Lexus, Toyota Dominate Used Car Reliability Rankings

Looking Back

Toyota and Lexus have long been known for producing some of the most reliable vehicles on the planet, and those two brands have also racked up a boatload of awards for reliability and dependability as well. However, most of these awards center around vehicles that are merely around three years old, and many shoppers may be looking for something a bit older and more affordable, and that's precisely why Consumer Reports recently decided to dive a bit further back into its broad database. 

Photos: Lexus/Toyota

Above Average

This new study focuses on vehicles that were built between the 2014-2019 model years, or are 5-10 years old at this point. Out of 26 automotive brands that were subjected to this study, only Toyota, Lexus, and Mazda ranked well above the industry average in terms of reliability ratings, interestingly enough. 

Photos: Lexus/Toyota

Rankings

Based on data collected from Consumer Reports members, Lexus topped all automotive brands with a reliability score of 75 out of 100, followed by Toyota at 72 - far ahead of third-place Mazda and its 59 points. Acura and Honda ranked further down at 55 and 57, respectively, which is notable given the fact that those rivals are often considered to be quite reliable as well. 

Photos: Lexus/Toyota

Broader View

To calculate these reliability scores, CR compared how many problems a specific model has experienced to the overall average number of issues all vehicles incur in a particular model year. This time around, the study included 150,000 vehicles and 20 different problem areas. “Taking this longer view, looking at reliability over five to 10 years, gives a clear picture of what used-car buyers can expect,” the organization noted. 

Photos: Lexus/Toyota

Model Specifics

As one might imagine, Consumer Reports found that this data doesn't apply to an entire model lineup - rather, some individual models can be rather troublesome, while others have stellar reliability rankings. “This is why it’s best to check the reliability ratings for each model year when buying a used car,” CR notes. “Making assumptions can prove both costly and inconvenient.”

Photos: Lexus/Toyota

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