What kind of car never breaks down? What automobiles are good and which are bad and always breaking?

Question

What are the reliable , good dependable automobile manufacturers, and what are some of their makes and models?

Which are ones the opposite that car buyers should steer clear of completely?

Answer 1

Best of the best

These are models that have performed well in CR road tests over the years, and have proved to have several or more years of better-than-average reliability. Listed alphabetically.

Acura Integra

Acura MDX

Acura RL

Acura RSX

Acura TL

Acura TSX

BMW M3

Buick LaCrosse

Honda Accord

Honda Civic

Honda Civic Hybrid

Honda CR-V

Honda Element

Honda Odyssey

Honda Pilot

Honda S2000

Infiniti FX

Infiniti G20

Infiniti G35

Infiniti I30, I35

Infiniti QX4

Lexus ES

Lexus ES

Lexus GS (RWD)

Lexus GX

Lexus IS

Lexus LS

Lexus RX

Lexus SC

Lincoln Continental

Lincoln Town Car

Mazda Millenia

Mazda MX-5 Miata

Mazda Protegé

Mazda3

Mitsubishi Endeavor

Mitsubishi Outlander

Nissan Altima

Nissan Maxima

Nissan Murano

Pontiac Vibe

Porsche 911 (except '03)

Scion tC

Scion xB

Subaru Baja

Subaru Forester

Subaru Impreza

Subaru Legacy

Subaru Outback

Toyota 4Runner

Toyota Avalon

Toyota Camry (except '07 V6)

Toyota Camry Solara

Toyota Celica

Toyota Corolla

Toyota Echo

Toyota Highlander

Toyota Land Cruiser

Toyota Matrix

Toyota Prius

Toyota RAV4

Toyota Sequoia

Toyota Sienna

Toyota Tundra (except '07 V8 4WD)

Volvo S60

Worst of the worst

These models have multiple years of much worse than Used Car Verdicts in the 1998 to 2007 models. Listed alphabetically.

Buick Rendezvous (AWD)

Buick Terraza

Chevrolet Astro

Chevrolet Blazer

Chevrolet Colorado (4WD)

Chevrolet S-10 Pickup (4WD)

Chevrolet Uplander

Chevrolet Venture

Chrysler Town & Country (AWD)

Dodge Grand Caravan (AWD)

GMC Canyon (4WD)

GMC Jimmy

GMC S-15 Sonoma (4WD)

GMC Safari

Jeep Grand Cherokee

Kia Sedona

Land Rover Discovery, LR3

Lincoln Aviator

Mercedes-Benz SL

Nissan Armada (4WD)

Nissan Titan (4WD)

Oldsmobile Bravada

Oldsmobile Silhouette

Pontiac Aztek

Pontiac G6

Pontiac Montana, Trans Sport, Montana SV6

Saturn Relay

Volkswagen Cabriolet

Volkswagen Jetta Sedan (turbo)

Volkswagen Jetta Sedan (V6)

Volkswagen Touareg

Only three domestic models made the Most reliable list: the Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, and the two-wheel-drive Ford F-150 with the V6 engine. U.S. makes, however, account for almost half the models-25 of 44-on the Least reliable list. There are 13 from GM, 6 from Chrysler, and 1 from Ford.

Answer 2

The old reliables, Hondas,  Toyotas, and some Nissans. The general rule of thumb is... the higher the resale value, the better the vehicle.  

Answer 3

American made cars usually break down a  LOT more often...I would know because I've had a few, and they all had problems.  Japanese cars are the way to go...Toyotas cannot be beat  

Answer 4

Depends really, some makers have good and bad years. Toyota isn't doing as well as it was, Nissan has been getting worse since around 2000-2001, and I don't really know about Honda as far as the years go.

Personally, I'd just buy an early 90s one of the above.