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What brand makes the most reliable cars, trucks and SUVs? Well, it’s a question we all fret over when we head to a dealership. The top ratings sites all have different opinions about this. So, the answer really becomes,  it depends on who you ask.

What does J.D. Power say is the most reliable brand?

How long will the 2023 Kia Telluride SUV last? According to several sites, a long time.
A 2023 Kia Telluride | Kia

Kia is now the most reliable brand according to J.D. Power. J.D. power surveys owners. For its 2022 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study, the Korean brands dominated, and they’re all related. This year is the 33rd year that J.D. Power has done the survey, which also measures an owner’s satisfaction three years after buying a vehicle.

This year, Kia ranked highest in overall dependability. Buick came in second, with Hyundai, then Toyota and Dodge in the top five. SUVs from Hyundai, including the Santa Fe and Sorento received segment awards, as well as the Huyndai Sonata car. G.M. and Toyota also scored highly, with SUVS from Buick, and the Chevy Silverado HD and Suburban earning top marks. Toyota and Lexus earned segment awards for the RX and UX SUVs, and the Corolla car and Tundra truck.  

CarMax says Toyota is the most reliable car brand

CarMax, too, publishes a list of the most reliable brands that it sees, based on RepairPal ratings. It’s top-three brands include Toyota, Honda and Kia. Toyota SUVs like the Land Cruiser and Sequoia are certainly reliable, and are known to cross the 200,000-mile mark. Honda comes in at No. 2 for CarMax, and this brand is known for making the Odyssey minivan, the Civic and the several other hot SUVs that are also reliable.

Kia comes In at third place for CarMax. This makes sense for many of the same reasons at J.D. Power’s survey. Its Telluride is a hot-selling SUV this year. Lexus and Acura round out the top five.

Consumer Reports reliability scores don’t agree

Vehicles like this 2023 BMW XM helped BMW raise its reliability scores.
2023 BMW XM | BMW

Consumer Reports has long rated the most reliable cars and SUVs. This year, however, according to Consumer Reports, Toyota, Lexus and BMW are the top three most reliable brands. BMW moved up 10 spots for 2022, to rank third. Mazda and Honda round out the top five.

CarGurus averaged both J.D. Power and Consumer Reports reliability scores

When the scores are averaged, Buick comes out as the most reliable car brand. The Encore takes top honors for reliability.
The Buick Encore GX SUV | Buick

CarGurus took a different approach and averaged the reliability scores from two of the top ratings agencies, Consumer Reports and J.D. Power. This publication came up with a surprising winner: Buick. Buick, however, has made great strides in reliability and it has excellent ratings at J.D. Power and Consumer Reports. The Encore, specifically, tops CarGurus’ chart.

Lexus, and specifically the ES and GX, came in second. Toyota, Kia’s corporate twin Hyundai, and then Mazda round out the top five. Mazda and Hyundai were both recognized for their long warranties.

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Writer - Sedans & Coupes

Dan Mayfield

Dan joined MotorBiscuit in 2022 with over 20 years of experience in journalism and a lifelong passion for anything related to the automotive industry. He grew up wrenching a 1949 Ford pickup truck and an MGB with his dad, learning how not to wire a fuel pump (he inadvertently set the MGB on fire).

After earning a bachelor’s degree in photojournalism from the University of New Mexico, Dan has contributed his expertise to a range of local outlets, including the City of Albuquerque, US Eagle, and the Alliance for Local Economic Prosperity.

On weekends, Dan spends Saturdays enjoying “cars and coffee” chats and, on Sundays, he’s watching the Route 66 Cruise roll through town. He also races motorcycles, and it’s not unusual to find him elbows-deep in his latest cafe racer build.

Taking advantage of the local desert terrain, Dan also enjoys exploring and driving off-road in his trusty Ram Rebel pickup truck, which provides personal insights into his contributions to our Trucks, SUVs, & Crossovers coverage. Dan strives to give our readers unique information about the dynamic automotive market, reading anything that has to do with cars, trucks, bikes, 4X4s, and, in his words, “everything with a motor.”

Dan has earned a number of accolades from the Public Relations Society of America, and is a University of Southern California, Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism Fellow.