When drivers are shopping around for a new or used car, they are usually looking for models that will last. Reliability is one of the top qualities that motorists want, as a dependable vehicle provides peace of mind and lower costs than inefficient counterparts. That's why CarMD created its Manufacturer & Vehicle Reliability Rankings. This list collects the most dependable cars while also pinpointing the most common repairs that need to be made on automobiles, providing drivers with plenty of information to consider as they hunt high and low for their next investment.
"CarMD provides information aimed at helping consumers make more informed decisions about vehicle maintenance, service, reselling and purchasing," said Doug Sobieski, chief marketing officer of CarMD. "Now in its third year, the CarMD Vehicle Health Index Manufacturer & Vehicle Ranking provides car shoppers with insight on what to expect in terms of frequency, type and cost of repairs for the majority of new and used vehicles."
Reliable cars
The first aspect of the Manufacturer & Vehicle Reliability Rankings involves finding the automakers that consistently make the most dependable cars. Manufacturers were judged based on the average cost of car repair for their models, as well as the number of incidents per number of vehicles on the road.
After finishing in second place for the past two years, Hyundai finally managed to catapult itself into the top spot. To do so it had to displace Toyota, which fell to second. Hyundai's average car repair cost came in at $312.67 - significantly lower than all but one automaker. Toyota's maintenance costs were higher, totaling approximately $540, but both manufacturers had the lowest number of road incidents.
Rounding out the top five reliable automakers were General Motors, Chrysler and Honda. GM had the lowest average repair cost with $304.99. The Toyota Camry was the top-ranking individual vehicle of the year, but Nissan managed to land five of its models in the top 10.
Common repairs
There were a few vehicle maintenance issues that popped up across all manufacturers. For example, replacing the oxygen sensor was the most common repair, accounting for 8.3 percent of all check engine notifications. When this sensor isn't working properly it can drastically affect a car's mileage, so it is important for drivers to bring their vehicle into an auto repair franchise as soon as they are alerted.