The 7 Most Reliable Car Makers for 2015

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Buying a car is one of the biggest investments most people make, and while it's easy to make a purchase based on ticket price, the actual cost of buying and owning a particular car can vary widely depending on the cost and frequency of the car's repair and maintenance needs.

Buying a car is one of the biggest investments most people make, and while it’s easy to make a purchase based on ticket price, the actual cost of buying and owning a particular car can vary widely depending on the cost and frequency of the car’s repair and maintenance needs.

Each year, the magazine Consumer Reports tests out dozens of cars to determine which makes and models are the “most reliable.” The survey looks at everything from how well the engine runs to whether the touchscreen entertainment systems work reliably.

“Infotainment system problems don’t exist in a vacuum,” said Jake Fisher, director of automotive testing at the magazine. “A close look at the results suggests that cars with a lot of in-car electronic issues usually have plenty of other troubles, too.”

Consumer Reports’ research uncovers a number of trends. For instance, the magazine said infotainment systems—the touch-screen consoles that control media as well as GPS and often temperature control functions—are frequently problematic in debut models across all brands.

However, certain car-makers seem to have a better track record than others when it comes to overall reliability. Unfortunately, only one of the Top 10 most reliable brands for 2015 is based in the US—Buick.

The magazine reviewed the 2015 models of 28 car makers. Ram, Jeep, and Fiat rounded out the bottom 3, respectively. So which car-makers excel at reliability? What follows are the Top 7 brands, according to Consumer Reports’ study. You can read the entire report here.