"Consumer Reports" Used Car Reliability Rankings Released: Lexus and Toyota Perform Steadily, Continue to Lead

[PCauto] The authoritative American evaluation agency, Consumer Reports, published the latest annual automobile reliability survey results. For the reliability rankings of used cars aged approximately 5-10 years, Japanese brands still showcase a distinct advantage in terms of long-term durability.  

This survey collected feedback from over 140,000 car owners from 2016 to 2021, covering 26 mainstream brands. Lexus ranks first with an average score of 77, followed by Toyota with 73 points. Mazda, Honda, and Acura ranked third to fifth, with Japanese cars dominating the top five.  

Why are Japanese cars so reliable?

Steven Eric, the automobile data analysis director of Consumer Reports, said that the consistent leadership of Lexus and Toyota is largely related to their relatively cautious and gradual product improvement strategies. These brands do not rush to introduce completely new technologies that have not been thoroughly tested but instead continuously optimize on already mature architectures. This approach ensures that key components like the engine and transmission are less likely to have issues over approximately ten years of use.  

For example, the Lexus ES series has maintained a very stable core power system and platform architecture over the years. Most upgrades have been focused on the interior and features, which directly helped it build a reliable reputation in the used car market.

New and used cars may show different performance

The report also pointed out an important phenomenon: the predicted reliability of some brands' new cars can differ significantly from the actual performance of their used cars. Tesla is a notable example of this.

Although new Tesla cars in recent years have seen noticeable improvements in predicted reliability rankings in 'Consumer Reports,' the early models (especially those manufactured between 2017 and 2019) faced issues such as assembly quality and electronic systems during the rapid production expansion phase, which significantly lowered their overall reliability scores in the used car market. The report mentioned that Tesla, due to quality inspection issues at the factory, had to conduct additional repairs on some vehicles at delivery centers, and these historical problems have impacted their scores.

When Buying Used Cars, Be Sure to Check Specific Models and Years

The "Consumer Report" specifically reminds us that buying a used car should not be based solely on brand reputation. Within the same brand, the quality performance of different models, or even the same model in different years, may vary significantly. For example, the Chevrolet Equinox only has reliability above average in certain years, while the Silverado pickup truck occasionally has certain issues. Therefore, before buying a car, it is crucial to check detailed reliability data for the "specific production year + specific model." Even for a consistently well-regarded car like the Toyota Camry, the 2018 and 2020 models may show differences in reported issues for components like the transmission.