Consumer Reports ranks Toyota, Lexus most reliable, Mercedes worst

Hybrid motor vehicles and sedans are the most reliable autos, while electrical autos and pickup vehicles pose the most troubles for new car or truck homeowners, in accordance to respondents of a Purchaser Reports study declared Tuesday. 

In its annual client study based on extra than 300,000 automobiles from the 2000-2022 product many years, the client advocacy publication predicted that Toyota and Lexus are the most reputable makes for 2023, even though Mercedes-Benz fell to the minimum responsible of the 24 automakers assessed. 

The predictions are based mostly on vehicle house owners reporting difficulties in 17 classes ranging from transmission troubles to in-motor vehicle electronics during the final 12 months, which is then applied as the basis to assess product trustworthiness in excess of the past a few decades. 

Hybrid advantage

New this 12 months, Client Reports analyzed hybrid vehicles separately from their gasoline-only counterparts, so the Toyota RAV4 was broken out separately from the RAV4 Hybrid. In doing so, Customer Reviews observed that hybrid motor vehicles ended up as reputable or a lot more trusted than their fuel counterparts despite the truth that hybrids can have much more mechanical complexity.

In several scenarios, hybrid ability units have been worked out in excess of time and can replicate packaging benefits around inside-combustion cars. Some AWD hybrids absence a travel shaft and as a substitute have a rear motor powering the rear axle, for instance. In other situations, an electronic CVT has much less opportunity complications than newer 8- to 10-pace automated transmissions used in combustion engines to eke out far more fuel financial savings. There are also less brake difficulties documented in hybrids. 

“Hybrid tech is not new to these automakers,” Jake Fisher, senior director of car testing at Shopper Reviews, claimed in an on line presentation hosted by the Automotive Push Association. “It really is been all around for two decades at this issue so it really is very proven technologies.”

In many cases, hybrid motor vehicles aren’t loaded with all the most current and finest in-vehicle technology, as is the case with thoroughly clean-sheet EVs that introduce everything from new drive units to new infotainment setups and even new steering wheel designs and door handles, all of which have the likelihood of leading to extra challenges.

Plug-in hybrids have a bit additional problems than hybrids thanks to charging difficulties, as very well as heating and cooling concerns, Fisher claimed.

Hybrid autos and SUVs had been two of the a few most reliable phase categories, whereas electric powered cars ranked next to last, according to Purchaser Reports. Pickup trucks rated worst in in general reliability, which goes in opposition to perceptions of very long-lasting trucks in an evolving truck phase. 

“These times pickup vehicles are luxury autos, they are not these very simple devices any longer,” Fisher explained, referencing every little thing from handbook home windows to simple AM/FM radios and 6-velocity automatics in the last technology of trucks. “They are substantial effective luxury autos and there are a whole lot of difficulties involved with that.” 

People challenges contain powertrain difficulties with functions such as cylinder deactivation as nicely as digital instrument clusters and big touchscreen electronics. This corroborates other experiences from J.D. Electric power that in-car know-how and connectivity concerns, this sort of as with Apple CarPlay, carry on to be the greatest trouble for new motor vehicle homeowners. 

Issues with the powertrain and in-car or truck technology afflict the Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck, and add to Chevy’s massive fall of 10 spots given that final yr to become the 20th most reputable brand out of 24 that were being assessed, with a manufacturer average that ranks the similar as Tesla. 

Fisher noted that not each problem reported by an proprietor is weighted the identical, unlike J.D. Power’s Initial Excellent Examine. 

“Any sort of trouble that could go away the car or truck incapacitated or main powertrain challenge rated considerably more intensely,” he explained. “Infotainment or digital devices are not weighted incredibly intensely. In some scenarios they are, since sure automakers place every little thing in their display screen, but in most cases these systems can be remedied rather promptly, so not like a transmission or an engine which may possibly choose a long time to operate out the bugs.”

Digital challenges can generally be remedied with software updates, Fisher said, so Customer Studies isn’t going to forecast bad dependability right after “just a handful of digital troubles.”

Client Reviews 2023 manufacturer reliability listing

On models

Constant introductions of new technologies throughout the product or service line is one particular of the causes Toyota and Lexus took the prime two places in model trustworthiness nevertheless once again this calendar year. The world’s most significant automaker usually takes a much more incremental solution, then little by little applies it across its lineup. 

“These are brand names that are not including a good deal of new know-how and they have a lot of shared componentry amid motor vehicles and platforms,” Fisher claimed. 

New automobile introductions with new technologies has an effect on reliability. Redesigned for the to start with time in 15 a long time, the 2022 Toyota Tundra debuted with two new powertrain options and a slew of technological updates. The full-size pickup truck is the only Toyota to level under normal thanks to physique leaks, hardware concerns, and trim grievances. 

BMW jumped 10 places to rank third overall, in section for the reason that they haven’t launched that many new products and solutions lately and they’ve simplified their iDrive infotainment method, Fisher said. 

Mazda, Honda, Audi, Subaru, Acura, Kia, and Lincoln rounded out the prime 10 in that order, with Lincoln and its compact lineup taking a massive jump in the trustworthiness rankings in becoming the only domestic brand to crack the leading 10. Domestic manufacturers lack regularity. 

“The massive big difference we’re looking at with Asian brand names at the major is that they are incredibly reliable (with platforms and engineering). We never see that with domestics,” Fisher explained. “We see more substantial improvements with a large amount of their automobiles, and numerous distinctive platforms.” 

Mercedes-Benz is the least responsible model for the initially time in CR’s rankings, coming in last of 24 automakers. Nevertheless the model launched its EQ electric motor vehicle relatives this calendar year, the Client Reports rankings were being restricted to impressions on the E-Course and GLE fuel run autos.  

“Entrepreneurs report challenges with the in-vehicle electronics these kinds of as display screen freezing or likely blank, and in some cases demanding components alternative,” Shopper Experiences stated in a statement. 

Tesla enhanced 4 places to 19th, while Chevrolet, GMC, Volkswagen, and Jeep crammed out the base dwellers involving Tesla and Mercedes. 

Accounting for far more than 50 percent of the EV market place assessed in the examine, Tesla has different dependability problems than other automakers and other electric powered vehicles. Tesla issues revolve all around human body hardware, paint and trim, and steering and suspension. Electric powered motor vehicles by other automakers have trustworthiness concerns with the battery pack, electrical charging, and electric powered generate motor troubles. Each sets of EV makers had trustworthiness concerns with the local weather program and in-car electronics.

“We’re viewing the sorts of issues that have been labored out by other automakers that have been about for 100 decades,” Fisher claimed of Tesla. “What we will not see with Tesla are a large amount of issues with electric powered powertrains. They are basically greater in that than most other EV brands.” 

This write-up has been corrected to replicate the precise Mercedes autos referenced in the study.