Click to enlarge.
Each year, CR independently tests about 50 new cars at its 327-acre Auto Test Center in Connecticut. Additionally, CR surveys its millions of members to gather data on reliability and owner satisfaction for hundreds of thousands of vehicles annually, spanning a two-decade range of model years. This extensive data enables the organization to create a comprehensive analysis of automotive quality, including brand-level rankings. Speaking to the Automotive Press Association today, CR analyzed the just published 2026 Automotive Report Card.
“We’re releasing new overall score rankings,” said Jake Fisher, CR’s Senior Director of Automotive Testing. “That’s really who makes the best cars along with new car reliability, used car reliability, which is really looking 5 to 10 year old models that are on out in the road, owner satisfaction, our road test scores, repair costs. … We have all the information for each one of the models on our website. That’s all live right now…. We are very excited that this year. We actually have the most amount of vehicles that we’ve had for a very long time. We’ve made some changes to make the survey easier to complete. … We’ve actually gone from 300,000 vehicles in the survey to 380,000 vehicles in the survey. That’s total.”
Highlights from the CR 2026 Automotive Report
- Japanese Brands Continue to dominated taking 6 of the top ten spots.
- EVs continue to have problems: “The types of problems we tend to see are powertrain related, which is no surprise because there’s been gas motors for 100 years so they’ve had time to workout these kinks. EV batteries and electric motors are newer technologies. So we’re seeing a decent amount of battery pack replacements, charging issues and now an issue with ana owner going and plugging into a charger that doesn’t work. This is regarding onboard inverters… So it’s on board to the car,” said Steven Elek, CR’s Automotive Data Analytics Program Leader.
- Hybrid reliability depends on the brand and length of time in production: “That it’s the reliable brands making hybrids. For a Long time Toyota has made them. Kia has made hybrids for a while. So really the general trend of what we’re seeing is that the longer technology has been around and the more time automakers have to work out the kinks, they get more reliable,” said Elek.
- The build quality of some EVs is poor: “EVs are, you know, from newer automakers. It’s the build quality that really needs the kinks worked out. They need some time to catch up, so we’re seeing body hardware and electrical accessory paint and trim noises and leak problems. … Especially we see that with like the new Tesla Cyber truck that came out with a completely new design and, and that’s where we’re seeing,” said Elek.
- Problems the climate system: “This is also something interesting and we see this for plug-in hybrids as well because the HVAC systems are different on EVs and plug in hybrids than traditional gas heater pores and that kind of thing. It’s now. Electric system or electric based heating system and thermal? As well. So we’re seeing a lot of climate system issues.
- Reliability: “For EVS and plug in hybrids now the most reliable new car brand. No surprise Toyota is the most reliable again. And the reason being the redesigned Camry last year has improved in reliability in its second year. The Tundra has overcome its growing pain since its redesign a couple years ago and improved to average this year, and the Tacoma is now well above average, which it wasn’t before. For all Toyotas are average or above.
- “And Subaru is still in the top two in second place. The Impreza is the brand’s most reliable model, and the similar Crosstrek is ranked as the third most reliable. The Forester Hybrid has just above-average reliability, while the regular Forester’s score was average. The sporty BRZ coupe and the Impreza-based WRX sports car have above-average reliability. Subaru’s lowest-scoring model is also its oldest, the three-row Ascent SUV, which has average reliability this year.
- “But again, all models are still, uh, above average. And the reason is because of conservative redesigns as an evolution rather than a revolution when a new model comes out or redesigned model comes out. Now let’s talk about Honda: “All the models are average or above except for their EV which is the Prologue.” said Elek.
- GM Ultium based platform: “Many of the EVs that use General Motors’ Ultium platform have below- or well-below-average reliability, including the Cadillac Lyriq and Optiq, the Chevrolet Blazer EV, and the Honda Prologue, which is the result of a partnership between GM and Honda. Last year, the Lyriq and Blazer EV were among the lowest-scoring models in our survey. The Chevrolet Equinox EV is the only Ultium-based model with average reliability….“We have seen some issues with the other Ultium platform cars as well. And they transferred over to Honda. Also, so it is the only Honda that is below average reliability,” said Elek.
- Tesla: “Tesla is in the top ten this year. Why? Because in the past we’ve seen some build quality issues for the Model 3 and the Model Y. Will the updated Model Y and three have overcome this build these build quality issues from the past? So almost all Teslas are average or above, except for the brand new completely ground up design Cybertruck pickup. It’s the only model Tesla has that’s below average.
- Mazda: “Our biggest drop for this year was for Mazda. The CX-90 and the CX70 were the models that kind of buck that trend that Mazda had previously had conservative redesigns and incremental small changes for anytime a redesign comes about. Well the CX-90 and the CX70 when they came out, it was a, you know, completely ground up design – a rear-wheel-drive based platform with longitudinally mounted engine and transmission… all these new features in this vehicle it dragged down Mazda as at the brand. Level as well,” said Elek.
[the talk at the Automotive Press Association as presented here has been edited and condensed by Ken Zino, the first President of APA, for clarity and grammar. I urge interest parties to visit the CR website – click here.]
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
Japanese Top Consumer Reports 2026 Automotive Report
Click to enlarge.
Each year, CR independently tests about 50 new cars at its 327-acre Auto Test Center in Connecticut. Additionally, CR surveys its millions of members to gather data on reliability and owner satisfaction for hundreds of thousands of vehicles annually, spanning a two-decade range of model years. This extensive data enables the organization to create a comprehensive analysis of automotive quality, including brand-level rankings. Speaking to the Automotive Press Association today, CR analyzed the just published 2026 Automotive Report Card.
“We’re releasing new overall score rankings,” said Jake Fisher, CR’s Senior Director of Automotive Testing. “That’s really who makes the best cars along with new car reliability, used car reliability, which is really looking 5 to 10 year old models that are on out in the road, owner satisfaction, our road test scores, repair costs. … We have all the information for each one of the models on our website. That’s all live right now…. We are very excited that this year. We actually have the most amount of vehicles that we’ve had for a very long time. We’ve made some changes to make the survey easier to complete. … We’ve actually gone from 300,000 vehicles in the survey to 380,000 vehicles in the survey. That’s total.”
Highlights from the CR 2026 Automotive Report
[the talk at the Automotive Press Association as presented here has been edited and condensed by Ken Zino, the first President of APA, for clarity and grammar. I urge interest parties to visit the CR website – click here.]
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn. He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe. Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap. AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks. Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.