We’ve got new comparisons fresh off the press! Consumer Reports just released their Car Brand Reliability rankings for 2025. Enjoy the fresh data below!

Have you ever found yourself pleasantly surprised upon discovering that a certain car brand far exceeds your expectations? Maybe it was the first time you saw the redesigned Kia Sportage, or perhaps it was the new Honda Accord. This year, some names on the list of the top 10 most reliable car brands might just raise your eyebrows! 

Consumer Reports’ Annual Reliability Rankings

Every year, Consumer Reports asks its members about problems they’ve had with their vehicles in the previous 12 months. With data from over 300,000 vehicles that addresses 17 common trouble areas, CR’s reliability ratings are the best in the industry. The result of their testing and surveys is a rating system that assigns scores to brands and specific models.

These are the top 10 of the most reliable car brands for 2025 and their overall scores, as ranked by Consumer Reports. Surprise, surprise! Subaru, Lexus, and Toyota top the charts. Chances are you didn’t expect to see the likes of BMW, Kia, and Hyundai on this list! We’ve added the change in Consumer Reports brand reliability score since last year for comparison’s sake.

#1 Subaru – 68 (-1)

#2 Lexus – 65 (-14)

#3 Toyota – 62 (-17)

#4 Honda – 59 (-11)

#5 Acura – 55 (-15)

#6 Mazda – 55 (-12)

#7 Audi – 54 (+11)

#8 BMW – 53 (-11)

#9 Kia – 51 (-10)

#10 Hyundai – 50 (-6)

Among the top 10 brands by reliability, all except Toyota moved up this year. For 2025, Mini and Porsche were knocked off of the list.

👉 It’s important to note that Consumer Reports lacked sufficient data for brand rankings for the following brands: Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Infiniti, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lincoln, Lucid, Maserati, Mercedes-Benz, Mini, Mitsubishi, Polestar, Porsche, and Ram.

Here’s how other major car brands scored in Consumer Reports’ testing.

# 11 Buick – 48 (-7)

#12 Nissan – 48 (+3)

#13 Ford – 44 (+4)

#14 Genesis – 40 (-4)

#15 Volvo – 38 (+10)

#16 Chevrolet – 37 (-6)

#17 Tesla – 36 (-12)

#18 Volkswagen – 34 (+8)

#19 Jeep – 33 (+7)

#20 GMC – 33 (-3)

#21 Cadillac – 33 (-3)

#22 Rivian – 14 (-10)

The bottom half shouldn’t be a surprise. In fact, it resembles the list of automakers with the most recalls in 2024:

• FCA US (Stellantis brands Jeep, Ram, Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Alfa Romeo) – 64 recalls
• Ford (Ford and Lincoln) – 62 recalls
• BMW – 34 recalls
• General Motors – 32 recalls
• Mercedes-Benz – 25 recalls
• Hyundai – 25 recalls

See the complete list of NHTSA automaker recalls, and check your vehicle’s VIN number for recalls.

How did Consumer Reports come up with their reliability rankings? Here’s what they’ve shared on their rankings page: “This year we calculated brand-level score by first examining the weighted overall problem rate for all models within a brand for each model year. Then the brand reliability score was calculated by averaging models from 2022 to 2024, and some early 2025 data for each brand, where there was sufficient sample size.” For those interested in a 2025 model, you’ll have to wait until the next Consumer Reports reliability rankings come out in December 2025.

Reliability by Powertrain

Hybrid vehicles were found to have the best reliability among electrified powertrains. A closer look at Consumer Reports’ 2025 data reveals that some hybrids have much worse reliability than others. Ford’s F-150 Hybrid and Escape Hybrid have very low reliability according to CR. Fully-electric vehicles had 42% MORE problems than gas and hybrid vehicles, and plug-in hybrids scored the worst by far with 70% more problems than gas and hybrid vehicles.

Navigating Reliability Ratings: Final Thoughts

While reliability is a crucial factor in choosing your next vehicle, it’s essential to consider other elements. Factors like fuel efficiency, comfort, safety features, and the car’s total cost of ownership play significant roles in your decision-making process. Each driver has unique needs and preferences, and finding the perfect balance of these elements is key to enjoying your purchase for years to come. 

👉 See CarEdge cost of ownership rankings here.

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