Consumer Reports adds used cars to its online ratings and recommendations

Four in 10 Americans who were in the market for a vehicle in the past year were only considering used vehicles, compared to three in 10 who were only considering new and 24 percent who were considering both, according to a survey by Consumer Reports, a consumer testing and advocacy organization.

Consumer Reports is expanding its ratings and recommendations include used cars.

“With the historically high price of new autos these days, more and more people are naturally looking to the pre-owned market in search of a better value,” Alex Knizek, associate director of auto test development for Consumer Reports, said in a statement. “But buyers shouldn’t have to sacrifice safety, reliability, or fuel economy to stay within their budget.”

The updated ConsumerReports.org/usedcars page includes used car buying advice, recommendations, and listings to help people find and purchase the best pre-owned car available. The page also includes ratings of tires, batteries, insurance companies, and repair shops.

Who makes the most reliable used cars?

Consumer Reports’ first brand ranking for used cars is based on the reliability of five- to 10-year-old cars based on the organization’s Annual Auto Surveys.

Every year, Consumer Reports asks its members about problems they’ve had with their vehicles in the previous 12 months.

For this analysis, the organization focused on the problems reported on cars from the 2014 to 2019 model years.

Lexus and Toyota top the list of 26 brands, with a large score over third-ranked Mazda. All three brands have had consistent average or better reliability ratings over the years.

Acura and Honda also landed near the top of the list.

At the other end of the ranking, Tesla is 24, Dodge 25, and Chrysler 26.

“Brands like Lexus and Toyota have a history of conservative redesigns, incrementally improving their entire product line, rather than introducing many all-new systems,” Steven Elek, Consumer Reports’ program leader for auto data analytics, said. “Our data consistently shows over time that new cars from those brands are reliable when new and they continue to be reliable as they age.”

Lower-ranking brands tend to have much less consistent reliability across their model lines, Elek said. For example, only the 2018 and 2019 Chevrolet Equinox have above-average reliability among the six years that generation was offered, but the entire 2014 to 2019 Chevrolet Silverado generation proved to have below-average reliability.

“This is why it’s best to check the reliability ratings for each model year when buying a used car,” Elek said. “Making assumptions can prove both costly and inconvenient.”

Toyota and Mazda models account for half of Consumer Reports’ 10 top picks in used cars

For decades, Consumer Reports has named its 10 top picks among new cars, reporting on the cars, SUVs, and trucks that perform the best in the organization’s road tests and member surveys.

Consumer Reports is now using similar selection procedures to pre-owned models in releasing its first 10 top used car picks.

Knizek said all of the top picks are valued under $20,000, earned Consumer Reports’ recommendation when tested as new, are rated above-average for reliability, and come standard with electronic stability control.

Rather than recommending single model years, Consumer Reports studied cars from a generation perspective, the years a single design was offered. It then narrowed the field by targeting specific price categories. Within the price range, top picks are based on the newest model year that makes the cut because they tend to have fewer miles and more life left. 

“Car shoppers who can’t find the exact model year as one of our Top Picks should check if there’s a reliable model within the same generation,” Knizek added. “They’ll find much the same quality, possibly even cheaper, by considering older versions of the same car. They may even find a particularly good deal on a newer model.”