It is necessary to evaluate the reliability of a car by several criteria. Some brands have virtually no kill suspension, while others are famous for high-quality engines. But the most reliable car is one that will be highly rated by several criteria at once.
What is reliability?
First of all, you need to deal with this issue, and only then move on. Reliability should combine a number of qualities and characteristics, among which the following should be highlighted:
- durability - the ability to use the vehicle with regular and high-quality maintenance;
- vehicle reliability - the time during which vehicle repair is not required;
- performance shows the actual life, which is compared with the data given in the technical documentation for the vehicle.
Based on these parameters, and we can draw conclusions about which car is the most reliable. But this is far from all, but about everything in order.
The quality of the Japanese car industry
According to the results of many studies, the first place in the ranking is occupied by Lexus. This brand is considered one of the most reliable. If a few years ago there were certain problems with the electronics, then they were eliminated. Currently, even on a run of 300-400 thousand kilometers, electronic engine systems, gearboxes and suspensions are stable and predictable.
The chassis of the Lexus is a separate topic for discussion. Suspension parts have a margin of safety of 25-30%. This suggests that even with untimely maintenance, unforeseen breakdowns do not occur. This plays into the hands of the driver, since the vehicle remains in service for some time, but it is still not worth using it regularly.
Mazda and Toyota
Second place deservedly takes the Japanese car Mazda. Experts highlight the almost flawless operation of electronics and Skyactiv technology, which significantly increased the reliability of gasoline and diesel engines by stabilizing the compression ratio. Engineers managed to increase the resource, power, as well as the mileage to overhaul ICE. Therefore, if we consider the most reliable used cars, then this is definitely the Mazda SkyAktiv.
Third place goes to another Japanese company Toyota. True, in this case, the opinions of experts and motorists themselves are not so unambiguous. On the one hand, the Toyota transmission deserves respect, and it doesn’t matter which box, automatic, robot or mechanic it costs. They all go for a long time, and are repaired, as a rule, without significant costs. At the same time, there are some problems with the chassis and electronics. But the third place in the total score is still for Toyota.
About German quality
Oddly enough, it’s not about Mercedes or BMW at all. Audi takes fourth place. The last time the Germans got the title of “most reliable car of the year” was in 2015. This year we managed to take only the 4th stage. The main advantage is in the use of an aluminum body.This material allowed to significantly reduce the weight of the car, to provide almost complete protection against corrosion.However, here you need to understand that any body repair will be very expensive.This is due to the increased melting temperature of aluminum and the need the use of special equipment. Audi owners note the reliability of the gearbox and electronics. There are some problems with the chassis, and repairs are not cheap, but this is the price for comfort.
The most reliable cars for Russia
The operation of a vehicle in Europe is one thing, quite another in the Russian Federation, where the roads are not in perfect condition and the weather conditions are quite severe. For these reasons, more attention should be paid to the suspension and ground clearance. The ideal option, according to the absolute majority, is the Nissan X-Trail. The running car is just designed for off-road driving, and the ground clearance of 21 cm makes it easy to overcome various obstacles. The most popular engine is 2.0 liters, the power of which is 141 horsepower. This is a completely reliable and easy to maintain engine, the power reserve of which is enough for a comfortable ride.
Another extremely popular model in Russia is the Renault Duster. Spring independent suspension is simple and very reliable. Along with a clearance of 20 cm, this car copes with rough terrain. The choice of the buyer offers several engines: diesel (1.5 liters), gasoline ICE (1.6 and 2.0 liters). Inside, there is no luxury that can be found in German cars, everything is concise and extremely simple. But this is not surprising, because the model is budgetary, but reliable, which is quite enough for many Russians.
Porsche: reliability and price
This brand is gradually rising in rating, but it is still difficult to call these cars reliable. Although over the past few years a positive trend has been noticed, which is due to the installation of power units from SUVs on sedans. For example, Panamera or Cayenne received high marks, but such Boxter and Cayman cars love attention. These cars have a moody engine requiring regular expensive maintenance. Of course, the owner of the Porsche will not save on maintenance, but manufacturers can optimize the operation of the internal combustion engine. If we talk about the most reliable models, these are Macan and Panamera. Moreover, the latter is considered exclusively with rear-wheel drive. In general, for such a price you can make a car more reliable, almost all experts agreed on this.
Honda i-VTEC
If a few years ago this brand would never have been included in the rating, now it’s really the most reliable and economical cars. The thing is that the company back in 1998 developed an electronic system for changing the valve travel time. But the first models were not the most successful. Sometimes it came to a failure of the executive hydraulics. Only 15 years later, the engineers managed to achieve the perfect operation of the system. This allowed not only to increase the efficiency of the engine, but also to increase power. Another move from the company Honda - the rejection of multi-link suspension. Having sacrificed comfort, it was possible to achieve increased reliability. This was highly praised by experts.
In addition, there is still something to be proud of. It is worth paying attention at least to the trim. Even in the basic configuration, high-quality plastic is used, there are no extraneous sounds, which generally positively affected sales. The best model is considered to be the Honda Civic Si, which has a highly accelerated engine.
The best budget option
The Korean brand Kia was still able to get around its rival Hyundai. They managed to break into the leaders due to the high reliability of the power unit. With proper maintenance, the engine runs for a long time and does not cause trouble to the owner. Many repairs are relatively inexpensive. If you use high-quality oils and consumables, then overhaul will not be needed soon. Developers are constantly improving their cars and eliminate minor flaws that can seriously damage the reputation. The most popular model is the Kia Sportage. The gearbox lost its “failures” during operation, while the previous reliability remained. This also applies to electronics, which were not designed for increased loads and often failed when operating in bad weather conditions.
All this allowed the company to rise significantly in the ranking. And motorists note the high build quality of the Kia, an affordable price segment and a durable body. True, there are also disadvantages - the chassis. It has yet to be brought to the proper quality. Nevertheless, considering the most reliable inexpensive cars, it is worth first of all to recall the “Kia”.
To summarize
Of course, many would like to know what are the most reliable used cars. But to answer this question is almost impossible. After all, too much depends on the maintenance and operating conditions of the vehicle. But among others it is worth highlighting brands such as Nissan. The first problems with the chassis begin after a run of 100 thousand kilometers. Therefore, when buying, you should definitely pay attention to the condition of ball, silent blocks and shock absorbers.
As for the “BVM” and “Mercedes”, then everything is ambiguous. The fact is that there may be problems with the electronics and engine systems. Therefore, it is still better to save a little money and buy a new car or purchase simpler and more affordable cars to maintain. Moreover, you should not buy famous brands with powerful engines for the last money, because you still have to service this beast.