Subaru has dropped to second place in Client Studies’ annual automobile reliability report, making manner for Toyota. Subaru, Lexus, and Toyota have been in a continuing battle for the highest spot over time, with Subaru breaking a back-and-forth battle between Lexus and Toyota in 2024 by snatching prime spot from the 2 Toyota Motor Company manufacturers. Nonetheless, 2025 sees Toyota again within the primary spot.
Toyota reclaimed prime spot primarily because of reliability enhancements for its fashions in recent times. Client Studies famous that the Camry was considerably extra dependable in 2025, making it the second-most dependable sedan in its research, tied with the Honda Accord (and behind one other Toyota, the Crown). One other automobile with improved reliability was the Toyota Tundra: its all-new platform and engine, launched in 2022, suffered from manufacturing woes, however Toyota appears to have figured issues out, and the pickup’s 2026 mannequin was far more dependable. Subaru fell to second place since most of its lineup is taken into account to have simply “above common” reliability in CR’s estimation.
How Tesla and different EV producers fared
One stunning change in 2025’s reliability research was Tesla, which sat in ninth place. The controversial electrical automobile firm moved up eight spots, largely because of the Mannequin 3. Tesla nonetheless has a regarding variety of high quality points, particularly with the Cybertruck, which has below-average reliability. Nonetheless, the speed at which individuals have been reporting electrical, exterior, and software-related points has lessened in 2025.
Total, Client Studies’ research discovered that EVs are typically unreliable in comparison with hybrids. Twenty-eight out of 30 studied hybrids had been rated with common or larger reliability (solely the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid and Lincoln Nautilus Hybrid ranked under). In the meantime, many EVs landed on the backside of the reliability rankings, alongside PHEV automobiles. This contains the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6, which endure from reliability points with their built-in charging management unit (ICCU), in addition to the Cadillac Lyriq, Chevrolet Blazer EV, and Honda Prelude. Rivian and Lucid are additionally thought of to supply unreliable automobiles total.
How does Client Studies rating reliability?
All three of Client Studies’ most dependable automobile manufacturers noticed recollects in 2025, proving that no automobile is ideal. Nonetheless, Client Studies has sure standards it makes use of to calculate the reliability scores for its research. For 2025, Client Studies collected information from homeowners masking 380,000 automobiles from the 2000 to 2025 mannequin years, together with a couple of 2026 fashions. The specialists on Client Studies’ panel then studied the info, weighing the severity of the reported points in accordance with how considerably they impression the proprietor’s funds and security. Automobiles with such points obtained a decrease rating than these with extra minor points like defective inside trim. The collected information from drivers is then mixed with Client Studies’ personal monitor testing in addition to crash-test information, listed security options, and proprietor satisfaction surveys.
It is price noting that Client Studies’ expertise exhibits that newer fashions are sometimes extra bother since carmakers have not ironed out all the problems fairly but. “Even the second-year examples of a brand new mannequin can have points,” Client Studies warned. “When a automobile has a low rating in its first yr, it generally takes its automaker extra time to deal with the issues. For instance, each the gasoline and PHEV variations of the Mazda CX-70 and CX-90 stay unreliable of their second yr, as do the Cadillac Lyriq, Chevrolet Blazer EV and Colorado, and the GMC Canyon.” You could be higher off shopping for a used automobile, though there are nonetheless issues to be careful for.
