What car brand lasts forever?

Forever is a long time, but ever since the birth of reliability surveys, there are a few brands that always make the top 5 list of the most dependable.

It has been a while since an international research company has studied the South African market specifically - the last organisation to do so was IPSOS back in 2017 - but there is much that we can glean from institutions abroad, such as New York-based Consumer Reports, JD Power’s 2023 Dependability Study, and ISeeCars.com (whose data is also utilised by Consumer Reports). These survey results from the United States are best used as a guideline only, however.

*For a more in-depth look at what reliability surveys entail and what is taken into account, we recommend you read the following article written by my colleague, Chad:

What brand of car has the least issues?

 

J.D. Power

 

Analytics company J.D. Power’s VDS uses a PP100 system to count errors - so the lower the score, the fewer the problems. Power has the following categories where scores are assigned, and these include climate, driving assistance, driving experience, exterior, controls, displays, infotainment, powertrain, and seats.

Here are the brands with the least number of problems for 2023 (please note that I have omitted the brands not for sale in SA):

 

1. Lexus

2. Kia

3. Mitsubishi

4. Toyota

5. Hyundai 

6. Mini

7. Nissan

9. Mazda

10. BMW

11. Jeep

12. Honda

13. Porsche

14. Subaru

15. Volvo

16. VW

17. Jaguar

18. Mercedes-Benz

19. Ford

20. Audi

21. Land Rover

 

It’s worth noting that the premium brands didn’t score as well as the mass-market brands. This is mainly because premium brands are usually the first to fit the latest tech and new features into their cars.

 

Related: How reliable is the Toyota Corolla Cross?

Most Reliable Car brands (2022), according to Consumer Reports:

 

1. Toyota 

2. Lexus

3. BMW

4. Mazda

5. Honda

6. Audi

7. Subaru

8. Kia

9. Hyundai

10. Volvo

11. Nissan

12. Ford

13. Volkswagen

14. Jeep

15. Mercedes-Benz

 

Related: Is the BMW 2 Series reliable?

 

Longest-lasting car brands, according to iSeeCars

According to iSeeCars, the longest-lasting locally available car brands to reach the 200 000 mile-mark (approximately 321 868.8 km) are the following, making these the longest-lasting car brands of 2022:

 

1. Toyota

2. Honda

3. Ford

4. Subaru

5. Nissan

Related: How reliable is the Honda CR-V?

 

Buying used? Check out the South African IPSOS  Quality Survey (2017)

 

The Ipsos 2017 reliability survey is a great guide if you’re buying used - and the only data that is 100% relevant to the SA market. There is only one problem - many local OEMS didn't take part in the survey, so if you don't see your favourite car brand on this list (like Suzuki), it could be because they didn't take part.

IPSOS also placed Toyota in the top spot with 10 Gold Awards. The Toyota Yaris, Corolla Quest, Toyota Avanza, Toyota Hilux, and Toyota Prado were all given a gold star for their lack of issues.

Nissan walked off with 8 Gold Awards, with models like the naturally-aspirated Micra, Almera sedan, NP200, Nissan Hardbody and Navara all receiving top honours for not giving their owners much hassle.

Related: How many kilometres are too many for a used car?

Volkswagen got 6 Gold Awards and their Polo was commended for its reliability. Here is the full list of most reliable car brands:

 

1. Toyota

2. Nissan

3. VW

4. Audi

5. Ford

6. Opel

7. Renault

The full report can be accessed on IPSOS here.

Verdict

It’s easy - Toyota / Lexus is the car brand that wears the reliability/longevity crown.

Toyotas are so well-built that they have below-average repair and maintenance costs, which helps contribute to why they remain on the road for so long. 

In the same breath, it's high time for another reliability survey that is only relevant to South African consumers.

 

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