The Most and Least Reliable Cars on the Road

If you're in the market to buy a new car then you might want to look to Lexus, Toyota, or Mazda.

Not sure which dealership to head to first when looking to buy a new car? With so many car brands to choose from it can be difficult to decide. However, a recent ranking of the most and least reliable car brands by Consumer Reports might help.

Based on a survey of their subscribers, Consumer Reports has identified the car brands with vehicles that are more likely to be trouble-free from day one as well as those that are more likely to give you a headache further on down the road.

The top five most reliable car brands

Based on the average reliability score of their models, Lexus tops the list as the company who makes the most reliable vehicles:

1. Lexus
2. Toyota
3. Mazda
4. Subaru
5. Kia

The bottom five car brands

On the flipside, Volvo drivers were less than impressed with their ride:

1. Volvo
2. Cadillac
3. Tesla
4. Ram
5. GMC

Beyond the brands

Consumer Reports goes further and identifies the specific vehicle make and models they deem the most and least reliable. This is important because, "a vehicle's reliability can seriously affect how satisfied you'll be with a car over the years, and it can significantly influence resale value when you're ready to replace the vehicle."

In the market to buy a new car?

Knowing about a vehicle's reliability is certainly one component of making a better buying decision, but so too is knowing how much that vehicle will cost you to insure. Year after year, for the lifetime that you own the car, truck, or SUV, you'll need auto insurance and you'll want to factor this cost into your buying decision as well. Compare auto insurance rates to see which vehicles will help you spend less on the coverage you need.

Article updated yearly with the latest results from Consumer Reports.