Consumer Reports has chosen their 10 most dependable vehicles of 2025 and all of the places are occupied by a Japanese car maker. The brands that have a complete clean sweep on the list, which is based on real-life data of owners, include Toyota, Lexus, and others. No cars of Germany or South Korea are on the list the first time, and no electric vehicles passed the mark.
All 10 Spots Go to Japanese Brands
The rankings were based on survey responses from owners of more than 380,000 vehicles, covering model years 2023, 2024, and some early 2026 models. Out of over 200 models reviewed, only Japanese vehicles made it into the top 10.
Toyota and Lexus once again led the group, as they have in previous years. Other Japanese brands filled out the list, creating a complete lockout of non-Japanese models. According to Consumer Reports, this is the first time the list has been entirely made up of cars from one country.
Hybrid Cars Outperform Other Powertrains
Hybrid vehicles were common among the highest-ranked models. On average, they performed better than gasoline-only cars by around 15 percent. That margin may be partly due to Toyota’s broad hybrid lineup and consistent build quality.
Battery-electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids were not featured in the top 10. They continue to show more reliability issues, based on owner feedback.
“With so many newly introduced EVs and PHEVs, along with the still relative newness of the technology, these growing pains were inevitable,” said Jake Fisher, senior director of auto testing at Consumer Reports.
Some EVs Are Showing Improvement
Although none of the EVs appeared on the top list, Consumer Reports said that several of them started to demonstrate improved performance. Over a dozen EV models had average or above-average reliability ratings.
These were Tesla, Hyundai, Subaru, Ford, Toyota and Lexus cars. The Tesla Model Y was stated to be the most accurate in the category of electric models. The company was not among the top 10 in general but remained better than most in their category.
A Pickup Truck Joins the List
A pickup truck appeared in this year’s rankings — a rare inclusion for this category. The specific model was not named, but it marks a shift, as trucks are not usually known for high reliability scores in past reports. Its inclusion suggests that quality levels in this segment may be improving, at least among some Japanese models.
Consumer Reports’ rankings are based on actual owner experiences and are seen by many as a reliable measure of long-term vehicle performance.
