Top 10 Most Reliable Car Brands
April 3, 2014
When you're looking to buy a car, of course you want one that's going to be reliable and not have you spending tons of money to fix it.
CarMD.com has recently released their annual list of the most reliable car manufacturers. The 2013 CarMD Reliability Rankings bases its rankings on the combined number of "check engine" related issues a vehicle has over the past year, as well as who has the lowest repair costs. The 2013 report is based on repairs that were done from October 1, 2012, to September 30, 2013, and features about 119 million model year 2003-2013 vehicles.
When it comes to manufacturers, Hyundai ranked #1 on the list, having the least amount of "check engine" problems and lowest average repair costs. The top five are rounded out by (in order) Toyota, GM, Chrysler, and Honda.
As for the top 10 most reliable vehicles, the 2012 Toyota Camry was crowned #1, followed by the 2012 Nissan Altima and 2011 Toyota Corolla.
If you're considering any of these vehicles, I recommend you use TrueCar No Haggle, CarsDirect and NADAGuides to get the best deal possible.
Most Reliable Vehicle Brands
| Rank | Manufacturer | % CarMD Problems Seen | Avg. Repair Cost | Year-Over-Year Overall Rating Comparison* | Year-Over-Year Comparison |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hyundai | 2.44% | $312.67 | 0.80 (0.67) | Rating Improved from #2 in 2012 |
| 2 | Toyota | 10.34% | $540.53 | 0.86 (0.58) | Rating Dropped from #1 in 2012 |
| 3 | GM | 28.75% | $304.99 | 0.91 (1.12) | Rating Improved from #8 in 2012 |
| 4 | Chrysler | 5.19% | $325.38 | 0.96 (1.23) | Rating Improved from #10 in 2012 |
| 5 | Honda | 12.62% | $469.93 | 0.97 (0.98) | Rating Improved from #4 in 2012 |
| 6 | Ford | 24.17% | $385.82 | 1.04 (1.17) | Rating Improved from #9 in 2012 |
| 7 | Nissan | 8.61% | $404.61 | 1.09 (1.00) | Rating Dropped from #6 in 2012 |
| 8 | Kia | 2.46% | $346.92 | 1.56 (1.04) | Rating Dropped from #7 in 2012 |
| 9 | Volkswagen | 2.61% | $438.35 | 1.79 (0.99) | Rating Dropped from #5 in 2012 |
| 10 | Mitsubishi | 1.74% | $472.96 | 2.84 (n/a) | New to Top 10 |
Most Reliable Vehicles
| Rank | Vehicle | Overall CarMD 2013 Index Rating Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2012 Toyota Camry | 0.011 |
| 2 | 2012 Nissan Altima | 0.013 |
| 3 | 2011 Toyota Corolla | 0.014 |
| 4 | 2011 Toyota Camry | 0.015 |
| 5 | 2011 Nissan Rogue | 0.015 |
| 6 | 2012 Nissan Rouge | 0.016 |
| 7 | 2012 Nissan Sentra | 0.016 |
| 8 | 2010 Hyundai Elantra | 0.020 |
| 9 | 2011 Nissan Sentra | 0.021 |
| 10 | 2012 Mazda 3 | 0.021 |
My Recommendation for Car Shoppers
TrueCar No-Haggle, CarsDirect, and NADAGuides are the quickest way to see the lowest car prices in your area. These sites show you no-haggle prices from dealers closest to you - and the deals are usually really good. This should be the first step you take when negotiating your car price. Follow this up with my checklist to make sure you squeeze out every last bit of savings.- Gregg Fidan
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Gregg Fidan is the founder of RealCarTips. After being ripped off on his first car purchase, he devoted several years to figuring out the best ways to avoid scams and negotiate
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