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A vehicle that breaks down often leaves the owner frustrated. Delays, embarrassment, and repair costs can turn your life into a nightmare.
Reliability is a quality that you should strive for in a used car. Now which are the most reliable car brands? Here's a carVertical ranking of auto reliability so you can make an informed decision. But first let's briefly explain the process.
How was the reliability of the cars rated?
We have compiled the list of the most reliable makes of cars based on one meaningful criterion - damage.
The results are based on vehicle history reports from carVertical.
The used car rankings that you will see in a moment are derived from the percentage of damaged cars of each brand from the total number of branded cars analyzed.
1. KIA - 23,47%
Kia's slogan “The power to surprise” lived up to the hype. Even with more than 1,4 million vehicles produced annually, the South Korean automaker ranks first with only 23,47% of all models analyzed that were damaged.
But the most reliable car brand is not flawless, because their vehicles are prone to:
- Frequent failure of the electric power steering
- Parking brake failure
- Possible DPF failure
The company's focus on reliability should come as no surprise as the Kia models feature advanced safety systems including forward collision avoidance, autonomous emergency braking and vehicle stability management.
2. Hyundai - 26,36%
Hyundai's Uslan factory is the largest automobile factory in Asia and covers a staggering area of over 5 million square meters (approximately 5 square kilometers). Hyundai ranks second with damage to 26,36% of all models analyzed.
However, Hyundai used cars can have these typical breakdowns:
- Corrosion of the rear subframe
- Parking brake problems
- Weak windshields
How does such a good reliability ranking of the vehicles come about? Hyundai is the only auto company that makes its own ultra-strong steel. The automaker also produces the Genesis, one of the safest cars in the world.
3. Volkswagen - 27,27%
Volkswagen produced the legendary Beetle, an icon of the 20th century, of which more than 21,5 million units were sold. The car manufacturer ranks third among the most reliable car brands by carVertical and shows damage in 27,27% of all models analyzed.
Although rugged, Volkswagen cars are particularly prone to these malfunctions:
- Failure of the dual mass flywheel
- Manual transmission can fail
- Problems with the ABS / ESP module
Volkswagen strives to protect vehicle occupants through a variety of safety functions such as adaptive cruise control, emergency braking and lane change assistants.
4. Nissan - 27,79%
Nissan was the world's largest manufacturer of electric vehicles for a long time before Tesla took the world by storm. With space missiles among its earlier creations, the Japanese automaker recorded damage to 27,79% of all models analyzed.
But as durable as they are, Nissan vehicles are prone to several problems:
- Differential failure
- Very common structural corrosion in the central chassis rail
- Automatic transmission heat exchanger may fail
Nissan has always prioritized safety and developed innovative technologies such as: B. Zone Body Construction, Safety Shield 360 and Smart Mobility.
5. Mazda - 29,89%
After the Japanese company started producing cork, it adapted the first automotive Miller engine, an engine that was actually designed for ships, power plants and locomotives. According to the carVertical database, 29,89% of all Mazda models analyzed were damaged.
Most often, the brand's vehicles are prone to the following types of damage:
- Turbo failures in Skyactiv D engines
- Failure of the fuel injector seal on diesel engines
- Very frequent failure of the ABS pump
The mediocre performance doesn't mean that the models don't have some impressive safety features. For example, Mazda's i-ACTIVESENSE includes advanced technologies that detect potential hazards, prevent accidents and reduce collision strength.
6. Audi - 30,08%
Audi is Latin for “Horch”, a translation of the surname of its founder. Audi is known for luxury and performance, also as a used car. Before the takeover by the Volkswagen Group, Audi once merged with three other brands to found Auto Union AG. The four rings of the logo symbolize this union.
Audi missed 5th place by a tiny margin, as 30,08% of all analyzed models were damaged.
The automaker's cars tend to have the following failures:
- Heavy clutch wear
- Power steering failure
- Manual transmission error
Strangely, Audi can look back on a long history of safety and carried out its first crash test more than 80 years ago. Today the German automaker's cars are equipped with some of the most advanced active, passive and driver-assisting safety systems.
7. Ford - 32,18%
The founder of the automotive company, Henry Ford, shaped today's automotive industry by inventing the revolutionary "assembly line" that reduced car production time from 700 to an incredible 90 minutes. It is therefore confusing that the well-known automaker ranks so low, but the data from carVertical shows damage to 32,18% of all Ford models analyzed.
Ford's models seem inclined towards this:
- Failure of the dual mass flywheel
- Failure of clutch and power steering pump
- CVT automatic transmission failures
The American automobile manufacturer has long emphasized the importance of the safety of the driver, occupant and vehicle. A prime example of this is Ford's Safety Canopy System, which triggers curtain airbags in the event of a side or rollover crash.
8. Mercedes-Benz - 32,36%
The renowned German automobile manufacturer presented what was probably the first gasoline-powered automobile in 1886. Whether brand new or used, a Mercedes-Benz car is associated with luxury, but according to carVertical, a full 32,36% of all Mercedes-Benz investigated were damaged.
Despite their remarkable quality, the Mercedes models suffer from some typical problems:
- Moisture can get into the headlights
- Failure of the fuel injector seal on diesel engines
- Very common failure of the Sensotronic brake system
But the brand with the slogan “The best or nothing” has done pioneering work in the areas of automotive design, technology and innovation. From the early versions of ABS to Pre-Safe, the engineers at Mercedes-Benz introduced several safety features that are now commonplace in the industry.
9. Toyota - 33,79%
The Japanese automobile company produces more than 10 million vehicles a year. The company also makes the Toyota Corolla, the top-selling car with more than 40 million units sold worldwide. Amazingly, 33,79% of all Toyota models analyzed were damaged.
Toyota vehicles appear to have a few common shortcomings:
- Rear suspension height sensor failure
- Air conditioning failure
- Tendency to severe corrosion
Despite its ranking, Japan's largest automaker began conducting crash tests as early as the 1960s. More recently, he introduced the second generation of the Toyota Safety Sense, a set of active safety technologies capable of detecting pedestrians by night and cyclists by day.
10. BMW - 33,87%
The Bavarian automobile manufacturer began as a manufacturer of aircraft engines. After the end of the First World War, however, he switched to the production of motor vehicles and is now the world's leading company for premium automobiles. Only 0,09% gave BMW instead of Toyota the lowest value for car reliability. The Bavarian automobile company recorded damage in 33,87% of all models examined.
Used BMWs have their shortcomings:
- ABS wheel sensors can fail
- Various electrical malfunctions
- Problems with correct wheel alignment
The final ranking of BMW is confusing, also because BMW is known for innovation. The German automaker has even developed a safety and accident research program to help design safer cars. Sometimes security cannot be translated into reliability convert.
Obviously, the most reliable brands are not in demand when buying a used car.
Most people avoid them like the plague. With the exception of Volkswagen, the 5 most reliable car brands are nowhere to be found among the best-selling brands.
Are reliable used cars the most bought?
Obviously, the most reliable brands are not in demand when buying a used car.
Most people avoid them like the plague. With the exception of Volkswagen, the 5 most reliable car brands are nowhere to be found among the best-selling brands.
Why is that?
The best-selling brands are some of the largest and oldest automakers in the world. They have poured millions into advertising, marketing, and building an alluring image for their cars.
People associate the vehicle they see in movies, on TV and on the internet with positive traits.
Often it is the brand that sells, not the product.
Is the used car market trustworthy?
The used car market is a minefield for a potential buyer, especially because of odometer manipulation.
Odometer manipulation, also known as clocking or mileage fraud, is an illegal tactic that some sellers use to tamper with the odometer to give vehicles a lower mileage.
As you can see from the graphic above, the best-selling brands suffer from the most odometer manipulation, with BMW used cars accounting for more than half of all cases.
Mileage fraud allows the seller to unjustifiably charge a higher price, which means that buyers may be tricked into paying extra for a car in poor condition.
And that's not all, there could be thousands of euros for future repairs.
Summary
Undoubtedly, the brands that are known for their reliability are far from reliable, but their cars are in high demand.
Unfortunately, the most reliable brands of cars are not that popular.
If you are planning on buying a used car, do yourself a favor and get a vehicle history report before spending big bucks on a lousy car.