Consumer Reports lists first-ever ranking of most reliable used cars to buy

Consumer Reports has put out its first-ever brand ranking on used vehicles as well as its 10 top picks of the best individual used cars priced under $20,000 — two of which are General Motors models: the 2020 Buick Envision won in the Luxury SUV category and the 2017 Chevrolet Cruze won for small sedan under $10,000.

But when it comes to the best overall brand in used cars, Consumer Reports gave the top honor to Lexus, followed by Toyota, both of which had a commanding lead over third-place Mazda. Acura and Honda were near the top, too. Rounding out the bottom of the list were Ford, GMC, Ram, Jeep, Tesla, Dodge and Chrysler, which was dead last.

“Brands like Lexus and Toyota have a history of conservative redesigns, incrementally improving their entire product line, rather than introducing many all-new systems,” Steven Elek, Consumer Reports’ program leader for auto data analytics, said in a statement. “Our data consistently shows over time that new cars from those brands are reliable when new and they continue to be reliable as they age.”

Elek said the lower-ranking brands tend to have much less consistent reliability across their model lines. For example, only the 2018 and 2019 Chevrolet Equinox SUVs have above-average reliability among the six years that model was offered. But, Elek said, the entire 2014 to 2019 Chevrolet Silverado pickup generation proved to have below-average reliability.

“This is why it's best to check the reliability ratings for each model year when buying a used car,” Elek says. “Making assumptions can prove both costly and inconvenient.”

The methodology

The used car market is hot right now, with 40% of car shoppers saying they are considering only used cars, according to a June 2024 American Experiences Survey by Consumer Reports of 2,032 U.S. adults. For that reason, Consumer Reports — a nonprofit research, testing and advocacy organization — is expanding its ratings and recommendations beyond new vehicles to include used car insights.

Consumer Reports said it based its new brand ranking for used cars on the reliability of 5- to 10-year-old cars as informed by the organization's annual auto surveys. The organization asks its members each year about problems they’ve had with their vehicles in the previous 12 months. For this study, Consumer Reports said it focused on the problems reported on 2014 to 2019 model year vehicles, from a survey sample of about 150,000 vehicles.

The data showed that buyers can limit costly repairs, reduce the risk of problems, and get more life out of a vehicle by focusing on certain brands over others.

More: Shopping for a used car? Why now may be the time to buy.

Top used car picks

Toyota and Mazda were not just in the top used car brands, but their models accounted for half of the top 10 used vehicles Consumer Reports singled out.

Consumer Reports has historically named its 10 Top Picks among new cars, which highlighted the cars, SUVs and pickups that performed best in the organization’s extensive road tests and member surveys. It is now using similar processes to select the top used vehicle models for its first 10 Top Used Car Picks.

All of the top used cars selected are valued under $20,000 and had earned Consumer Report's recommendation when tested as new. They are rated above-average for reliability and come standard with electronic stability control, Consumer Reports said.

“Although prices have come down from their pandemic highs, the average cost of a used car is nearly $30,000. That’s why we placed a big emphasis on value in selecting these 10 vehicles, looking for the hidden gems that offered the right blend of reliability, performance, and safety at the most budget-friendly prices,” said Alex Knizek, Consumer Report's associate director of auto test development.

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Two hybrids made the list: The 2021 Toyota Corolla Hybrid for best Hybrid Small Sedan under $20,000 and the 2018 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid for best Hybrid SUV under $20,000. Best pickup under $20,000 went to the 2015 Toyota Tacoma.

If you can't find that exact used vehicle model year, don't fret. Consumer Reports said it studied from a "generation perspective," meaning the years that a single design was offered, to identify the best options. It then narrowed the field by targeting specific price categories. Consumer Reports said within the price range, its top choices are based on the newest model year because they tend to have fewer miles on them.

“Car shoppers who can’t find the exact model year as one of our Top Picks should check if there’s a reliable model within the same generation," Knizek said. "They'll find much the same quality, possibly even cheaper, by considering older versions of the same car. They may even find a particularly good deal on a newer model."

Contact Jamie L. LaReau: jlareau@freepress.com . Follow her on Twitter @ jlareauan . Read more on General Motors and sign up for our autos newsletter . Become a subscriber .

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Consumer Reports lists first-ever ranking of most reliable used cars to buy