Consumer Reports has a simple recommendation for used car shoppers: Buy something built by Toyota.
The shopping advice service has released its first-ever brand ranking for used cars. Toyota and its Lexus luxury brand dominate the rankings.
Related: Consumer Reports Lists Ten Most Reliable Cars
CR’s Methods Differ From Most
Consumer Reports is one of several organizations that study car reliability. Its methods make its results unique.
The magazine doesn’t try to create a representative sample of cars or buyers; it surveys its subscribers.
In this case, CR says, it asked owners of cars from model years 2014 through 2019 to list problems they’ve had with their vehicles in the previous 12 months.
That approach gives CR a good data set to work with. However, it also limits its input, as we’d expect CR subscribers to buy the cars CR recommends. So, some models will likely be over-represented or underrepresented in the data.
Related: Consumer Reports Lists Ten Least Reliable Cars
Change Is Bad for Reliability
According to CR, Toyota and Lexus win because they find what works and stick with it.
“Brands like Lexus and Toyota have a history of conservative redesigns, incrementally improving their entire product line, rather than introducing many all-new systems,” says Steven Elek, Consumer Reports’ program leader for auto data analytics. “Our data consistently shows over time that new cars from those brands are reliable when new, and they continue to be reliable as they age.”
That property means they hold their value well, making them more expensive on the used market. Mazda, which placed third in the study, might be the sweet spot for many buyers. Its cars command slightly lower prices on the used market but still perform well in the study.
Related: Want To Love Your Car? Buy A Corvette, Says Consumer Reports
Honda and its Acura brand also placed in the top five. Tesla, Dodge, and Chrysler performed worst.
The Rankings:
| Rank | Brand | Reliability Score (100-point scale) |
| 1 | Lexus | 75 |
| 2 | Toyota | 72 |
| 3 | Mazda | 59 |
| 4 | Acura | 57 |
| 5 | Honda | 55 |
| 6 | Buick | 47 |
| 7 | BMW | 46 |
| 8 | Subaru | 46 |
| 9 | Nissan | 45 |
| 10 | Mercedes-Benz | 43 |
| 11 | Cadillac | 42 |
| 12 | Mini | 42 |
| 13 | Lincoln | 42 |
| 14 | Volkswagen | 41 |
| 15 | Volvo | 40 |
| 16 | Audi | 39 |
| 17 | Hyundai | 38 |
| 18 | Chevrolet | 38 |
| 19 | Kia | 38 |
| 20 | Ford | 36 |
| 21 | GMC | 36 |
| 22 | Ram | 35 |
| 23 | Jeep | 32 |
| 24 | Tesla | 30 |
| 25 | Dodge | 28 |
| 26 | Chrysler | 27 |
