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Here's how 28 brands rank from most to least reliable, according to a new report out of the US.
12:1024 November 2021
Tesla, Jeep, Genesis, and Volkswagen are the four most unreliable car brands currently offered in Australia, according to a new report released by American review aggregator Consumer Reports.
The same study found Lexus, Mazda, and Toyota suffered the fewest mechanical faults during the first years of use.
Ford subsidiary Lincoln was rated as the least reliable marque outright, however its line-up is not currently offered Down Under.
Alfa Romeo, Dodge, Fiat, Jaguar, Land Rover, Maserati, Mitsubishi, and Volvo’s electric offshoot Polestar did not possess a sufficient quantity of cars reviewed to be effectively ranked.
While Consumer Reports is widely referenced as a source, the website does not clearly (and currently) reveal the methodology used to collate its data. This raises some question about the true accuracy of the report.
Further, the line-ups of the above brands are not identical across all markets. The study specifically pertains to US-delivered vehicles.
Tesla has historically received criticism for perceived build quality flaws, however its contemporary Chinese-made cars (the only ones currently offered in Australia) have proven to generally have better fit and finish than earlier US-built examples.
Genesis vehicles share many of their parts with Hyundai cars, however despite the former brand's more upmarket positioning and higher prices, the two marques finished 14 places apart (in 11th and 25th respectively).
See the full Consumer Reports reliability results below.
| Position | Brand |
| 1 | Lexus |
| 2 | Mazda |
| 3 | Toyota |
| 4 | Infiniti |
| 5 | Buick |
| 6 | Honda |
| 7 | Subaru |
| 8 | Acura |
| 9 | Nissan |
| 10 | Mini |
| 11 | Hyundai |
| 12 | Chrysler |
| 13 | Porsche |
| 14 | Chevrolet |
| 15 | Audi |
| 16 | Cadillac |
| 17 | BMW |
| 18 | Ford |
| 19 | Kia |
| 20 | Volvo |
| 21 | Ram |
| 22 | GMC |
| 23 | Mercedes-Benz |
| 24 | Volkswagen |
| 25 | Genesis |
| 26 | Jeep |
| 27 | Tesla |
| 28 | Lincoln |
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Journalist
William Davis has written for Drive since July 2020, covering news and current affairs in the automotive industry. He has maintained a primary focus on industry trends, autonomous technology, electric vehicle regulations, and local environmental policy. As the newest addition to the Drive team, William was brought onboard for his attention to detail, writing skills, and strong work ethic.Despite writing for a diverse range of outlets – including the Australian Financial Review, Robb Report, and Property Observer – since completing his media degree at Macquarie University, William has always had a passion for cars.
