CR’s Best Car Brands and the Most Reliable Cars Report Card, It’s Subaru At the Top Of Both Now

Subaru has your attention now.

Subaru is the top-ranked car brand in two essential categories. In the Consumer Reports' annual brand report card that measures factors including vehicle performance, safety, and reliability, Subaru leads both categories for the second time in four years.

Automotive News says, "Subaru snared the top spot for best brand as well as reliability in Consumer Reports' 2025 rankings.”

In the AN interview, Jake Fisher, Consumer Reports' senior director of auto testing said automakers following a more long-term strategy that isn't reworked every few years tend to perform better.

Subaru's unique approach to car manufacturing, which involves staying the course, making incremental changes, and already having good competitive products, has positioned it to perform quite well, as Jake Fisher, Consumer Reports' senior director of auto testing, pointed out in an interview with Automotive News.

"The more you change, the more errors can crop up," Fisher told Automotive News. "When you look at an automaker like Toyota or Subaru — which really stays the course, makes incremental changes, and already has good competitive products — they're really poised to do quite well." 

"Other automakers swing quite widely; there's a new platform, new powertrains, and that's where you wind up having reliability problems."

Consumer Reports usually issues the car brand report card, which I cover every year in February, but has released the information ahead of schedule. 

CR's 2025 car brand report card is part of an updated data set that packages all its automotive rankings in one spot. Here are the surprising results. 

The 2025 Consumer Reports brand report card has Subaru at the top. Here are the top ten best car brands and their score. 

1. Subaru 82
2. BMW 78
3. Lexus 77
4. Porsche 77
5. Honda 75
6. Audi 74
7. Kia 73
8. Hyundai 73
9. Toyota 73
10. Infiniti 71

According to the Consumer Reports data, Subaru was also the best when measuring vehicle reliability. 

Consumer Reports says, ““While brand rankings can guide you to the showroom, it is critical to also look at reliability for specific models before making a purchase decision,” says Jake Fisher, senior director of auto testing at Consumer Reports. “Even within high-ranking companies, there can be significant variation in reliability.”

Automotive News says, "It's the first time Subaru has claimed the No. 1 spot, which Lexus and Toyota have traded for the past five years.”

Consumer Reports ranked the vehicle reliability of 22 brands based on feedback from owners. Here are the top ten most reliable car brands and their score.

1. Subaru 68 
2. Lexus 65
3. Toyota 62 
4. Honda 59 
5. Acura 55
6. Mazda 55 
7. Audi 54
8. BMW 53
9. Kia 51
10. Hyundai 50

This year's survey covers 20 areas of potential problems, including engine, electric motors, transmission, and electronics. Consumer Reports gathered data on about 300,000 vehicles from the 2000 to 2024 model years, plus a few newly introduced 2025 models. 

This extensive data collection process ensures the accuracy and reliability of the report, that should instilling confidence in Subaru's customers.

The 0-100 point scores are calculated by averaging each brand's overall result for the past three years, provided that a model wasn't redesigned during that time. Fisher said recalls only affected a brand's score if customers directly experienced the flaw that prompted the recall.

He also noted that issues with infotainment systems — long a sore spot for the industry — remain prevalent but aren't weighted in the rankings as much as more dangerous mechanical issues. Much like the brand report card, Fisher said, automakers with more stable, consistent strategies did best.

"It's the ones that have a long-term goal and stick to that; those are the brands that really are going to satisfy consumers and make reliable products," he said.

It's been Subaru's long-term goal of satisfying its consumers that makes them feel valued and important. It's showing up in tangible results. Consumer Reports says they are the best in two critical areas. 

I am Denis Flierl, a Senior Torque News Reporter since 2012. My 30+ year tenure in the automotive industry, initially in a consulting role with every major car brand and later as a freelance journalist test-driving new vehicles, has equipped me with a wealth of knowledge. I specialize in reporting the latest automotive news and providing expert analysis on Subaru, which you'll find here, ensuring that you, as a reader, are always well-informed and up-to-date. Follow me on my X SubaruReport, All Subaru, WRXSTI, @DenisFlierl, Facebook, and Instagram.

Photo credit: Denis Flierl via Tucson Subaru