Special Report

These New Cars Are Most Likely to Drive Forever

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There are many important things to consider when buying a new car, and something that often gets overlooked is how long it will last before repairs are needed. Some cars are built to last, while others have problems that could mean the car will spend lots of time in the shop and cost thousands in repairs. 

To help car buyers identify the least potentially troublesome cars, product review site Consumer Reports conducted its latest annual Auto Reports survey of approximately 420,000 vehicles and predicted how likely each model is to have serious problems. 24/7 Wall St. reviewed models for the 2020 model year with a predicted reliability score of 5 out of 5, meaning Consumer Reports has determined these are the new models least likely to have serious problems down the road. 

The models on this list include both luxury models and lower-end vehicles. More expensive luxury models can be costly to fix, and to insure, particularly if the encountered problems are common. These are the most expensive cars to insure

While many different automakers and brands appear on this list, some appear more than others. Notably, Lexus and Toyota have at least five models each with a predicted reliability score of 5 out of 5. These are the car brands with the happiest drivers.

Click here to see the new cars that are most likely to drive forever.
Click here to see our methodology.

Source: Courtesy of Dodge

1. Dodge Challenger
> Consumer Reports overall score: 72
> MSRP: $27,995 – $58,995
> Fuel efficiency: 20 MPG

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Source: Courtesy of Mazda USA

2. Mazda CX-3
> Consumer Reports overall score: 72
> MSRP: $20,390 – $27,145
> Fuel efficiency: 28 MPG

Source: Courtesy of Toyota

3. Toyota Sequoia
> Consumer Reports overall score: 73
> MSRP: $49,905 – $69,170
> Fuel efficiency: 15 MPG

Source: Courtesy of Toyota

4. Toyota Corolla
> Consumer Reports overall score: 75
> MSRP: $19,600 – $25,550
> Fuel efficiency: 33 MPG

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Source: Courtesy of Toyota

5. Toyota Corolla Hatchback
> Consumer Reports overall score: 76
> MSRP: $20,290 – $24,340
> Fuel efficiency: 36 MPG

Source: automobiles.honda.com

6. Honda Clarity
> Consumer Reports overall score: 78
> MSRP: $33,400 – $58,490
> Fuel efficiency: 102 MPG

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Source: Courtesy of Nissan

7. Nissan Rogue Sport
> Consumer Reports overall score: 78
> MSRP: $21,460 – $27,460
> Fuel efficiency: 26 MPG

Source: Courtesy of Lexus

8. Lexus GX
> Consumer Reports overall score: 79
> MSRP: $53,000 – $64,265
> Fuel efficiency: 17 MPG

Source: Courtesy of Toyota

9. Toyota Prius
> Consumer Reports overall score: 79
> MSRP: $24,200 – $32,375
> Fuel efficiency: 52 MPG

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Source: Courtesy of Toyota

10. Toyota Prius Prime
> Consumer Reports overall score: 79
> MSRP: $27,750 – $33,650
> Fuel efficiency: 69 MPG

Source: Courtesy of Lexus

11. Lexus NX
> Consumer Reports overall score: 80
> MSRP: $36,870 – $46,360
> Fuel efficiency: 24 MPG

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Source: Courtesy of Lexus

12. Lexus UX
> Consumer Reports overall score: 80
> MSRP: $32,300 – $39,550
> Fuel efficiency: 37 MPG

Source: Courtesy of Hyundai USA

13. Hyundai Elantra GT
> Consumer Reports overall score: 81
> MSRP: $20,650 – $24,600
> Fuel efficiency: 28 MPG

Source: Courtesy of KIA

14. Kia Soul
> Consumer Reports overall score: 81
> MSRP: $17,490 – $27,490
> Fuel efficiency: 28 MPG

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15. Toyota 86
> Consumer Reports overall score: 81
> MSRP: $26,985 – $30,590
> Fuel efficiency: 30 MPG

Source: Courtesy of Genesis

16. Genesis G70
> Consumer Reports overall score: 82
> MSRP: $35,450 – $46,650
> Fuel efficiency: 23 MPG

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Source: Courtesy of Subaru

17. Subaru BRZ
> Consumer Reports overall score: 82
> MSRP: $28,845 – $31,495
> Fuel efficiency: 30 MPG

Source: Courtesy of Hyundai USA

18. Hyundai Kona Electric
> Consumer Reports overall score: 83
> MSRP: $36,450 – $44,650
> Fuel efficiency: 120 MPG

Source: Courtesy of Mazda

19. Mazda CX-5
> Consumer Reports overall score: 84
> MSRP: $25,090 – $37,055
> Fuel efficiency: 24 MPG

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Source: Courtesy of Mazda

20. Mazda MX-5 Miata
> Consumer Reports overall score: 84
> MSRP: $25,730 – $37,995
> Fuel efficiency: 34 MPG

Source: Courtesy of Nissan

21. Nissan Altima
> Consumer Reports overall score: 84
> MSRP: $24,100 – $35,180
> Fuel efficiency: 31 MPG

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Source: Courtesy of Subaru

22. Subaru Crosstrek
> Consumer Reports overall score: 85
> MSRP: $22,145 – $35,145
> Fuel efficiency: 29 MPG

Source: Courtesy of Lexus

23. Lexus GS
> Consumer Reports overall score: 86
> MSRP: $51,065 – $85,010
> Fuel efficiency: 21 MPG

Source: Courtesy of Mazda

24. Mazda CX-9
> Consumer Reports overall score: 86
> MSRP: $33,790 – $46,115
> Fuel efficiency: 22 MPG

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Source: Courtesy of Lexus

25. Lexus ES
> Consumer Reports overall score: 87
> MSRP: $39,900 – $45,160
> Fuel efficiency: 25 MPG

Source: Courtesy of Porsche

26. Porsche Cayenne
> Consumer Reports overall score: 87
> MSRP: $66,800 – $130,100
> Fuel efficiency: 21 MPG

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Source: Courtesy of Audi

27. Audi A4
> Consumer Reports overall score: 88
> MSRP: $37,400 – $45,700
> Fuel efficiency: 27 MPG

Source: Courtesy of Toyota

28. Toyota Avalon
> Consumer Reports overall score: 93
> MSRP: $35,800 – $43,150
> Fuel efficiency: 42 MPG

Methodology

To determine the cars that are most likely to drive forever, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed all 2020 model vehicles from Consumer Reports with a reliability score of 5 out of 5. Consumer Reports also awards an overall model score out of 100. This score incorporates reliability as well as other measures of quality. We excluded all models that were awarded no overall score by Consumer Reports as well as models with an overall score of 70 or lower. MSRP ranges and combined fuel efficiency figures are also from Consumer Reports.

These data come from Consumer Reports’ latest Auto Reports survey, conducted in 2019 and covering approximately 420,000 vehicles. Respondents were asked to report issues they experienced with their vehicles in one of 17 areas, ranging from engine problems to climate control issues to malfunctioning electrical systems. Using this information, experts at Consumer Reports assigned a predicted reliability score of 1 to 5 for these vehicles. The vehicles listed below are the 2020 model vehicles that received a score of 5 out of 5.

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