Lexus Tops Consumer Reports Reliability Survey for Fourth Consecutive Year

[krew]

krew

All nine vehicle lines offered by the brand have received top reliability marks.

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[corradoMR2]

Haha, no posts yet - goes to show how not surprised we are. What's there to say?

 

[mmcartalk]

While it's nice to see the company get another award, this is certainly nothing new...or surprising. With a few rare exceptions like some older GS 300/350 AWD models, Consumer Reports has always had Lexus at or near the top in reliability....at least within the top five listings.

What HAS been surprising, IMHO, has been the extremely rapid rise of Audi in the last couple of years.....from a brand with a well-earned reputation of being money-pits to currently close to the top in reliability. Buick, also, is quite impressive....clearly the best domestic brand, right below Lexus and Toyota, though much of that reliability seems to be coming, not necessarily from American-designed Buicks, but from the smaller Buicks that are rebadged from German Opel products.

Lincoln's reliability is a disappointment.....a shame, since I like several of their products, and would consider them as a purchase or lease if their build-quality was a little better.

 

[corradoMR2]

While it's nice to see the company get another award, this is certainly nothing new...or surprising. With a few rare exceptions like some older GS 300/350 AWD models, Consumer Reports has always had Lexus at or near the top in reliability....at least within the top five listings.

What HAS been surprising, IMHO, has been the extremely rapid rise of Audi in the last couple of years.....from a brand with a well-earned reputation of being money-pits to currently close to the top in reliability. Buick, also, is quite impressive....clearly the best domestic brand, right below Lexus and Toyota, though much of that reliability seems to be coming, not necessarily from American-designed Buicks, but from the smaller Buicks that are rebadged from German Opel products.

Lincoln's reliability is a disappointment.....a shame, since I like several of their products, and would consider them as a purchase or lease if their build-quality was a little better.

Mike, do you concur with Buick's stellar reliability ratings of late? Is your Verano contributing to the high marks?

 

[mmcartalk]

Mike, do you concur with Buick's stellar reliability ratings of late? Is your Verano contributing to the high marks?

My Verano has certainly been an excellent car since Day One, despite a couple of small occasional drivability quirks common to the FWD GM 6-speed automatics. I've long felt that the smaller, Opel-derived Buicks (Verano, Encore, Regal, Cascada), are noticeably more solidly-built than the bigger, American-designed ones, though the new 2017 Lacrosse is a major improvement over its predecessor. Consumer Reports seems to agree.....the Opel-rebadge Buicks do seem to hold up better. The Verano, though, has an interesting reliability pattern. According to CR, the 2012 Verano (which I own) is much better than average in reliability....but the subsequent 2013-15 models took a dip. The Chinese-built Buick Envision mid-sized SUV of course, is still brand-new, having been introduced just a few months ago....so there isn't any usable reliability data on it yet. But, in both my static-inspection and test-drive, I could find any significant assembly or fit/finish problems with it, other than an odd smell inside, instead of the usual pleasant new-car smell.

One thing, IMO, that I think helps with the reliability of almost all Buicks is that, with the (possible) exception of the sport-oriented Regal GS (which sells very poorly), most of them are driven on the sedate side, which lessens the strain on them. Brakes, engines, drivelines, tires, and suspensions which are not abused or driven hard are more likely to hold up in the long run than those that are. That may (?) also be true for Lincoln, which, as an overall brand, is also driven by a group of rather sedate people on the road. But the fact that Buick, even with Lincoln's sedate drivers, ranks so much higher than Lincoln in reliability shows that more is involved than just gentle driving.

 

[IS-SV]

Good info on 2012 Verano based on actual ownership. How many miles on car now?

 

[mmcartalk]

Good info on 2012 Verano based on actual ownership. How many miles on car now?

Going on 30K. The knee injury/surgery and recuperation I went through earlier this year substantially cut down on what it would otherwise have by now, though I'm driving most places (and doing reviews) pretty much normally now.

Unfortunately, I may have to have a knee-replacement on the other knee next year...not the one operated on last June (I'm going to try and make it past the D.C Auto Show in January before I have it done).

I have no major complaints with the car as it is, but, given the choice, I would have preferred a small V6 (something like the Lexus 2.5L) to the Ecotec four, and taller-profile tires...the ride is smooth in the summer when the tires are hot, but, at recommended PSIs, is noticeably stiffer in the winter with cold, hard rubber in the tires.

 

[Tragic Bronson]

Few media outlets were running with "Lexus" since it wasn't shocking; most were "FCA" and "Honda Civic no longer recommended"...

 

[mmcartalk]

Few media outlets were running with "Lexus" since it wasn't shocking; most were "FCA" and "Honda Civic no longer recommended"...

Well, FCA makes some great products for those who are willing to roll the dice on reliability....I'm not sure I am.

 

[CIF]

Haha, no posts yet - goes to show how not surprised we are. What's there to say?

Few media outlets were running with "Lexus" since it wasn't shocking; most were "FCA" and "Honda Civic no longer recommended"...

Nothing surprising about the performance of Toyota and Lexus here.

Audi being recommended I find a bit surprising. I personally just don't trust VW/Audi though. Look how terribly low VW placed in comparison to Audi. They are the same company, and share many parts and what not.

Also interesting is the huge jump by Infiniti.

The most surprising thing, that's not being talked about I feel, is that Honda and Subaru both have dropped to average levels. Honda and Subaru in the past were talked about on the same level as Toyota in terms of reliability. Not anymore it seems.

Also not surprising is that almost all of the Fiat/Chrysler brands placed dead last.

Then there is Tesla. Despite all the hype and all the legitimate and real benefits to owning a Tesla, reliability is not one of them.

 

[Tragic Bronson]

Well, FCA makes some great products for those who are willing to roll the dice on reliability....I'm not sure I am.

I agree, there's plenty of Jeep/Chrysler owners that do take the chance, but hey, every brand has its ardent followers for their reasons. Jeep especially has a rabid fan base.

 

[Alexander Li]

As overstated as the reliability is with Lexus, I feel it still makes it the top choice for teens this era.

 

[Ian Schmidt]

Then there is Tesla. Despite all the hype and all the legitimate and real benefits to owning a Tesla, reliability is not one of them.

Yeah. One of the things that put me off Tesla was that owners have to be familiar with how to reboot the various computers in the car, sometimes at speed, to fix various "quirks". That and the panel gaps you could drive an NX through.

 

[Alexander Li]

Yeah. One of the things that put me off Tesla was that owners have to be familiar with how to reboot the various computers in the car, sometimes at speed, to fix various "quirks". That and the panel gaps you could drive an NX through.

I totally agree! While all the kids in my class are Tesla fanboys, I just stand by and roll my eyes. So much hype only goes so far. Not too impressed with reliability either, in a fairly recent Consumer Reports issue. I think they might go as far to quit their just to get the chance to own one in later life. Gross.

 

[meth.ix]

While all the kids in my class are Tesla fanboys, I just stand by and roll my eyes.

Too relatable! lol