Subaru took the top spot in Consumer Reports’ 2025 predicted-reliability brand ranking, published December 5, 2024. Lexus ranked second and Toyota third. That is the answer to “Which auto brand stole Toyota’s reliability crown in 2025?”—but it is a result from one survey and one measure, not proof that every Subaru is more reliable than every Toyota.
What Consumer Reports’ 2025 ranking measured
Consumer Reports based its predicted-reliability scores on member reports about vehicle problems experienced during the prior 12 months. The 2025 report covered more than 300,000 vehicles from model years 2000–2024, plus a few early 2025 models. It evaluated 20 trouble areas, from squeaky brakes and broken interior trim to engine, transmission, EV-battery, and charging problems. More serious problems carried greater weight in the score, which ran from 1 to 100. A brand needed adequate data for at least two models to qualify for the ranking.
The brand result was an average of predicted-reliability scores for the surveyed models in each brand’s lineup. In the December 2024 report, Subaru scored 68, Lexus 65, and Toyota 62. Those are the report’s scores for its 2025 edition—not a statement of current ratings or a count of how many vehicles each brand will have trouble-free.
How Subaru, Toyota, and Lexus compared by model
The ranking does not mean that every Subaru beat every Toyota. Consumer Reports’ model-level ratings showed variation within both brands:
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- Subaru: Of the seven models included, Forester and Impreza rated well above average. Crosstrek, Legacy, Outback, and Ascent ranged from above average to average; Solterra rated below average.
- Toyota: Four models rated well above average, seven above average, and five average. The redesigned Tacoma, full-size Tundra, and bZ4X were specifically identified as below average and as contributors to Toyota’s lower brand result.
- Lexus: Lexus ranked second in the brand table, with a score of 65. The cited brand result alone does not establish that every Lexus model outperformed every Subaru model.
Subaru’s Solterra is also a useful reminder that brand badges do not tell the whole story: Consumer Reports described it as a version of Toyota’s bZ4X with Subaru badging. Both were below average in the report.
Consumer Reports senior director of auto testing Jake Fisher cautioned that buyers should check individual models because reliability can vary significantly even within high-ranking brands. Subaru data analytics lead Steven Elek said shared components across Subaru vehicles can reduce the number of changes made during a redesign, lowering the risk of new problems. That explanation is a rationale for Subaru’s result, not a guarantee about any particular model or year.
Rank #2
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Why other reliability rankings name a different leader
Reliability studies can produce different leaders because they do not necessarily measure the same vehicles, ownership period, or kind of problem. Keep the rating’s publisher, edition, population, metric, and scope attached to any comparison.
| Measure | What it covered | Leader and result |
| Consumer Reports 2025 predicted reliability | Member-reported problems across surveyed vehicles spanning model years 2000–2024, plus a few early 2025 models; problem severity informed a 1–100 score. | Subaru, 68; Lexus, 65; Toyota, 62. |
| Consumer Reports 2025 overall brand report card | A broader score combining road tests, safety ratings, predicted reliability, and owner satisfaction. | Subaru ranked first overall with 79. Toyota ranked ninth overall and fifth among mainstream brands. |
| JD Power 2025 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study | Problems after three years of ownership, based on 34,175 original owners of 2022 model-year vehicles surveyed August–November 2024; results were expressed as problems per 100 vehicles (PP100). | Lexus ranked highest overall at 140 PP100. Lower PP100 means fewer reported problems. |
The Consumer Reports overall report card is not the same as its reliability-only table. JD Power’s study is different again: it examines reported dependability after three years of ownership, rather than predicting reliability from a broader set of surveyed model years. Lexus leading that study does not invalidate Subaru’s lead in Consumer Reports’ 2025 predicted-reliability ranking; the studies answer different questions.
Rank #3
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What the ranking means when you shop
Use the brand ranking as a starting point, then compare the exact vehicle you might buy. A useful shortlist should account for:
- Model and model year: Check the specific model’s reliability result rather than relying on its manufacturer’s position.
- Redesign timing: The 2025 report specifically noted below-average results for the redesigned Tacoma, illustrating why a brand’s past record may not describe a newly changed vehicle.
- Powertrain and intended use: Compare the version you plan to drive and the demands you expect it to handle; a brand average cannot settle that choice.
- Other ownership priorities: Consider safety, vehicle class, and purchase and ownership costs alongside reliability.
For example, the Forester rated well above average in this survey, but that finding applies to the report’s surveyed model data—not automatically to every Forester model year or an individual vehicle’s condition. Use the rating to narrow your research, not to skip checking the specific year and vehicle.
Quick Recap
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Rank #4
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- [Material] Die-cast model car, mainly made of zinc alloy metal with plastic parts, rubber tires.
- [Function] 4 doors can be opened; hood & trunk can be opened; light; turnable front wheels; suspension system. (NO pullback)
- [Best boys’ toys] This toy replica car is detailed interior and exterior, suitable for children to play, age from 3~12. Also a great toy for men for decoration and collection. A wonderful Christmas gift choice for boys and men. Christmas Gifts Ideas: Great toy car for boys men kids children son dad brother toddler teens boy friend. Great stocking stuffers.
- [Gifts for Men] This diecast model car is a fine choice of gift for men, boyfriend, dad and husband, especially when they own a real WRX STI in life.
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