Toyota and Lexus lead the way when it comes to the new Consumer Reports list of 3-year-old used cars with the best reliability records.
The biggest concern in shopping for used cars is reliability. When you’re buying an older model with some mileage on it, you want to know that it’s going to last for a while. The new Consumer Reports list shows that Asian brands, specifically Toyota, still dominate in reliability.
3-Year-Old Used Cars Are a Popular Buy
When car shoppers want to save money over a new model but still want something as modern as possible, three years old seems to be the sweet spot. In most cases, a 2021 car won’t be hugely different from a 2024 model. Many 3-year-old models are coming off leases, which usually means they’re in good condition.
Toyota and Lexus dominate the Consumer Reports list for 2021 models with 16 out of the 36 spots. Both the Toyota Camry and Toyota Corolla made the list with much praise for being great values in their segments. There were also eight models on the list from Honda and Acura, three from Mazda, and three from Hyundai and Kia. Subaru also snagged two spots on the list. This means 32 out of 36 models were Asian brands.
The remaining spots went to BMW, Volvo, Ford, and GMC. The only recommended model in the full-size truck category was the Toyota Tundra. No matter what brand was being reviewed, one of the top complaints was faulty infotainment systems.
Most Reliable Cars
Starting in the compact category, the most reliable cars were listed as the Honda Civic, Mazda 3, Toyota Corolla and Corolla Hybrid, and the Toyota Prius and Prius Prime. Of these, the Honda Civic has the highest price as it tops out at $41,975 for the performance version.
In the midsize and large categories, the Hyundai Sonata, Toyota Avalon, and Toyota Camry were listed. For luxury cars, you’ll find the Acura TLX, BMW 5-Series, and the Lexus ES. For sports cars, only the Mazda MX-5 made the cut. Prices here range between $18,300 for the Hyundai Sonata to as much as $45,800 for the BMW 5-Series.
Most Reliable SUVs and Trucks
As SUVs continue to be the most popular segment in America, these models take up the most slots. For compact SUVs, the Acura RDX, BMW X3, Honda CR-V, Honda HR-V, Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage, Lexus NX, Lexus UX, Mazda CX-5, Subaru Crosstrek, Subaru Forester, Toyota RAV4, and Volvo XC40 round out the list. The lowest price on this list belongs to the Kia Sportage for $16,500, while the highest price goes to the BMW X3 for $47,325 at the top end.
The midsize and large SUV category is represented by the GMC Acadia, Honda Passport, Honda Pilot, Lexus RX, Lexus Nautilus, Toyota 4Runner, Toyota Highlander, and Toyota Venza. The most reasonably priced SUV here is the GMC Acadia with a low price of $21,275. The most expensive is the Toyota 4Runner with a high average of $47,875.
For trucks, the list includes the Ford Ranger, Honda Ridgeline, Toyota Tacoma, and Toyota Tundra. The most reasonably priced truck is the Ford Ranger with a low average of $22,225. Unsurprisingly, the full-size Tundra is the most expensive with a high average of $49,100.
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