7 Most Reliable Car Brands in 2022

Thankfully, the majority of mass-produced cars from major manufacturers nowadays are rigorously tested, well-constructed and subject to tough quality control measures that mean most cars you’re buying from a dealership are exceptionally reliable. 

You can see this reflected by warranty programs that are consistently growing from three to five years, up to seven and even ten-year warranty programs in some of the most competitive cases. 

Regardless, let’s take a look at the seven most reliable car brands in 2022, and explore the reasons and statistics behind the rankings, as well as what contributes to more and less reliability in certain cases. 

7 Most Reliable Car Brands in 2022 

For the purposes of our list, we’re going to use data gathered from one of the largest studies of vehicle reliability from J.D Power, as well as more local data gathered by the most recent dependability study from consumer advocate group, Canstar.

We’ll kick off our list with a look at the seven most reliable vehicles within the more affordable end of the industry, and then take a look at the most reliable luxury brands. 

1. Kia
2. Hyundai
3. Toyota
4. Mazda 
5. Honda 
6. Mitsubishi 
7. Suzuki 

7 Most Reliable Luxury Car Brands in 2022

Now that we’ve covered some of the most reliable car brands in the more affordable end of the price spectrum, let’s open our lens wider and take a look at how customers within the premium manufacturers have ranked their vehicles. 

1. Genesis 
2. Lexus 
3. Mercedes-Benz 
4. Porsche 
5. BMW
6. Audi 
7. MINI

What Contributes to a Car’s Reliability? 

There are a number of simple things you can do to keep your vehicle’s engine and important hardware happy and healthy, which has a major impact on the reliability of your vehicle and just how many issues you’ll experience over its lifetime. 

• Stick to the manufacturer’s service schedule
• Stay on top of engine fluids 
• Use only genuine OEM replacement parts & accessories 
• Address small issues before they deteriorate 
• Clean the air filter regularly 
• If you live close to the coastline, keep an eye on any rust in and around the engine and electronics. 
• Drive responsibly; avoid rough surfaces and stick to paved surfaces 
• Check the underbody for signs of leaks 

What Makes Car Brands More Reliable than Others? 

This is a tricky question to answer, particularly as modern production methods have eliminated some of the most common inconsistencies that caused common issues in the past. 

In essence, manufacturers that rank highest when it comes to reliability take a holistic approach to the research, development, construction and testing of their vehicles. 

This covers everything from the pre-development phase where countless hours are spent on forecasting potential issues and solving them before the car is even manufactured. Also included in this phase is the sourcing of their raw materials, through to the final assembly of the vehicle.

What Car Brand has the Least Problems? 

It’s fast becoming a difficult task to say definitively that one car brand has fewer problems than another, but our rankings above give a pretty clear indication of the most reliable vehicles at both ends of the market, which has been constructed using real-world customer reports. 

While it took time to earn their reputation, in past decades, vehicles from Japanese manufacturers like Toyota, Honda and Mazda have become renowned for their simplicity and reliability. 

This is the end result of the extremely thorough approach that Japanese manufacturers have taken to the sourcing of materials, production methods and testing phases of their vehicles, which was, and continues to be guided by a philosophy that emphasises affordability and reliability for the masses. 

In more recent years, though, the belief that Japanese cars are the most reliable on the market has become a problematic statement, because the gap has closed quite considerably. 

This is the result of a number of new-found alliances and technology-sharing between major manufacturers that helps them to save money in certain areas while gaining from R&D conducted by other manufacturers, resulting in a more reliable vehicle in the most cost-effective means possible.  

Which Car Brand Has the Best Engine? 

It’s impossible to say that one car brand has the single best engine on the market, however, it’s widely believed by automotive enthusiasts and mechanics alike that Toyota’s H diesel engine is one of the toughest blocks to ever be mass-produced. 

This turbo-diesel engine has been renowned for its toughness and reliability over time, which is why it was at the core of the LandCruiser for decades; a car that demands nothing less than rugged durability. 

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