Tech Insider
A blue Lexus UX 250h.
The Lexus UX 250h.

Alanis King

  • Consumer Reports released its annual ranking of most reliable cars and brands. 
  • Toyota and Lexus top the list.
  • Not a single American company ranked in the top 10. 

In some ways, electric vehicles are less complex than their gas counterparts thanks to a lack of an engine.

But that doesn't mean they're without problems. Owners of battery-powered cars have reported 80% more issues than their traditional counterparts, Consumer Reports says.

That's according to the magazine's annual reliability survey, which found this year that hybrids — soaring in popularity as Americans flirt with going emissions-free — are surprisingly low on problems. Plug-in hybrids and purely electric options, however, are still struggling, the survey found.

Toyota and Lexus, for example, which topped the reliability list, offer four hybrid options between them. But Chrysler, coming in at the bottom, was hurt by the lowest score in the entire survey for its Pacifica hybrid.

This year's data was collected from owner surveys of more than 330,000 vehicles, Consumer Reports says and covers 2000 through 2023 (and some 2024) model years. It asked owners about 20 "potential trouble areas" to create a score between 1 and 100 for each vehicle. Those scores influence an automaker's overall reliability ratings.

Here's the full list of most reliable brands this year, according to Consumer Reports.

10. Kia
A white Kia Niro EV electric SUV is seen in a parking lot against an overcast sky, with a Tesla charging station in the foreground.
The 2023 Kia Niro EV.

Tim levin/Insider

Score: 61

Kia and its sister brand Hyundai have made names for themselves with futuristic new electric-vehicle models. Consumer Reports also notes its Sportage plug-in hybrid scored remarkably well in the otherwise-problematic segment. 

9. BMW
BMW X5 2019
BMW X5.

BMW

Score: 64

BMW's X5 SUV was ranked first of 16 luxury midsized SUVs by the magazine. Since being introduced in 1999, the SUV has been a major success for BMW. 

8. Porsche
Porsche Cayenne GTS
Porsche Cayenne GTS

Matthew DeBord/Insider

Score: 66

Porsche's Cayenne and Macan SUVs scored respectably in CR's survey. 

Business Insider reviewed an $82,000 Macan S in 2019 and found it "combines luxury, performance, and versatility in a balanced and efficient manner." 

7. Mazda
2021 Mazda 3 2.5 Turbo_KL_21
2021 Mazda 3 2.5 Turbo.

Kristen Lee

Score: 67

The Mazda 3 is compact, relatively cheap, and poised to lure buyers away from higher-priced options from Audi or Mercedes (both of which scored much lower in Consumer Reports' lists.) 

Business Insider also declared the CX-5 "a joy to drive" thanks to crisp steering, responsive acceleration, and comfortable ride. 

6. Subaru
2020 Subaru Forester
Subaru Forester.

Subaru

Score: 69 

Subaru's Forester, a favorite among crunchy suburban dwellers, scored 82 for reliability and is Consumer Reports' top compact SUV. 

In 2019, Business Insider found the Forester to be underpowered and unrefined, but solidly built with a well-designed interior.  

5. Honda
The 2023 Honda HR-V.
The 2023 Honda HR-V.

Tim Levin/Insider

Score: 70

Honda's high score was buoyed by the HRV's 85 reliability rating. When Business Insider reviewed the second generation of the compact SUV in 2022, we found it stylish but disappointingly slow. 

At the other end, Honda's Passport scored just 48 for reliability, bogged down by poor electronics quality, CR said. 

4. Acura
Acura RDX
Acura RDX.

Acura

Score: 70

Honda's more upscale brand tied it for reliability this year. Acura's RDX ranked number 3 overall for luxury compact SUVs and made the top 10 for reliability, but its Integra brought in a much lower score of 47 for reliability. 

3. Mini
A 2023 red Mini Cooper SE
A 2023 red Mini Cooper SE.

Andrew Lambrecht

Score: 71

Mini's two models scored well for reliability. The classic Mini Cooper continues to perform well for both reliability and owner satisfaction in CR's surveys. 

2. Toyota
The 2023 Toyota bZ4X AWD Limited.
The 2023 Toyota bZ4X AWD Limited.

Tim Levin/Insider

Score: 76

Toyota continues to top reliability lists, fueled by six models with scores above 87. The 4Runner SUV lead the pack, followed by a slew of hybrids. 

Toyota's first pure EV, however, comes in second-to-last. Business Insider's reviewer was not a fan, finding the strangely named bZ4X to have painfully slow charging times and a frustratingly short range. 

1. Lexus
The 2022 Lexus NX 450h+ plug-in hybrid SUV.
The 2022 Lexus NX 450h+

Lexus

Score: 79

Lexus "proves that technologically advanced luxury vehicles can also be very reliable," CR says. 

Its UX led the pack, with three hybrid options also scoring well. Only the NX Hybrid scored poorly, at 49. 

In 2022, Business Insider found the small UX hybrid crossover to be "perfect for the adult who still wants to have fun." 

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Transportation, consumer-reports, Reliability, best-cars, electric-vehicles, toyota, Lexus, business-visual-features
Source
This list of the 10 most reliable cars doesn't have a single US automaker on it…