Want a car that just works? Nobody likes a car that breaks down all the time, right? It costs money and it’s a pain! So, how do we know which cars are good and won’t trouble us? To know that, there is a thing that exists, and we call it the J.D. Power 2025 Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS). They ask lots of people about their cars. Then they give each car brand a score called PP100. It’s easy peasy: a low score means the car doesn’t have many problems – yay! So, which are the most reliable car brands this year? Let’s find out the top five according to J.D. Power!
This study looks at how many times people had to fix their cars. The lower the number (the PP100 score), the better the car! So, get ready to see which car companies make cars that are strong and won’t let you down!
Here are the 5 most reliable car brands in the world today.
| Brands | Score |
| Lexus | 140 |
| Buick | 143 |
| Mazda | 161 |
| Toyota | 162 |
| Cadillac | 169 |
1. Lexus
Lexus cars are a top pick when it comes to reliability, earning them the award of being the most reliable car brands. They have won this title back-to-back now, which speaks for the brand and why they own the reward. In 2025, J.D. Power said Lexus is the best overall for dependability, scoring just 140 problems per 100 cars.
The numbers are way better than the average of 202! They even ranked #1 in the fancy car group. And when it comes down to the super reliable cars, the Lexus LX 600 stands tall. It starts at around $106,850. You can also count on models like the ES, RX, NX, and IS.
What makes them so good? Lexus focuses on smart engineering and building each car with tons of care. They have this “Kaizen” idea of always making things better. Plus, they use really strong materials and have expert builders who check every little detail. Inspired by Toyota’s great quality, Lexus tests their cars in all sorts of tough conditions – hot, cold, you name it!
Even Consumer Reports agrees, giving Lexus a reliability score of 65, which is super high. And get this, because they last so well, Lexus cars often keep around 60% of their original value even after four years! So, for a car that’s built to last and holds its worth, Lexus is a fantastic choice!
2. Buick
Buick is another one of the most reliable car brands out there! Guess what? In 2025, J.D. Power said Buick is the best for reliable regular cars, even beating out Toyota with a score of just 143 problems for every 100 cars! That’s super good, and it even beat Mazda.
The Buick Enclave is like their reliability superstar, getting a score of 83 out of 100! It costs about $45,100 to start. They also have other reliable cars like the Envista, Envision, Encore, and even a slightly smaller Encore GX. Plus, the Enclave is made to be really strong and comfy to ride in!
So, what makes Buick so dependable? Well, they’ve been making cars for ages now, and they focus mainly on building them well in such a way that the buyers look at it as their long-term investment. They design them to go for many miles without any big trouble, and if you take good care of them, they can run for many years!
Even when other car companies had more problems in 2025, Buick was still doing great. Two of their cars, the Encore GX and the Enclave, were even in the top three for not having problems in their SUV groups! That’s pretty awesome! They also make sure their cars have comfy seats and cool technology for the drivers.
3. Mazda
Mazda is another one of the most reliable car brands you can consider. In the running year in the J.D. Power study, they were awesome, ranking 3rd with just 161 problems for every 100 cars! That’s super good!
Even though they don’t sell as many cars as some others, Mazda still makes really dependable rides. Their special way of thinking about building cars is called “Monotsukuri,” which means they really care about making things well. They also try to make their cars light, which they call the “Gram Strategy.”
But did you know that the 2022 Mazda CX-9 was in the top 3 SUVs in its size, and the 2022 Mazda CX-5 was also a top 3 pick for smaller SUVs? The price for a new 2025 Mazda CX-5 starts around $28,770. People who own Mazdas also don’t spend a lot on fixing them, only about $462 a year on average!
Additionally, the Mazda MX-5 Miata is super reliable, scoring a fantastic 98 out of 100! Mazda tries to design their cars so they feel just right for the driver, like they’re part of you – they call this “Jinba Ittai.” So, if you want a car that’s fun to drive and you can count on, Mazda is a great pick!
4. Toyota
You know what? Toyota is famous for being one of the most reliable car brands around! And guess what? In 2025, J.D. Power said Toyota is the best for reliable regular cars – they ranked #1 in the whole mass-market group!
The Toyota Sienna minivan is also recommended by Consumer Reports and is expected to be just as reliable as most new cars. It starts at around $39,185. Guess what else? The Toyota Avalon was the top car overall in the J.D. Power study for 2025!
So, what’s their secret? Well, Toyota has been making cars for a long, long time, and they’re really good at it! They have super careful ways of building their cars to make sure they don’t have problems. They check everything really well when they’re making them.
In fact, Toyota wins lots of awards for how reliable their cars are! They even pay close attention to making sure their car computers and technology work well. So, if you want a car that you can really count on, Toyota is a fantastic choice!
5. Cadillac
So, when you think about the most reliable car brands, Cadillac might surprise you! In the 2025 J.D. Power study, they really showed their strength, tying with Chevrolet at 169. That puts them ahead of many others and as the second-best fancy car brand for reliability.
The Cadillac CT5 is known as reliable, and the big Escalade scores a dependable 82 out of 100! A CT5 starts around $47,595, and the Escalade around $87,595.
Now, one thing a lot of car companies are working on is making the car’s computer work perfectly with phones – things like Android Auto and Apple CarPlay can sometimes cause issues. But Cadillac is on it! They even use smart computer programs to check how they build cars.
Plus, other Cadillacs like the XT6 are winning awards for being super reliable in their class (that’s the Upper Mid-Size Premium SUV group!), and the XT5 scores a solid 59 out of 100. So yeah, things are definitely looking up for Cadillac if you want a car you can count on!
Key Takeaways
Alright, so what does all this mean for you if you’re thinking about a new ride? Here’s the lowdown:
If you want a fancy car that just won’t quit, Lexus is still king of the most reliable car brands. Think of it as that super dependable friend who’s always there for you. Buick? Surprisingly awesome for regular cars – even better than Toyota, which is saying something! It’s like finding a hidden gem that saves your wallet in the long run.
Mazda is that fun buddy who’s also responsible, a dependable choice among the Most Reliable Car Brands but still exciting to drive. Toyota? It’s the name everyone trusts for a reason – a safe bet if you want something that will likely last for ages. And Cadillac? They’re showing they’re serious about being dependable now, which is great if you want a bit of luxury that you can count on from the Most Reliable Car Brands.
Personally, I remember my uncle always saying, “Buy reliability, it’s the cheapest thing in the long run.” And looking at these brands, it seems he was right!
