
With each of the vehicles in the Buick line-up receiving average or better scores, Buick has set the standard for reliability among all domestic brands.
Most Reliable and Recommended Vehicles
As a part of the reliability survey, Consumer Reports also publishes which individual vehicles are the most reliable and also recommended based on their own testing.
Here are some of the most reliable and recommended vehicles on the list.
Most Reliable Compact & Subcompact Cars
Most Reliable Hybrid & Electric Cars
Most Reliable Midsize Cars
Most Reliable Sporty Cars
Most Reliable Wagons & Minivans
Most Reliable Small SUVs
Most Reliable Midsize SUVs
Most Reliable Pickup Trucks
More Vehicle Reliability Information
The information I included in this article really only scratches the surface of what’s available on the Consumer Reports website.
If you are interested in more details, I’d certainly recommend you check out the full findings from the Consumer Reports Reliability Survey.
Please note that ConsumerReports.org is a subscription based website, so if you’re not a subscriber already you’ll have to sign up to gain full access.
However with month-to-month subscriptions available at $6.95, it’s an affordable investment to help you research the next vehicle you plan to purchase.
