Photo: Eddie Gerald / Moment Unreleased / Getty Images
Photo Credit: Getty Images
The average new car price is now $50,080, a new record high and the first time it’s ever been over $50-thousand. If you’re spending that much for a vehicle, the last thing you want to do is have to bring it in to the dealer regularly for repairs, which is why buying a reliable one is crucial. So, who makes the most reliable cars today? Consumer reports research has the answer.
- They ranked the most reliable car brands in 2026 based on predicted reliability scores for just about every new car, truck and SUV on the market using data from their annual member reliability surveys.
- These detailed reports from members include problems they’ve had with their cars and this year, they cover about 380-thousand vehicles.
- Japanese brands lead the list, claiming six of the top seven spots.
- Toyota lands at number one, with a predicted reliability score of 66. Their vehicles are engineered to keep driving beyond 200-thousand miles, with proper maintenance, so they’re built for long-term mechanical durability.
- Subaru comes in a close second with a score of 63, followed by Lexus with a score of 60.
- Tesla is the brand with the biggest improvement in rankings over last year, moving up eight spots to ninth this year.
The Most Reliable Car Brands of 2026
- Toyota
- Subaru
- Lexus
- Honda
- BMW
- Nissan
- Acura
- Buick
- Tesla
- Kia
Source: Visual Capitalist