You’re looking for the best way to get the most out of your vehicle budget; this typically means you should be shopping for used cars. What you want when you’re buying a pre-owned vehicle is a car that you can trust and drive for many years, almost as long as you would if it were a new car.
This means you must have a vehicle that falls in the top part of the reliability scores to ensure you have a model that will last you as long as you need.
The study performed by J. D. Power every year is called the PP100 study, which offers information regarding the problems reported per 100 vehicles. The average number is 121 across the entire industry, which means we want to have used cars that have fewer than 121 reported problems to ensure we have the highest possible reliability score.
Let’s take a look at some of the most popular brands and see how they rank for reliability.
Kia is at the Top of Mainstream Brands
In a complete list of car brands scored for reliability, Kia comes in third behind only Lexus and Porsche. If you’re looking for a vehicle that will give you the lease problems and bring a low price, you’ll be glad to look at what Kia has to offer.
Reported PP100 score for Kia is 97.
Toyota isn’t Far Behind
You expect reliability when you buy a Toyota; that’s what this brand has been built on for many years. While the luxury arm, Lexus, is at the top of the list, Toyota is in the fourth position. This is still a highly respectable place to be and a brand that brings you the reliability you desire.
Reported PP100 score for Toyota is 98.
A bit Farther Down We Find Hyundai
It may be a bit of a mystery why Hyundai ranks lower than Kia when these two brands share so much, but the Hyundai brand is in the seventh position when scoring reliability for used cars. This is a brand that boasts excellent feature packages and quality for your drive.
Reported PP100 score for Hyundai is 101.
Chevrolet Still Makes the Cut
Although the Chevrolet brand is ranked in the twelfth spot on the list of brands, we still see a number that is better than the average when it comes to reliability. You can buy a Chevy and know you’re going to have a vehicle you can drive for a long time.
Reported PP100 score for Chevrolet is 115.
Used Cars from Ford Don’t Score as High as You Would Like
Even though we know some of the bigger vehicles made by the Ford team are useful and can last a long time, this brand doesn’t score well for reliability. Buying used cars that wear the blue oval might not give you the drive you’re looking for.
Reported PP100 score for Ford is 130.
Honda is a Surprise At the Lower Part of the List
You expect to buy a Honda and have a reliable vehicle to drive every day, which is mostly the case, but Honda ranks 27th on the list of reliable brands. It might be a good idea to look into what has caused Honda to score so poorly in this ranking.
Reported PP100 score for Honda is 145.
Which Vehicles Score the Best?
You know how these six brands score when it comes to the reliability of the used cars offered, but which vehicles reach the top of each class? Do we see these brands represented in any way across the various classes in the automotive world?
Let’s take a look:
The Kia Optima is the Midsize Sedan You Want to Drive
As the highest-rated brand on the short list that we compiled, you expect to find vehicles from the Kia brand rated highly in their class. Even though the Optima has been replaced by the K5, when you’re shopping for used cars that you can drive and trust for a long time, the Optima is the right car for you.
Choose the Chevrolet Camaro
If you’re shopping for one of the affordable sports cars that you can drive for fun on the road, the Chevrolet Camaro is the top choice. This is the best-rated midsize sporty car, making it the right car for you to enjoy. Which version of the Camaro will be the one that you’ll choose when you want to head out for a fun and active ride on the road?
Go Full-Size with the Toyota Avalon
Toyota has been well known for reliability for many years, and the Toyota Avalon is a large, comfortable, and reliable car you can drive. This car reaches the top of the full-size sedan class to be the right one of the big used cars that you might want to drive.
Are You Ready to Drive a Kia Sportage?
If you’re searching for the small SUV that can be easy to drive and one you can trust for a long time, the Kia Sportage tops the list. This SUV has room for five and gives you an impressive powertrain that can make a huge difference when you’re behind the wheel. Get inside and enjoy the comfort and confidence of this small SUV today.
The Kia Sorento Might be Right for You
Yes, another Kia model makes it to the top of its class. The Sorento is the most reliable midsize SUV that you can choose for your drive. If you’re looking for an SUV that gives you more space and a wonderful drive, you can put your money and trust into the Sorento.
Go Big and Buy the Chevrolet Tahoe
Chevrolet makes it to the top of one of the classes of used cars again with the impressive Chevy Tahoe that can be the big brute you’ve been looking for. Take this beast out for a drive and let it be the strong SUV that tows a boat and takes your family to the lake on the weekends. You’ll be pleased with how long this SUV lasts and everything it can do for you.
