Questioning which automobile, truck or crossover is the perfect so that you can purchase? There are many components to contemplate, together with value, efficiency, dealing with, options, and security — although reliability sometimes lands within the prime spot for many American consumers. Client Stories has handed out its 2025 Automotive Report Card and this 12 months put a premium on dependability. The outcomes may take some readers abruptly.
New car costs have been hovering close to file ranges because the COVID pandemic struck, at the moment averaging round $48,000. That’s rather a lot to shell out for a automobile, truck, or crossover. And, no matter you purchase, you need to ensure that it lives as much as your expectations.
“Shopping for a brand new automobile is a giant expense and one which requires a variety of analysis to reach at the only option,” mentioned Jake Fisher, senior director of Client Stories’ Auto Check Middle. “Our new expertise at CR.org makes that analysis simpler by presenting unique unbiased knowledge and insights on all the pieces from reliability to price of possession in a streamlined manner that’s easy to navigate.”
Readers Weigh In — And Ship Some Surprises
Because it has for many years, Client Stories at this time issued its newest annual Automotive Report Card, grading particular person manufacturers and fashions utilizing a wide range of metrics. Amongst different issues, it put scores of latest fashions via their paces on each public roads and the group’s Connecticut take a look at monitor.
It checked out security and tech options, and it pulled collectively experiences from about 300,000 readers who weighed in on merchandise from mannequin years 2000 to 2024, in addition to early 2025 fashions.
The outcomes had been, in some instances, stunning. For one factor, little Subaru outscored larger manufacturers like Toyota, Honda, and Hyundai on the reliability chart. Equally sudden, mentioned Fisher, Toyota landed third, behind its upscale Lexus model. Honda and Acura rounded out the highest 5 manufacturers.
Rivian Unplugged
On the different excessive, Rivian got here in at all-time low, with a Model Reliability Rating of simply 14, in comparison with Subaru’s 68. Cadillac was second from final with — working up the dimensions — GMC, Jeep, and Volkswagen rounding the bottom-of-the-barrel manufacturers.
CR’s proprietor/contributors mentioned Rivian suffered from all kinds of issues, all the pieces from battery failures to defective onboard electronics. Cadillac’s weak standing, in the meantime, was largely the results of points with the Lyriq EV.
And should you acknowledge a sample right here, it’s the truth that “we’re seeing extra issues with all-electric and plug-in hybrid autos” than these utilizing inner combustion engines or hybrid powertrains, Fisher informed me.
“It’s no shock,” he added, contemplating the novelty of the know-how. Then again, as automakers get extra expertise with electrified drivetrains, “The hole is closing. We’re seeing massive enhancements.”
That’s already occurred with typical hybrids, which confirmed little distinction in reliability between fuel and gas-electric variants.
Japan Dominates
From a reliability standpoint, Japanese marques tended to prime the CR chart, whereas Koreans had been a combined bag. Kia was ninth of twenty-two manufacturers, Hyundai rounding out the highest 10. However the high-line Genesis fell to 14th, largely attributable to points just like the drive and gasoline methods on its best-selling mannequin, the GV70.
Audi and BMW had been the one Europeans in that rarified group, at seventh and eighth. U.S. automakers weren’t faring properly, nevertheless. Buick was the highest-ranked model, at eleventh, whereas others landed within the center and decrease third of the chart.
Tesla Bother
Tesla clearly will probably be grateful that it isn’t Rivian, however nonetheless made it solely as much as seventeenth place. It had its good product strains, mentioned Fisher, the Fashions 3 and Y, and its downside kids: the unique Fashions S and X being a few of the most problem-plagued within the business.
There wasn’t but sufficient knowledge to measure how the brand new Cybertruck fared — however Fisher isn’t optimistic, primarily based on early experiences. “We don’t anticipate nice issues,” he mentioned.
Subaru Repeats
Whereas CR put the emphasis on its reliability report, it additionally checked out how varied manufacturers and fashions fared from a broader perspective. And right here’s the place Subaru delivered one other shock, coming in because the primary model total. It clawed its technique to the highest, surpassing BMW by a single level.
The general outcomes, the nonprofit mentioned, are primarily based on “a mix of CR’s road-test scores, predicted reliability and proprietor satisfaction knowledge, and security for all the fashions from every automaker.”
At Least It Isn’t Rivian
Touchdown on prime isn’t simple, defined Fisher, noting that some manufacturers do very well with regards to reliability, touchdown within the quantity 3 spot. However “it was mid-pack with regards to highway checks,” he defined, dragging its total rating right down to ninth.
For its half, Rivian didn’t endure the ignominy of anchoring each charts — Jeep fell to the underside within the total outcomes. However that was small consolation for the EV startup. It managed to clamber up only one place, rating second-to-bottom.
