Most people are aware that some automobiles are more reliable than others, but the reason why some vehicles sold at lower price points are more durable than premium or luxury cars has always intrigued gear enthusiasts. Just think of a stunning car like the Maserati Ghibli, which is infamous for its shoddy construction. This luxury vehicle stresses aesthetic, design, and driving comfort over longevity. Luxury car manufacturers know that premium buyers have different preferences and behaviors from mass-market consumers, so they build vehicles that accommodate the needs of these niche buyers.
Evidently, affluent consumers can afford to upgrade their vehicles more often, so they don’t prioritize the build quality because by the time the car shows signs of trouble, they’ve already traded it in with a newer model. By contrast, mass-market buyers prioritize fuel efficiency, build quality, safety features and pricing. This has compelled mass-market automakers to constantly raise the level of build quality. Unsurprisingly, Toyota builds more durable and higher quality vehicles than several European premium automakers that sell their cars at higher price points. But Toyota is hardly the only Asian brand that could teach American and European automakers a lesson or two in product quality and vehicle performance. Read on to learn which manufacturers topped Consumer Reports' annual rankings for vehicle dependability.
These Are The Most And Least Reliable Car Brands, According To Consumer Reports
Toyota and Lexus topped Consumer Reports’ annual auto reliability rankings in 2022. It is important to note that in 2021, Toyota placed third, Mazda second, and Lexus first. Toyota jumped to the top spot this year, followed by Lexus and BMW.
Mazda and Honda remained in the top five, but they lost points from the previous year. The big surprise of 2022 is Audi, which jumped to the 6th spot. Audi got a score of 60 out of 100 in 2022.
American Car Brands Are Falling Behind
Supply chain issues and the chip shortage have seriously impacted domestic car brands. Unfortunately, the built quality reflected the ongoing problems. On the other hand, consumers didn’t seem to be too understanding, and they’ve penalized American auto manufacturers with sketchy reviews and unreliable ratings.
“Asian automakers are still leading reliability by a wide margin with an overall reliability average score of 59 for the region, on a scale of 0-100,” CR says. “European automakers are in second place at 51, while domestic brands trail both with an average score of 40.”
Despite setbacks, American automakers had a surprising result: Ford’s Lincoln entered top ten in 2022 after finishing in the last place in 2021. This represents a 14 spots jump. On the negative side, Buick slid from the 5th spot in 2021 to the 11th place. In 2021, Buick got 66 points, but this year only 54. The rating for Chevrolet also fell from the previous year.
Interestingly enough, Tesla, which avoids participating in quality studies, has made an appearance in this ranking. Tesla got 40 out of 100 points in 2022, finishing in top 20 (on the 19th spot).
“Laws give automakers the right to opt-out of studies in some states, but the nature of CR’s surveys gets around that problem,” says Market Watch.
Considering Tesla’s various consumer scandals, this is a surprising outcome, demonstrating that Tesla's fandoms will overlook any issue in order to have their preferred brand land on the list.
In the past, the media has accused the ardent Tesla community of improper behavior and even harassment against vocal critics of Tesla’s deployment of its Autopilot feature. For instance, when the news broke that the Biden administration will appoint Missy Cummings, an engineering professor at Duke University and a former fighter pilot, as the senior adviser for safety at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Tesla’s fan base went in meltdown. According to the Slate, Omar Qazi, a Tesla booster tweeted, “If they try and take Autopilot away from us, we will riot so hard January 6 will look like a day at Disneyland.”
Slate also pointed out that some Tesla fans attacked Missy Cummings on social media while using “disturbing and misogynistic language” and more than 18,000 people signed a petition on Change.org in only two days asking the Biden administration to rethink Cummings’ appointment.
BMW Impresses Gearheads In 2022
BMW has seen the most impressive jump from 2021, leaping 10 spots to land on the third place with 65 points out of 100. By contrast, its rival, Mercedes-Benz, ended on the last spot with only 26 points out of 100. It’s worth noting that BMW has embraced a new strategy that prioritizes “technological change” and sustainable mobility.
“We see 2021 as clear evidence that successful transformation pays off. The strong result we achieved in financial year 2021 is the outcome of our consistent strategy – with an open-technology approach and the right products at the right time,” said Oliver Zipse, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG. “We have laid the foundations to build on this success in the coming years: With the Neue Klasse, we are leading sustainable mobility into a new technological dimension.”
Sources: BMW Group, Market Watch, KBB, Slate