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Subaru ranked first in Consumer Reports’ 2025 predicted-reliability brand ranking, ahead of Lexus in second and Toyota in third. Consumer Reports published the ranking on December 5, 2024; “2025” is the edition year. The result applies to that ranking—not to every reliability study or every car from those brands.
What Consumer Reports’ 2025 reliability ranking found
Consumer Reports (CR) ranked 22 brands based on predicted reliability. Subaru led with a score of 68 out of 100, followed by Lexus at 65 and Toyota at 62. The scores are not percentages or guarantees; they summarize CR’s reliability predictions from owner-reported problems.
| Rank | Brand | CR predicted-reliability score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Subaru | 68 |
| 2 | Lexus | 65 |
| 3 | Toyota | 62 |
| 4 | Honda | 59 |
| 5 | Acura | 55 |
| 6 | Mazda | 55 |
| 7 | Audi | 54 |
| 8 | BMW | 53 |
| 9 | Kia | 51 |
| 10 | Hyundai | 50 |
| 11 | Buick | 48 |
| 12 | Nissan | 48 |
| 13 | Ford | 44 |
| 14 | Genesis | 40 |
| 15 | Volvo | 38 |
| 16 | Chevrolet | 37 |
| 17 | Tesla | 36 |
| 18 | Volkswagen | 34 |
| 19 | Jeep | 33 |
| 20 | GMC | 33 |
| 21 | Cadillac | 27 |
| 22 | Rivian | 14 |
CR said it did not have sufficient data to rank Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Infiniti, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lincoln, Lucid, Maserati, Mercedes-Benz, Mini, Mitsubishi, Polestar, Porsche, or Ram. Their absence does not mean they would have ranked below Rivian; it means CR did not publish a ranking for them.
Why Subaru finished ahead of Toyota
The brand order reflects averages across the models CR had enough data to assess, not a head-to-head test of two individual cars. CR attributed Toyota’s third-place position in part to below-average reliability scores for the redesigned Tacoma, Tundra, and bZ4X. It also reported four Toyota models well above average, seven above average, and five average. Those results show why a brand’s overall place should not be read as a verdict on every model.
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Subaru’s results also varied by model. Among the seven Subaru models in the survey, the Forester and Impreza scored well above average; the Crosstrek, Legacy, Outback, and Ascent were above average or average; and the Solterra EV was below average. These are survey ratings for the models and years represented, not promises about an individual vehicle.
How Consumer Reports calculated the ranking
CR’s annual member survey asks about problems owners experienced during the previous 12 months. For the 2025 ranking, CR gathered data on more than 300,000 vehicles, covering model years 2000–2024 and a few early 2025 models. It assessed 20 trouble areas, from squeaky brakes and broken trim to problems with engines, transmissions, EV batteries, and charging.
CR weights reported problems by severity to create predicted-reliability scores from 1 to 100, then averages model scores to rank brands. It requires enough data for at least two models to rank a brand. Because the result is based on reported history, a brand average can conceal differences among models and model years. CR’s Jake Fisher, senior director of auto testing, put the practical limit plainly: “While brand rankings can guide you to the showroom, it is critical to also look at reliability for specific models before making a purchase decision.”
Why another 2025 study names Lexus
J.D. Power’s 2025 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study ranked Lexus highest overall, rather than Subaru. That is not a direct contradiction: the studies measure different things in different vehicle cohorts.
| Study | What it measures | Vehicles or owners covered | Top result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consumer Reports 2025 predicted-reliability ranking | Predicted reliability based on member-reported problems across 20 trouble areas; scores are weighted by severity and averaged by brand. | More than 300,000 vehicles, including model years 2000–2024 and a few early 2025 models; Consumer Reports, 2024. | Subaru, score 68 out of 100. |
| J.D. Power 2025 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study | Owner-reported problems per 100 vehicles (PP100) after three years; lower is better. | 34,175 original owners of 2022 model-year vehicles; fieldwork ran August–November 2024. | Lexus led overall at 140 PP100; Buick led mass-market brands at 143 PP100. |
J.D. Power’s study reflects problems reported by owners of 2022 vehicles after three years of ownership. CR’s brand ranking is a prediction drawn from its broader survey data. Keep each result attached to its publisher and method rather than combining the rankings into a single list.
Don’t confuse reliability with Consumer Reports’ overall brand score
CR also publishes a brand report card, which combines road-test scores, safety ratings, predicted reliability, and owner satisfaction. Subaru ranked first overall on that report card with a score of 79; Toyota ranked fifth among mainstream brands with 73. Those are overall report-card results, not the predicted-reliability scores or places shown in the ranking above.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to use the ranking when choosing a car
Use the brand ranking as a starting point, then narrow the decision to the vehicle you would actually buy. Compare the specific model and model year, along with its powertrain and whether you are considering a new or used car. A high brand position cannot establish the condition or reliability of one particular vehicle.
For a used car, assess the individual vehicle separately: its maintenance and problem history and its present mechanical condition are not settled by a brand average. CR advises shoppers to check model-specific reliability before buying; Fisher also cautioned that reliability can vary significantly even within high-ranking companies.
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Sources
- Consumer Reports: “Who Makes the Most Reliable New Cars?” (December 5, 2024).
- Consumer Reports: 2025 brand report card.
- J.D. Power: 2025 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study.
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