The 7 Most Reliable Car Makers for 2015

Buying a car is one of the biggest investments most people make, and while it’s easy to make a purchase based on ticket price, the actual cost of buying and owning a particular car can vary widely depending on the cost and frequency of the car’s repair and maintenance needs.

Each year, the magazine Consumer Reports tests out dozens of cars to determine which makes and models are the “most reliable.” The survey looks at everything from how well the engine runs to whether the touchscreen entertainment systems work reliably.

“Infotainment system problems don’t exist in a vacuum,” said Jake Fisher, director of automotive testing at the magazine. “A close look at the results suggests that cars with a lot of in-car electronic issues usually have plenty of other troubles, too.”

Consumer Reports’ research uncovers a number of trends. For instance, the magazine said infotainment systems—the touch-screen consoles that control media as well as GPS and often temperature control functions—are frequently problematic in debut models across all brands.

However, certain car-makers seem to have a better track record than others when it comes to overall reliability. Unfortunately, only one of the Top 10 most reliable brands for 2015 is based in the US—Buick.

The magazine reviewed the 2015 models of 28 car makers. Ram, Jeep, and Fiat rounded out the bottom 3, respectively. So which car-makers excel at reliability? What follows are the Top 7 brands, according to Consumer Reports’ study. You can read the entire report here.

Best Model: Forester (non-Turbo)

Worst Model: BRZ

Last Year’s Rank: 10

Photo: Flickr user Jason Stum/Creative Commons License

Best Model: Verano

Worst Model: LaCrosse (V6)

Last Year’s Rank: 12

Photo: Flickr user Greg Gjerdingen/Creative Commons License

Best Model: Allroad

Worst Model: S5

Last Year’s Rank: 4

Photo: Flickr user Amateur Photography by Michel/Creative Commons License

Best Model: Civic Coupe

Worst Model: Odyssey

Last Year’s Rank: 8

Photo: Flickr user NRMA Motoring and Services/Creative Commons License

Best Model: 6

Worst Model 3 (2.5L)

Last Year’s Rank: 5

Photo: Flickr user Real Mazda Parts/Creative Commons License

Best Model: Prius C

Worst Model: Avalon

Last Year’s Rank: 2

Photo: Flickr user David Guo/Creative Commons License

Best Model: CT 200h

Worst Model: IS 250 Sedan

Last Year’s Rank: 1

Photo: Flickr user apbutterfield/Creative Commons License