Cars are expensive! We know, we know, that’s nothing unusual right now - what’s not expensive? But most of those expensive things we buy don’t cost tens of thousands of dollars. That amps it up from expensive to brutally, painfully expensive. So, if you’ve got to buy one now, you’d better make it count!
So which cars are the most likely to last a long time, giving you the most bang for your buck? Here are two different ways to look at the question.
Here are Five Fast Facts on the most reliable cars of 2024:
- 💪 Feel The Power - J. D. Power has been rating the reliability of cars for 35 years now, so they’re something of an expert on the subject. They use a combination of owner feedback over the first three years of ownership, as well as reported problems from nine different categories covering almost 200 different specific issues. It’s a data nerd’s paradise.
- 🏆 Powerful Victories - The Power rating has Lexus at the top for the second year in a row (135 problems per 100 cars), followed by Toyota. The biggest problem area is infotainment systems. Chrysler came in last. Oooh, that’s gotta sting.
- 🗳️ Vote Now - A second way to look at reliability is purely through customer satisfaction and feedback, which is what Consumer Reports does. Some don’t like the CR method because they only poll their own subscribers, meaning certain brands may be over- or under-represented. But, of the brands in the report, there’s a LOT of data so it’s still valuable.
- ✔️ Survey Says - The CR report also has Lexus as the most reliable brand, with every model except the NX having above-average reliability. Toyota came in second in this report, too. Again, Chrysler was the worst. Consistency is…um…unfortunate, in this case.
- 🔍 Key Takeaways - Besides the specific brands, it’s important to note that car technology takes time to fully work out. Both organizations saw lower reliability with new systems, new features, and highly complex computerization. EVs generally scored worse than gas engine cars in both, but where J.D. Power found hybrids to be less reliable, CR saw them as more so. 🤔
🔥Bottom line: Of course, every car can have issues at any time, so take all of this with a grain of salt. But, if you’re playing the odds – and by spending this much money on a major purchase, it seems like a good idea – a savvy buyer will take a good hard look at reliability to make their Paychecks stretch as far as possible.
What’s the most reliable car you’ve ever owned?
Let us know by connecting with us on Facebook and Instagram! Also, remember to share this newsletter with your friends & coworkers!
BTW, If you’ve read this far and haven’t yet signed up for the weekly Paycheckology newsletter, CLICK HERE!
