With vehicle prices soaring, many drivers are hanging on to their cars for much longer. The typical car on the road today is over a dozen years old, a record high.
Because people are keeping cars longer, reliability matters more than ever. In this light, you might prioritize a Toyota, Kia or Chevy and give less consideration to brands like Ford, Audi, Lincoln and Land Rover.
That’s the main takeaway from the latest J.D. Power study. The market research firm evaluated how 2020 model-year vehicles are performing today in terms of quality and the frequency of issues reported by owners.
The annual vehicle dependability study highlights the most dependable models in each vehicle segment — for example, the most reliable compact car, minivan, large SUV, and so on. J.D. Power covered a dozen classes, including three pickup sizes and five SUV sizes.
How long will these vehicles last? That’s impossible to predict exactly. Generally, a conventional car can be expected to reach around 200,000 miles, while some well-cared-for models may go 300,000 miles or more, according to Car and Driver, Progressive Insurance and other experts.
With careful maintenance, these 12 vehicles might get you into the quarter-million-mile range. Later in this piece, we also offer some practical advice to prolong your vehicle’s life.
Bonus: the report ranks more than 30 auto brands by dependability — we include that list near the end of this article.
Most Dependable Vehicles by Segment
Below are the most dependable picks in each vehicle category. These models required the fewest repairs.
(Manufacturer’s suggested retail prices shown are for the base model of each vehicle without added options. Actual prices on dealer lots will often be higher.)
1. Midsize Sedan: Kia Optima
The Kia Optima is a widely chosen midsize sedan from South Korea’s Kia. It shares many similarities with the Hyundai Sonata, a vehicle produced by a related company. Kia used the Optima name from 2000 through 2021 before rebranding the model as the Kia K5.
MSRP: $25,090 (for the 2023 K5 model)
Runners-up: Chevrolet Malibu and Ford Fusion
2. Compact Car: Kia Forte
Introduced in 2008, the Kia Forte is known primarily for its affordability. One downside: Kia models usually have lower resale values versus top Japanese brands like Toyota and Honda, according to Motor Trend.
MSRP: $19,690
Runners-up: Toyota Corolla and Hyundai Elantra
3. Compact Sporty Car: Mini Cooper
The Mini Cooper is offered in multiple configurations — two-door or four-door, soft-top or hardtop, gas or electric.
MSRP: $25,800 for a two-door hardtop
Runners-up: None listed
4. Minivan: Toyota Sienna
Toyota makes its first appearance with the Sienna minivan. The Sienna has been on the market since 1997 and typically gets better fuel efficiency than its primary rival, the Honda Odyssey, though some reviewers prefer the Odyssey’s driving dynamics.
MSRP: $36,135
Runner-up: Kia Sedona
5. Compact SUV: Kia Sportage
The Kia Sportage tops the compact SUV segment. It’s actually Kia’s best-selling model and is configured as a five-seater with a large curved dashboard display in newer versions.
MSRP: $26,290, generally priced below the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4
Runners-up: Buick Envision and Jeep Cherokee
6. Small SUV: Toyota C-HR
The Toyota C-HR is dependable and fuel-efficient. “Unfortunately, it’s slow. Very slow,” the car site Edmunds notes, which is often the tradeoff for higher mileage.
MSRP: It started at $24,280 for 2022. The C-HR has since been discontinued.
Runners-up: Buick Encore and Chevrolet Trax
7. Midsize SUV: Chevy Blazer
The Chevrolet Blazer has existed in various forms since 1969. Today’s Blazer is a crossover built on a car platform rather than a truck frame, which usually sacrifices some off-road ability but improves fuel economy.
MSRP: $35,100 for the base model; higher trims can top $44,000.
Runners-up: Hyundai Santa Fe and Ford Edge
8. Upper Midsize SUV: Toyota Highlander
Toyota estimates the Highlander can tow as much as 5,000 pounds. The three-row Highlander has been produced since 2000 and is available in both gasoline and hybrid versions.
MSRP: $36,420
Runners-up: Kia Sorento and Toyota 4Runner
9. Large SUV: Chevy Tahoe
The Chevrolet Tahoe wins in the large SUV class. Naming conventions for rugged SUVs often evoke broad, wild landscapes — Tahoe, Tacoma, Yukon — and the Tahoe can seat up to nine passengers across three rows.
MSRP: $52,000 — the highest base price among the vehicles listed here
Runner-up: GMC Yukon
10. Midsize Pickup: Toyota Tacoma
The Toyota Tacoma is a top pick in its category and was named Kelley Blue Book’s “best midsize truck of 2023.” The Tacoma offers a wide range of configurations: 34 combinations across seven trim levels.
MSRP: $27,750
Runner-up: Chevrolet Colorado
11. Large Light-Duty Pickup: GMC Sierra
The GMC Sierra is a rugged-looking pickup comparable to the Chevy Silverado, which won in the heavy-duty pickup class.
MSRP: $37,200 (the Sierra Denali Ultimate can reach $82,200 at the top end)
Runner-up: Toyota Tundra
12. Large Heavy-Duty Pickup: Chevy Silverado HD
The Chevrolet Silverado is a fixture in commercial-style advertising, often shown hauling heavy loads up steep, rocky terrain during sporting-event breaks.
MSRP: $38,195
Runners-up: None listed
4 Ways to Make Your Car Last Longer
How you maintain your vehicle greatly affects its lifespan. If you want to reach 200,000 miles or beyond, you’ll need to care for it properly. Here are four essential practices:
1. The Obvious One — Change the Oil on Schedule
When to change the oil? Consult your owner’s manual (or find the manual online if you don’t have a physical copy). For many vehicles, oil changes are recommended at least every 5,000 miles or every six months. Delaying changes is harmful to your engine.
2. Wash Your Car Regularly
Washing a car isn’t just cosmetic. Over time, dirt and contaminants damage paint and can lead to rust and corrosion that undermine the vehicle’s structure and appearance.
3. Don’t Drive Aggressively
Drive smoothly. Hard braking eats up brake pads. Taking corners aggressively wears tires. Flooring the accelerator when the engine is cold stresses components. All that rough driving accelerates wear across the vehicle.
4. Keep Up with Tires and Air Filters
Replace your air filter as recommended — typically around every 20,000 miles — and rotate your tires according to the owner’s schedule. A clean air filter prevents contaminants from reaching the engine and helps maintain fuel efficiency.
The ‘Premium’ Luxury Winners
The study also evaluated five premium categories — these are pricier trims and models. We didn’t dwell on them earlier because Savinly focuses on practical savings.
BMW and Lexus dominated those premium categories, followed by Volvo, Cadillac and Mercedes-Benz.
- Compact premium car: BMW 4 Series
- Compact premium SUV: Lexus NX
- Small premium SUV: BMW X2
- Midsize premium SUV: Lexus RX
- Upper midsize premium SUV: BMW X5
Most and Least Dependable Auto Brands
In addition to ranking individual models, the study ordered more than 30 automakers by dependability.
Results are based on feedback from over 30,000 vehicle owners collected in late 2022.
Below are the brand rankings by problems per 100 vehicles a few years after purchase (industry average: 186):
- Lexus: 133
- Kia: 152
- Buick: 159
- Chevrolet: 162
- Mitsubishi: 167
- Toyota: 168
- Hyundai: 170
- Mini: 170
- Nissan: 170
- Dodge: 172
- Cadillac: 173
- Mazda: 174
- GMC: 175
- BMW: 184
- Ram: 189
- Jeep: 196
- Honda: 205
- Infiniti: 205
- Porsche: 208
- Acura: 211
- Subaru: 214
- Volvo: 215
- Volkswagen: 216
- Chrysler: 226
- Jaguar: 229
- Mercedes-Benz: 240
- Tesla: 242
- Ford: 249
- Audi: 252
- Lincoln: 259
- Land Rover: 273
Issues with Infotainment Systems
The survey found that infotainment systems are the most common source of trouble in modern cars.
Problems frequently involve voice recognition, connectivity to the internet, built-in Bluetooth and touchscreens. The infotainment category reported roughly twice as many problems as the next-most-troubled area, vehicle exterior.
Keep that in mind when you’re shopping for a car — a slick interface may not always be a dependable one.
Want a quick refresher on safety when researching used vehicles? See our roundup of safest cars of 2017 to compare crash-tested options and their reputations.
Jordan Harlow is a senior writer at Savinly.
