Ranked: The Most Reliable Used-Car Brands in 2025
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Key Takeaways
- Consumer Reports ranked 26 car brands based on the reliability of their 5- to 10-year-old models (2015-2020 model year)
- Japanese brands locked out the top five spots in this ranking
In today’s environment, buying a new car has become a stretch for many households—fueling demand in the used-car market. But not all used vehicles are created equal, and reliability plays a major role in long-term ownership costs.
For buyers looking to avoid expensive repairs down the road, brand reputation is more important than ever. In this graphic, we ranked the best used-car brands of 2025, using data from Consumer Reports.
Data & Methodology
To come up with these reliability scores, Consumer Reports asked its members to report how many problems they’ve had with their vehicles over the past 12 months.
This analysis focused only on cars from the 2015 to 2020 model year, with a sample size of over 150,000 vehicles.
| Rank | Brand | Reliability Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Lexus |
81 |
| 2 | Toyota |
74 |
| 3 | Mazda |
63 |
| 4 | Honda |
56 |
| 5 | Acura |
55 |
| 6 |  Buick |
53 |
| 7 |  Volvo |
49 |
| 8 | Nissan |
49 |
| 9 | Subaru |
48 |
| 10 | Cadillac |
48 |
| 11 |  Mercedes-Benz |
47 |
| 12 | BMW |
45 |
| 13 | Lincoln |
43 |
| 14 | Audi |
42 |
| 15 | Tesla |
40 |
| 16 | Volkswagen |
40 |
| 17 | Chevrolet |
40 |
| 18 | Ram |
38 |
| 19 | Ford |
38 |
| 20 |  Kia |
37 |
| 21 | GMC |
36 |
| 22 | Hyundai |
36 |
| 23 |  Mini |
33 |
| 24 | Dodge |
32 |
| 25 | Jeep |
31 |
| 26 | Chrysler |
29 |
From this data we can see that Japanese brands are generally the most reliable when buying used, with the lowest ranked Japanese brand being Subaru, in ninth place. Toyota and its luxury arm, Lexus, hold the top two spots, while Honda and Acura come in fourth and fifth.
Brands like Lexus and Toyota have a history of conservative redesigns, incrementally improving their entire product line rather than introducing many all-new systems. Our data consistently shows over time that cars from those brands are reliable when new, and they continue to be reliable as they age.
Steven Elek, Senior Automotive Data Analyst at Consumer Reports
Top Used-Car Picks in 2025
​Consumer Reports has released its latest list of top used-car picks, all of which offer good reliability, safety, and value across various price points. These selections are based on comprehensive road tests and owner satisfaction surveys.
| Category | Top Pick Model (Year) |
Generation |
|---|---|---|
| Under $10,000 | Chevrolet Cruze (2017) |
2016–2019 |
| Under $15,000 | Hyundai Elantra (2019) |
2017–2020 |
| SUV Under $15,000 |
Honda HR-V (2018) |
2016–2022 |
| Hybrid Under $20,000 |
Toyota Corolla Hybrid (2021) |
2020–2024 |
| Small SUV Under $20,000 |
Kia Sportage (2021) |
2017–2022 |
| Hybrid SUV Under $20,000 |
Toyota RAV4 Hybrid (2018) |
2016–2018 |
| 3-Row SUV Under $20,000 |
Mazda CX-9 (2020) |
2016–2023 |
| Luxury SUV Under $20,000 |
Buick Envision (2020) |
2016–2020 |
| Pickup Truck Under $20,000 |
Toyota Tacoma (2015) |
2005–2015 |
| Sports Car Under $20,000 |
Mazda MX-5 Miata (2019) |
2016–2024 |
For more detailed information and additional recommendations, visit the full article on Consumer Reports.
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If you enjoyed this post, check out our ranking of the most reliable new-car brands based on data from J.D. Power.
