These are the most reliable used car brands, according to Consumer Reports

The 2026 long-term car reliability brand rankings are based on five- and 10-year-old vehicle models.

Lexus IS new and old — Consumer Reports has ranked Lexus as the most reliable used car brand. Here, a first-generation Lexus IS and a brand new one are side by side at the brand’s 35th anniversary event in Ontario in the summer of 2025. – Lexus Canada photo

If you’re shopping for a used car, you may want to check out Consumer Reports’ brand rankings for long-term car reliability.

The non-profit consumer organization published its 2026 brand rankings for used car reliability on Dec. 4.

The list is based on a survey of CR members, asking them about the problems they’ve had with their 2016 and 2021 model year vehicles (five- and 10-year-old vehicles) over the past year. More than 140,000 members participated in the survey.

Top 10

Consumer Reports ranked 26 vehicle brands for used car reliability.

Here are the top 10 (and their reliability score):

Lexus – 77
Toyota – 73
Mazda – 58
Honda – 57
Acura – 53
BMW – 53
Buick – 51
Nissan – 51
Audi – 49
Volvo – 48

You can check out the full list on the CR website.

It’s important to remember that the brand rankings should be used only as part of your research into a potential used vehicle purchase.

Reliability can vary greatly model to model within any brand, and each used vehicle on the market has its own history and its own potential problems.

CR has a used car buying guide that provides some tips on what you ought to consider prior to making a used vehicle purchase.

If you’re looking for CR’s recommendations for new cars, the company also released its overall brand rankings and reliability rankings, which you can check out here.