Buying a new car is about far more than just improving your commute – it’s a long-term investment and, sometimes, the start of a relationship with a dealer or manufacturer.
While things like price and fuel mileage are easily quantifiable, perceived reliability is often based on manufacturer reputation – with companies like Honda and Toyota flaunting their reliability in their advertisements. That approach works, too – both companies have two sedans that rank at or near the top of the sales charts year in and year out. Those vehicles – Honda’s Accord and Civic and Toyota’s Camry and Corolla – also are often mentioned as the most reliable cars on the road.
While those cars score high marks in areas like resale value and average maintenance costs, the cars with the best longevity look quite a bit different – they actually tend to be large SUVs.