Japanese car maker Toyota has always been known for building reliable, high-quality vehicles, that rarely need to be repaired and have relatively low maintenance costs. These traits that have been associated with Toyota have been once again confirmed, with a new study naming the Corolla the most reliable car in the U.S. for 2015.
CarMD, the company that is popular for its Vehicle Health System Diagnostic tool, has released its annual Vehicle Health Index Manufacturer & Vehicle Reliability rankings, according to which, the Corolla is the most reliable car in the country.
However, while one of the best-selling cars in the world in the past several decades tops the reliability rankings when it comes to specific models, Toyota is not the top manufacturer overall, with that title going to Hyundai.
“Unlike other industry reports and rankings that rely on subjective survey data, CarMD’s Index is the only annual ranking that bases its findings on actual in-use vehicle failures and associated car repair costs,” said Ieon C. Chen, CEO, CarMD. “Car maintenance and repairs are a fact of life, but this data can be used in tandem with other tools and information to help car shoppers make informed decisions about the vehicles they are considering.”
Corolla Top Vehicle
The 2015 Corolla received an overall rating score of 0.013, earning the top spot, even though the second-placed 2013 Lexus ES had the same score. The 2014 Prius is third with a score of 0.016, the 2013 Toyota Avalon ranks number four with 0.016, same as the fifth-ranked 2013 Honda Fit.
Hyundai Makes the Most Reliable Cars
The CarMD report names South Korean automaker Hyundai the most reliable manufacturer, in a list that ranks car makers based on car problems reported and average repair costs. CarMD analyzed data collected by its network of technicians, who have reported problems related to “check engine” lights in cars.
After analyzing over 251,000 such cases, CarMD compiled this report in which Hyundai ranks number one, with an overall rating of 0.63, which is calculated by taking the number of repair incidents reported by CarMD mechanics and the lowest cost per repair into account.
Hyundai is followed by Toyota, with a rating of 0.69, Honda (0.84), Ford (0.88), with Chrysler rounding out the top five with 0.89.
Basically, these rankings mean that Hyundai owners have taken their cars to a mechanic less frequently than those who own cars from other manufacturers, and that average repair costs for Hyundai vehicles were lower than those for other brands.