If you’re in the market for a new car, it’s smart to put reliability at the top of your list of requirements. Forget flash and awe factor, unless you’ve got an additional $5000 to $10,000 burning a hole in your bank account. Instead, take a look at these five models, all of which were chosen by Consumer Reports as some of the most reliable new vehicles on the market.
- Subaru Impreza. Vehicle type: small hatchback wagon. With a base price of $17,895, this car manages to achieve affordability and reliability. Its fuel economy, which will get you 25 miles per gallon in the city and about 33 miles per gallon on the open highway, will also do a good job of helping you cut back on gas spending.
- Toyota Sequoia. Vehicle type: large SUV. Gas mileage isn’t important to everyone. Some of us enjoy the safety that piloting a large SUV can bring in adverse weather conditions. If this describes you, we’ve got your vehicle. With a price around $42,000 base, the Sequoia gets you only about 13 miles per gallon in the city and 18 on the highway. But on the reliability scale, it’s tough to beat.
- Scion xD. Vehicle type: subcompact car. An even more affordable option is the Scion xD, a four-door hatchback with a superb fuel efficiency of 27 miles per gallon in city driving, and 33 on the highway. It’s also not a bad looking little car, with a respectable ability to cause some folks to give it a double-take.
- Mazda CX-5. Vehicle type: small sport-utility vehicle. If you’re on a budget and need something that’s got a bit of extra oomph in the sport-utility department, you could do a lot worse than the Mazda CX-5. At a base price of $20,995, it won’t be the cheapest car on the lot but its gas mileage of 26 in-city and 35 highway might just be the answer for those who can’t afford a full-blown SUV purchase, and the associated high gas costs that come with it.
- Lexus IS C. Vehicle type: coupe/convertible. Sinking your savings into the car of your dreams doesn’t always work out well if you pick one that’s low on the reliability scale. But if you can find one that ranks high in both beauty and ability, go for it. For discerning auto shoppers, there’s the Lexus IS C, which goes for about $42,000 and gets 21 miles per gallon in the city, 30 miles per gallon on the highway.
Auto buying experts are quick to point out the fact that landing a set of wheels that’ll deliver long term reliability requires you to look beyond make and really scrutinize what people are saying about the model in question. All of the above listed manufacturers have produced cars that are less than satisfactory, which just goes to show you that buying a car should never be a crapshoot. Always do your research and never assume that make equals quality.
Source: Consumer Reports, CNN Money
