Toyota just won the number 1 spot in the largest reliability survey

It’s no secret that Toyota is often cited as the manufacturer that is the undisputed king of longevity. While some of the competition jumps from one experimental example to another, Toyota prides itself on the art of long-term development, serious testing and mechanical stability. With Lexus as Toyota’s luxury division and the fortunate position of sharing all its platforms and engines, it also ranks at the top of reliability studies, despite luxury cars often underperforming in these tests.

Just because Toyota is dominant doesn’t mean they don’t have competition. In previous outcomes of the Consumer Reports In the ‘Reliability Survey’, Subaru enjoyed a brief stint in the top spot, and Lexus also fought for the number one position – huge bragging rights for any company competing with Toyota. But with the latest results for 2025, we see Toyota fighting hard and successfully claiming the crown, proving that they are once again the champions of reliability.

The most reliable Toyotas on the market today

Although the competition is fierce, the undisputed most reliable car in their lineup today is the 2024 and up Toyota Crown. With a score of 78 to 82 out of 100 (depending on trim and era), the Crown manages to hold on to the title of most reliable sedan across the company’s entire lineup, even beating out the legendary Camry.

The combination of Toyota’s core principles and the 2.5-liter hybrid, which has been perfected for more than twenty years, allows Crown owners to enjoy a stress-free existence. It also boasts a higher build quality than the Camry, thanks to its more luxurious positioning in the market, proving it to be a midpoint between a premium, reliable Lexus and a hugely economical Toyota.

2025 Toyota Crown XLE Trim Specs

Other honorable mentions for reliability go to the 2025 Corollawith its naturally aspirated, low-stress 2.0-liter engine, which sits on a trouble-free seven-year-old platform. The Camry is enjoying its introduction into the hybrid-only world, and while it’s had a cosmetic makeover, it’s also enjoyed an eCVT transmission, meaning there’s no need for weak points like belts or pulleys. The 2025 4Runner managed to avoid the colossal recalls associated with the Tundra’s V6 in favor of a much more reliable 2.4-liter turbo four-cylinder, a tremendously reliable engine, as the Lexus NX has proven in recent years.

The surprising manufacturer that climbs the rankings

Electrification is a surefire way to drop down the rankings Consumer Reports reliability surveys, but in 2026 Tesla saw a huge improvement in their position on the list, ranking ninth overall. This is the first time they enter the top 10 and see a brand redefine towards comfort in its existing technology and platforms, and focus on much-needed longevity. Coming off a terrible 27th out of 28th in the 2022 survey, Tesla now serves as one of the examples of how advanced electrification can be turned into stable maturity for its consumers.

Despite a turbulent production process in the early years, Tesla has now been using the same platforms for the same cars in the same factory for several years, meaning that serious teething problems have been resolved and production assembly is much more predictable and smooth than in its earlier years of dominance. As more established brands work out their own EV-focused issues, Tesla has managed to overtake them in EV reliability, showing that time and dedication can solve the most serious cases of questionable reliability.

How Toyota managed to regain the crown

With the 2024 introduction of the all-new Tundra and Tacoma models, which featured new powertrain options and technology, there were a few teething problems coupled with a shocking engine disaster with the V6 Twin-Turbo, which was a completely unknown position for Toyota after enjoying a range of hugely durable powertrains. After mounting pressure and serious recalls, Toyota has set the record straight in 2025 and now in 2026, with mechanical solutions that have solved the main problems. Given the scale of the problem, the company managed to climb back up the reliability ladder quite quickly.

Key reasons why Toyota has such excellent reliability

• Incremental improvements to excellent, proven technology

• For minor defects, the entire production line is encouraged to stop

• Overdeveloped nature and heavy testing

• Many models use many shared parts, allowing for standardized perfection

With hybrids becoming the most reliable powertrains in vehicles in recent times, and Toyota being the ultimate pioneering force behind this technology with over 30 years of development in this field, it is no surprise that they have contributed to the manufacturer’s excellent performance. Consumer Reports scores. As recent models have gone hybrid-only, like the 2025 Camry, the company has been able to standardize its focus on one form of propulsion after years of testing, unlike brands like Mercedes, which use a fragmented offering of more experimental powertrains.

With an incredible combination of advanced metrics from their mature hybrid models, combined with a reserved approach to new gadgets, it makes sense that Toyota manages to feel efficiently futuristic without being risky. This is reflected in almost all of its hybrid offerings, from rugged trucks and SUVs to sedans and minivans for commuting, where practicality, reliability and practicality remain paramount, despite the powerplant.

The rivals that closely challenged Toyota

An astonishing six of the top seven brands in the Consumer Reports Reliability survey are Japanese. Way too much to be a coincidence. While Toyota, Subaru, Lexus, Honda, Nissan and Acura don’t strive to be the most progressive when it comes to their technology adoption, a cultural philosophy focused on a robust process and long-term tested parts allows most Japanese brands to perform remarkably well. By sharing these inherent values ​​and avoiding the temptation to chase horsepower and risk experimentation, brands like Honda and Subaru have managed to compete with brands like Toyota.

The top five in Consumer Reports’ 2025 Reliability Survey

• Toyota (66)

• Subaru (63)

• Lexus (60)

• Honda (59)

• BMW (58)

Subaru are kings of dedication to the design of their boxer engines, and those of the modern Crosstrek and Forester have been perfecting the same core design for more than 50 years. By eliminating issues like oil consumption, head gasket issues and Subaru’s current CVT transmission, combined with much more reserved electronics, their proven formula has allowed them to put serious pressure on Toyota. Even the only German rival on the list, BMW, relies on its beautiful B58 engine to perform so well in the survey: an engine that Toyota itself has tested and tuned to meet their standards.

Toyota proves itself as number one

In the wave of immense competition from rivals, especially rival Japanese ones, Toyota still reigns supreme because of its commitment to reliability-based process. With the fascinating combination of true innovation and incredible sustainability, the company has managed to continue its reputation as a company that makes informed decisions with efficient technology. Unlike many General Motors brands, Toyota doesn’t just rely on older, more established technology; they are early adopters who refine and perfect futuristic technology and implement it in their vehicles in a mature way, without being tempted by unnecessary gambles along the way.

Sources: Toyota, Consumer Reports