• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
General Motors

This American Car Brand Is Surprisingly Reliable

By
Reuters
Reuters
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Reuters
Reuters
Down Arrow Button Icon
October 24, 2016, 3:38 PM ET
2016 Buick Verano
2016 Buick VeranoCourtesy of GM

Two Toyota Motor brands again led the annual reliability survey from Consumer Reports magazine, and General Motors’s Buick was the first American brand in at least 35 years to crack the top three, the consumer magazine said on Monday.

It was the fourth straight year that Lexus and Toyota finished in the two top spots, and they have had an outstanding performance since Consumer Reports began tracking brand reliability in the early 1980s.

Buick, a “near-luxury” brand, does well in the survey because it has few models and none of the pickup trucks or truck-based SUVs that hurt the ratings of GM stablemates Chevrolet and Cadillac, said Jake Fisher, director of automotive testing for Consumer Reports.

Asian carmakers still dominate for reliability, with seven of eight brands deemed “more reliable” based in Japan or South Korea. Volkswagen AG’s luxury Audi brand was the only German manufacturer among the eight “more reliable” brands.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

In the past decade, all brands in Consumer Reports and other third-party surveys have had improvements in reliability, especially the major U.S. automakers GM (GM), Ford Motor (F), and Chrysler, now Fiat Chrysler Automobiles .

Fiat Chrysler (FCAU) still lags far behind. Its brands took the bottom four spots in the 29-brand survey. Its most successful brand in terms of sales and reliability is its Jeep SUV lineup, which gained four slots to No. 23.

 

 

Nissan Motor’s luxury brand Infiniti was most improved from last year, gaining 16 places in the survey.

Favorable results do not always mean better sales. Still, many U.S. consumers use the ratings as a key factor in purchasing decisions. The top-selling models from each for the three major U.S. brands are pickup trucks, which fare poorly in reliability studies.

Read More: The 10 Worst Cars of 2016

Fisher said large pickup trucks’ drive systems are more complex and raise consumer concerns, and “these trucks are now sold with much more power equipment and in-car electronics, so there are many more things to go wrong.” Toyota’s Tundra was rated the top full-size pickup truck by a large margin.

The fourth U.S. automaker, Tesla Motors (TSLA), the electric car maker, finished at No. 25. Consumer Reports recommended the Tesla Model S but the “Model X SUV has been plagued with malfunctions, including its complex Falcon-wing doors.”

Among the hot-selling SUV market, the consumer advocacy magazine named best in category, small to large, as the Chevrolet Trax, Toyota RAV4, Toyota 4Runner and Ford Expedition.

About the Author
By Reuters
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in

Donald Trump points and speaks as Pete Hegseth looks on in the background.
Economynational debt
Something is different about Trump’s $1 trillion war on Iran and its stress on the national debt, Harvard Kennedy scholar says
By Sasha RogelbergApril 17, 2026
19 minutes ago
Huel Shake Review (2026): Expert Approved
HealthDietary Supplements
Huel Shake Review (2026): Expert Approved
By Emily PharesApril 17, 2026
36 minutes ago
Half of Iran’s workforce faces unemployment risk as the U.S.-Israel war’s ‘hidden target’ was the labor market, economist says
EconomyIran
Half of Iran’s workforce faces unemployment risk as the U.S.-Israel war’s ‘hidden target’ was the labor market, economist says
By Jason MaApril 17, 2026
41 minutes ago
Exclusive: Adam Silver on winning the Edison Achievement Award: ‘Sports remind us that some of the most important forms of innovation are human’
Arts & EntertainmentSports
Exclusive: Adam Silver on winning the Edison Achievement Award: ‘Sports remind us that some of the most important forms of innovation are human’
By Catherina GioinoApril 17, 2026
2 hours ago
The $39 trillion national debt could break the all-important U.S. bond market, sparking a ‘vicious’ emergency, former Treasury secretary warns 
EconomyDebt
The $39 trillion national debt could break the all-important U.S. bond market, sparking a ‘vicious’ emergency, former Treasury secretary warns 
By Tristan BoveApril 17, 2026
2 hours ago
Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino smiles during a speech
CryptoCryptocurrency
Tether extends $127.5 million in funding to crypto platform Drift as critics blast rival Circle for failing to freeze hacked funds
By Jack KubinecApril 17, 2026
2 hours ago

Most Popular

Pope Leo warned the world is in ‘big trouble’ if Elon Musk becomes the first trillionaire
Success
Pope Leo warned the world is in ‘big trouble’ if Elon Musk becomes the first trillionaire
By Preston ForeApril 17, 2026
11 hours ago
A world going broke: IMF says America's $39 trillion national debt is actually a global problem—and AI may be the only rescue
Economy
A world going broke: IMF says America's $39 trillion national debt is actually a global problem—and AI may be the only rescue
By Nick LichtenbergApril 16, 2026
1 day ago
Jeff Bezos pledged $10 billion for climate change. With the 2030 clock ticking, his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, is leading the charge to spend it
Environment
Jeff Bezos pledged $10 billion for climate change. With the 2030 clock ticking, his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, is leading the charge to spend it
By Sydney LakeApril 15, 2026
2 days ago
MacKenzie Scott is bypassing the Ivy League and rewriting the $79 billion higher ed playbook by giving to HBCUs and community colleges
Politics
MacKenzie Scott is bypassing the Ivy League and rewriting the $79 billion higher ed playbook by giving to HBCUs and community colleges
By Sydney LakeApril 16, 2026
1 day ago
Germany already told its workers to ditch four-day weeks and work-life balance. Now the government wants to cut their pay for calling in sick, too
Success
Germany already told its workers to ditch four-day weeks and work-life balance. Now the government wants to cut their pay for calling in sick, too
By Orianna Rosa RoyleApril 16, 2026
2 days ago
NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani points at Ken Griffin's $238 million penthouse on tax day: 'Today we're taxing the rich'
Personal Finance
NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani points at Ken Griffin's $238 million penthouse on tax day: 'Today we're taxing the rich'
By Catherina GioinoApril 16, 2026
24 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.