Reliability sells cars. A 2024 CarGurus study showed that reliability was a key influencing factor for 41% of buyers, more than those who consider budget or expected ownership costs. So bragging rights about dependability are a big deal for automakers. In Consumer Reports‘ latest findings, Japanese brands continue to dominate the podium on the organization’s list of most reliable new cars.
However, the pecking order shifted. For 2026, Toyota takes top spot, while last year’s winner, Subaru, dropped to second. Meanwhile, Lexus slid to third, from last year’s silver position. Beyond the obvious Toyota-Lexus connection, there’s another common link among the top three. Toyota owns about 20% of Subaru, and the two companies share a couple of models (bZ/Solterra and GR86/BRZ).
The changes to Consumer Reports’ rankings aren’t because Subaru or Lexus has stumbled in reliability, but more that Toyota has improved. Hiccups with the latest versions of some redesigned models held the brand back last year. In 2026, Toyota appears to be firing on all cylinders, according to Consumer Reports. Yet, unreliable Toyotas do exist.
Read more: These Are The Least Reliable Japanese Cars, According To Consumer Reports
Why Toyota’s reliability improved for 2026
A red 2026 Toyota Tacoma on a paved roadway. – Toyota
Toyota regained its reliability crown for 2026 thanks to improvements in some models. The ninth-generation Camry debuted in 2025, with what CR called average reliability ratings. This year, it appears the automaker has worked out some of the kinks as the 2026 Camry rose to above-average predicted reliability.
Another bread-and-butter vehicle, the Tacoma, followed a similar path. Its 2024 redesign yielded below-average dependability that has moved into the average range in the latest model year. Likewise, the third-generation Tundra, which debuted for 2022, had a troubled twin-turbo V6 and recalls in its early years. Those problems appear to have been smoothed over as reliability moves into average territory.
Without getting into the complexities of CR’s scoring system, it’s worth mentioning that only Toyota and Subaru fall into the above-average reliability category. The vast majority of brands, including Lexus, have an average reliability score. To be fair, Lexus missed out on moving up by just one point in the ranking.
Other reliability winners and losers for 2026
A red 2026 Mazda CX-5 on gravel and in front of a garage. – Mazda
While the top of the list tends to get the most attention, some automakers in the CR study made significant reliability moves, for better or worse. Tesla was called out for rising from seventeenth to ninth place. Helping the movement were the Model Y and Model 3, which ranked the most reliable vehicles in their respective EV categories. CR noted, “Problem rates for body hardware, paint and trim, and electrical accessories have decreased substantially.”
Conversely, Mazda suffered a fall from grace, dropping from sixth to fourteenth place. The decline has led the Hiroshima-based automaker to become the lowest-ranked Japanese brand in the 2026 survey (Infiniti and Mitsubishi didn’t make the list). Two factors led to the fall. The plug-in hybrid (PHEV) versions of the CX-70 and CX-90 are problematic, based on CR-collected owner surveys. In particular, the 2026 CX-90 PHEV scored poorly for predicted reliability, ranking 18th out of 20 mid-sized three-row SUVs.
Also, adding to Mazda’s troubles was the exclusion of its best-seller, the CX-5. As a practice, CR excludes the first year of an all-new vehicle from its predicted reliability rankings. Jalopnik’s first take on the 2026 Mazda CX-5 called it an upgrade with odd looks.
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