Used Car Reliability Ov

Some used cars have fewer problems than newer models

Published: April 2011

Buying a used car isn’t the gamble it once was. Cars made in recent years usually have fewer problems from day one than comparable cars made, say, five years ago, and continue to have fewer problems as they age. The latest Annual Auto Survey from the Consumer Reports National Research Center reflects that trend.

Late-model used cars can therefore be a good deal, combining a moderate price with low risk. Moreover, a three-year-old car can be more reliable than a relatively new one. Combing through the latest survey data, we found six 2008 models with about the same or even fewer problems than the average new 2010 vehicle. Some, such as the Honda CR-V and Fit, also did well in our road tests. But a couple of other perennial reliability champs, the Toyota Yaris and FJ Cruiser, did not. That highlights another point: Reliability alone doesn’t always make a car a good choice.

In Better than new we offer examples of 2008 models that are at least as reliable as some 2010 models that they would naturally compete with, yet they may cost less because of their vintage.

In our 2010 survey (see Reliability), respondents told us about serious problems they had with their own cars in the preceding 12 months. The survey drew responses on 1.3 million vehicles.

Three-year-old vehicles, the 2008 models in our survey, averaged 35 problems per 100 vehicles, and the average 2010 car had 13 problems per 100. Among the most trouble- free 2008 models were the Toyota FJ Cruiser and Yaris with 11 and 12 problems per 100, respectively.