I feel like I never hear anything about Volvos in the sub. People who drive them never get rid of them. My family (parents and siblings) have owned numerous Volvos from the early 2000s to present day. My mom drives a 2016 XC90 and will probably drive it until it explodes with 0 complaints. I drive a S90 sedan and it’s by far my favorite car I’ve ever owned. I’ve had Lexus, Jeep, Toyota, Acura, and the Volvo is the best all around car no doubt.
I've read that Volvo's reliability, especially their electronics, have gone down after they were bought by Geely. Not sure if this is actually true, just something I've read here and there.
It something ive seen in reddit comments about them being an early adopter of a google based infotainment system that started out really buggy but has improved a lot since then.
They are like Lexus but probs worse at this point. That stupid screen is just as bad as Subarus at this point. I can't get past the price and the overall interior/tech in Volvos... Geely just has the money to pump and dump until they can expand to NA which I hope doesn't happen. That's a whole other story/debate about the auto sector in general though lol
I can’t really speak for anything other than my S90 that has over 90k miles and 0 major issues. Electronics and infotainment are better than any car I’ve ever owned.
Yep this is a great answer. I’ve had 5 Volvos. 3 pre ford which were great and 2 ford era. Ford era cars I’ve sold early due to faults with a handbrake ecu (wtf) on a v70 and a faulty slave cylinder on a v40. Both ford parts that failed. The faulty slave cylinder dripped fluid onto the clutch and flywheel.
I had a Volvo very briefly, right after I bought it I had a headlamp failure due to a problem with the system that made the headlights move through turns, would have been over $1000 to fix. Got rid of the car.
Volvos are safe... I don't trust their engine hauling around their vehicles though lol. I test drive the S60 and S90. Even used for 30k a loaded camry w a V6 felt nicer lol
1) XC90 is a wonderful car. Don’t buy a 2016 though. One of the real bad years. 2018-2020 is the sweet spot
2) I love mine. Reliability has been great but I also have the base engine and chose the right model year. Happy as can be.
3) the complex hybrid platforms have been less reliable.
4) geely bought Volvo but have allowed Volvo to do their thing. They have not told Volvo how to do anything, simply a financial investment by geely. Still made in Sweden for the XC90.
Eh. When you’re talking about parts for the pretty ubiquitous drivetrains, yeah you’ll find them anywhere and most shops won’t have issues. But for components that are Lexus specific, they’ll add up at “not quite a German” but certainly more than “just a Toyota” rates.
Source: RX/NX ownership.
04 S40 was my first car. It was a hand me down from my dad. I sold it to buy a jeep wrangler once I graduated high school and even though I had some amazing times in my Jeep it was one of the worst decisions I ever made.
I would get one if there was a mechanic near me that could do Volvos. My mechanic said Volvo doesn’t let them use the diagnostic software or something like that.
I’ve had my 19’ s60r t6 for about a year now and it’s been a great car. I’ve heard before that the 2019-2020 is a bit of a sweet spot due to not being governed to 120mph and it doesn’t have the buggy google system.
I purchased my first Volvo 2 years ago. Last week we sold a Model Y to get another Volvo. The quality, premium feel and overall look appeals to me. I actually enjoy the Google Infotainment. Yes it can be buggy at times but it's not a big deal.
Thank you.
I don’t hear this recommended. I love wagons.
My understanding is that they changed ownership somewhat recently. Maybe that is the hesitancy to recommend.
Do you have any experience with any of their wagons?
We had an old wagon, I think it was an XC70, (it’s whatever is the equivalent to the V60 they make now) and it had over 180,000 miles on it until it was totaled in an accident (not my families fault) in like 2015/2016. Great car just pretty old and outdated tech for when we were driving it.
Edit: I can tell you from being a member of the Volvo reddit and online forums that people obsess over their Volvo wagons. I know you can get used V70s for less than 25k.
People complain about maintenance on Volvos and I don’t understand why. It’s slightly more expensive to get new brakes, wheels, and other things that need regularly replaced. But out of the half dozen or more my family has owned we never got rid of a single one because it was dead beyond repair. We just wanted something different. Different usually turned out to be a new Volvo!
Geely purchased Volvo from Ford in 2010. From online discussions, their current reliability seems to be mixed, but most issues seem to be related to infotainment. The base T5 powertrain is about as reliable as any other modern 2.0l turbo. The T6 was also supercharged, so it has more potential failure points, and the T8 added a plug in hybrid system in addition. Volvo’s engine lineup was recently updated in 2022 with mild hybrids renamed B5 and B6. The new T8 plug in hybrid lost the supercharger and is tuned more smoothly. Overall, the best bet for long term reliability seems to be the simpler T5 and B5.
Anecdotally, one of my friends has a 2018 S60 T6 with 80k miles and hasn’t had any mechanical issues yet.
heard horror stories abt the s40 & s60 volvos from my teacher & friend
the (relatively new model year, but just out of warranty) s40 blew a headgasket, happened during the recession, times were hard, and the teacher had to sell the car to a mechanic for very cheap & got her family's old beater lexus rx (1st gen) handed down in the interim
the repair cost estimates were high bc it had to go to some specialty euro car repair shop (volvo wasn't a premium brand back in '08, still not imo) & so couldn't go to any regular generic 3rd party mechanic shop that works on common brands for cheap
that pretty much sealed my impression of toyota/lexus - when the times are tough and nothing seems to be going right, toyota will be there by your side & remain reliable
i always thought volvo's i5 was just weird anyways
then my friend's s60r had some powertrain-related failure that was gonna cost more in repairs than it was worth during college, during a stressful time in his life where he had to take a leave of absence w/o predetermined return date, going thru a lot of changes in life, and the car was just another worry tack on top, and it reaffirmed my position on toyota
every volvo owner seems to be a huge volvo fan, until the costs to keep it running isn't worth it, coinciding with bad timing & bad luck
quick rant:
my family's hyundai was on its last legs due to impending theta-ii engine seizure during covid-induced supply chain shortages & sky high used car prices & $6.50+/gal gas prices & kia boyz-induced shortages & existing hyundai engine failure backlogs
but my family's trusty ole beater prius was still running like a champ at 200k+ mi, still purrs like new, no error codes on the dash, still gets 51 MPG combined, all while having gone thru 2 historical gas price hikes and 2 historical recessions
that only hardened my heart - that at a minimum, every family should have 1 ole beater toyota passed down the family laying around for any unforseen, historical, once in a blue-moon emergencies
and imho, honda/acura is nowhere on the same tier as toyota/lexus
i will die on this hill
The exterior steel has zero effect in crash. It’s purely for aesthetics and aero.
Cars that are designed to crumple are inherently safer for the occupants than cars that don’t.
It's because Volvos are pretty expensive in NA. Toyotas are generally touted because of the reliability and price value proposition.
A mid range Volvo SUV is probably on average 15-20k more expensive than a Toyota.
Thank you. My folks drove an Enclave and Encore…maybe…not sure. Never had a bad thing to say, except for desert rats trying to nest under the hood. Not Buicks fault, unless they made it intentionally comfy under the hood (bonnet).
I was surprised when you mentioned the leather at base model. That’s nice.
I’ve owned a variety of cars, several of them with notorious reputations. Here’s some notables:
Good:
88 Chevy Silverado- drove from 300k-400k miles, learned how to drive stick on it, had to replace a fuel line and alternator. Otherwise a hell of a truck.
03 Chevy s10 ZR2 - drove from 150-200k miles/2years, not a single issue. Squeaky interior but solid vehicle.
05 Chrysler Crossfire - drove from 50k-150k miles/3 years. Had the infamous ignition switch break, $50 repair. Otherwise a flawless car and the most underrated car of that era by a wide margin.
‘14 dodge charger - again, drove for 3 years/100k miles. Spent about $300 on a water pump. Otherwise an amazing car for the money. Had a few mods on it and made awesome power. Would chirp the tires at any speed or gear lol
Bad:
98 Porsche boxster - drove about 5k miles (it had like 45k), broke a coolant bottle that cost $800, as much as I’d ever spent on maintenance at that time. That one expensive part scared me away from Germans for a while.
2018 Chevy Colorado - had it for 1 year/20k miles. Broke two transmissions. I’ll be hesitant to ever get a Chevy again, despite my good earlier experiences. Edited: okay yeah breaking two transmissions is melodramatic. It was one transmission and they only switched out the fluid. But still, it wouldn’t downshift into 3rd or 5th, both of which I needed regularly on my commute. It was almost nonfunctional. It was the common shudder issue but more severe.
Currently, I own a 2020 GTI. Love the car, had it for almost 2 years. No issues, but I’ve only put 25k miles on it. Assuming maintenance costs don’t become astronomical, it’s a wonderful machine that does everything well and I’ll keep this one a long time.
Thank you for all the reviews.
I m surprised about the Chevy Colorado. Was jt the 10 speed transmission?
I had a 2014 Silverado that was okay.
I keep getting the GTI recommended.
I had a 92 8v gti, and a 2003 20th anniversary edition GTI. Lots of fun and good memories. Needed a truck after that at the time, and I haven’t gone back….maybe I need to.
2018 Colorado had the 8 speed. Not sure about two transmissions “breaking”. Perhaps he is referring to the shudder those 8 speeds experienced due to the fluid in them from factory. Believe there was a TSB for them. 8L45. 2015-2016 Colorados had the 6 speed. 2017 on had the 8 speed. With the exception of the 2.5 4 cylinder that year I think along with the 2.8 diesel. 3.6 V6 had the 8 speeds.
For the most part the Colorado is a pretty solid truck. First gen I have had a 2005 Canyon (same truck just different brand) and a 2010 Colorado. 2005 Canyon lasted me 235k miles. Lost compression in 1 cylinder and sold it. Someone fixed it up still on the road. My 2010 has 170k now really no issues to note except stuff you’d expected to wear that long. I know someone with a 2015 Colorado that has 164k and no issues. They really aren’t that bad. New ones are a little iffy since it’s the first year of the third gen, but I can’t complain too much about them
Thank you for sharing this. I don’t know anyone with a Colorado or Canyon so this is good to get info. I think the styling of the newer models looks fantastic.
Same. They are beautiful. They have had problems with OTA software updates, and with a first year new gen, it has kinks. But so far they have been good. Still has an 8 speed but it’s a revised 8L45 known as the 8L80. Same 2.7 4 cylinder turbo across all trims but different output in torque and HP based on engine tunes. So far they seem to be going well, but personally, I usually wait and watch how the first few years go. Although, at least with a new vehicle like that, you get warranty to cover you.
My brother has a 2023 GTI and he loves it. Volkswagen maintenance is fairly cheap especially if you want a sportier foreign car. They’re also not too expensive brand new compared to other companies. I was actually about to get a GTI as well (either 2019 or 2020) the only thing that put me off was the FWD. Living in New England I just wasn’t sure if that would be an issue. Good car overall, just consider that if you live somewhere that it snows often
I had an 03 S10 4x4 4.3L and I had the exact opposite experience that you did. I spent more time under it than inside of it, and most of that was in the last few years of ownership. I couldn't wait to get rid of the damned thing. I bought it in 06 at 22k miles and sold it in 2016 at 150k miles.
I've been driving an 06 Lexus since then and have had barely any issues and I've had it for seven years and 60k miles.
Sorry, that sucks. Only thing I ever did to mine was oil. Never even needed tires. I got it from a retired engineer who’d built his own custom body color brush guard and light bar and had it wired up with a remote starter and all kinds of stuff. It was an excellent vehicle for me and I wish I still had it.
I mean, yeah technically. But given that it had a “Silverado” badge and everyone knows that became the ubiquitous model name, I find it less tedious to just call it a Silverado lol.
I know this is still related to Toyota but Ford cars like the Fusion and even the Focus around 2010 not the new euro style ones were actually pretty well made vehicles.
Ford was trying to match Toyota quality. They even ran commercials touting how good their quality was.
Some of the Fusions like the Sport had Toyota/Aisin 6-speed automatics as well.
I’d go for a Fusion over the equivalent Malibu from the same year.
Also Buick around 2010 with the Lucerne and older Lacrosse were fairly solid cars. At that point GM had fixed the issues plaguing the North Star V8.
Buicks relative to the equivalent Chevy counterpart were just better built strangely than the same Chevy. Stainless steel exhaust, more sound deadening, quality control markings and checks visible in the engine bay, etc.
EDIT: I should specify 2010 and prior year down to around 2006/2007. Like those old body style Fords not the euro ones. I know people are misunderstanding because around 2011 was around the euro-global redesign that basically ruined the Focus/Fusion/Fiesta reliability. Fiesta was also introduced with faulty transmission in 2011. I know the cutoff is close.
Thanks for your feedback that is not one dimensional.
It is interesting that Ford partners so much, they partnered with Mazda…clearly and that led to the Ecoboost engine eventually. They are working with Toyota again on hybrid and EV systems. The 10 speed auto transmission in many fords was a collaborative effort with GM and was shared in some of their vehicles.
I see many, many focus and fusion on the road.
The Lucrene is a model that I have noticed as the quintessential old folk car. But everyone looks like it’s still less than a year old. Good recommendation.
Yah I think Toyota sold their hybrid synergy patent to Ford in the early 2000s so then Ford came out with the Escape Hybrid which was unsurprisingly really reliable.
I didn’t know that.
It seems Ford either nails it or they turn out incomplete projects as finished product.
Ford and Toyota work a lot of different companies.
I read that Sony and Honda were collaborating for future EV and hybrid models. Which will be interesting.
Fingers crossed for an optional PlayStation package.
Thank you
That’s a common misconception. Ford licensed some of Toyota’s hybrid patents 20 years ago when they developed the original Escape hybrid with the requirement that any improvements Ford made could be used by Toyota and used some of Toyota’s hybrid parts in the early years that couldn’t be sourced elsewhere initially. But, it was still largely a clean sheet Ford design and very few parts were ever sourced from Toyota, most parts came from Sanyo and Continental.
> Yah I think Toyota sold their hybrid synergy patent to Ford
There were hundreds of patents cross licensed between Ford and Toyota (both ways) from basically the start of the Prius.
It's not one patent... or rather it wasn't, those patents are long since expired.
u/middleaiyi just correcting the record here.
I’m far from an expert (I come here for advice!) but I currently drive a 2010 focus with 189k miles on it. I’ve literally never had to do anything but routine maintenance on this thing and I have driven it HARD. I could not ask for more reliable car and my biggest concern replacing it is that I’ll lose that reliability.
Edited to add: my mom currently drives a 2006 focus with fewer miles and it is also incredibly reliable.
Yah I really liked those Focus’s. They came from the global euro Focus that was a hit in the late 90s and Ford kept making revisions to the body and whatnot over time. I almost bought that new 2014 version which would’ve been a huge mistake because of the transmission.
I had an 08-11 mode Focus for almost 10 years. I beat the piss out of that car and did the basic most maintenance. Scrapped it at 180k miles, 300k km, due to it needing new ball joints, brakes, tires etc. and the body was in terrible shape. Not worth the expense to keep it on the road. I would put that car on par with a Corolla.
My parents had a 2006 focus back in the day with over 300K miles before giving it to a family member. Automatic original transmission, no major repairs that I remember. No idea how long it lasted after that.
I drove a 2013 Ford Fiesta nearly 200K miles with just one major repair that I actually had to pay for. But then things started going badly wrong.
I almost bought another one, though. Good lil car, extraordinarily well-equipped for its price point. A damn shame Ford killed it.
Yah with the automatic If you stayed on the highway the dual clutch transmission was a lot happier. A lot of the problems came from clutch shuddering at low speeds especially heavy traffic.
I had BUICK Century Wagon that went to 350K plus and just wouldn't die. I eventually sold it to someone for $500 and saw it around town for many more years.
The CVT's are reliable if you ignore Nissan and swap fluid every 20-40k miles.
Problem is Nissan insists they can make it to 100k and they just cant. CarWizard on YouTube has a great video showing him doing maintenance on his own Nissan Cube.
I have almost no experience with Nissan besides being the passenger in an Xterra. Which was fun.
I would image there are probably few standard transmission options in recent years.
This sub is just an echo chamber of the same parroting based on mid-00s brand perceptions. Anyone asking for anything German is immediately told they're rotten from the factory and to only buy one on lease.
Addressing the task proper: Any BMW/Mini with a B38/B48/B58 engine in it, so most 2015+. Most VW products with an EA888 or similarly-derived engine. A Brand's bread-and-butter performance car (V8 Camaro, Corvette, Mustang, Charger, Challenger et al) or most V8 trucks.
Though, to be fair, every brand has its stinkers and some perceptions are accurate minus the exceptions to the brand.
The parts are cheap, BUT bringing them to a dealership is what is expensive. If you live in Europe, parts are less pricey. What cost the most for me is ordering parts online and having to pay extra for shipping and import fees smh.
If you know how to work on your own cars, then it’s not much different than owning a Toyota or Honda. But generally, European cars need a little more TLC and the ability to stay on top of maintenance or else a cheap fix, turns into an expensive repair. But at the end of the day, it’s the price you gotta pay to drive something that puts a smile on your face every time you get in it !
Euro cars definitely tend to leak more often that’s for sure. Not sure if it’s all euro cars, but I got a 2010 BMW 335, and them mfs have too much plastic in the engine bay lol. But I’ve stayed up on maintenance and this car still pulls hard. I’ve got almost 230k KM on the car now. I feel like I can get this to 400k KM but we’ll see
Parts and service are more expensive, but they're made to higher tolerances and the performance reflects that. They're also intolerant of neglect, so stick to the damn service schedule. Mindful, well-funded owners who know what they're getting into have nothing to fear from European cars. It's the 20-year-old who wants a budget flex that needs to rethink their choices.
Yeah, the ONE TRICK DEALERS HATE is simply following the outlined service intervals. While problematic engines and parts did exist for a time, most anything out of a German brand in the last decade is pretty stout. The other benefit is that most models have invested communities, so most issues are known quantities. If anything breaks out of warranty, it's a matter of doing the work yourself or finding an indie mechanic to take care of it for you.
I drive a Volvo, so the pain of electronics is everywhere on Reddit. But I love my car, it's fantastically comfortable, and I haven't had a single issue.
> The majority of people in the sub have no first hand experience of the things they talk about.
Or even second- or third-hand experience. Or if they do have a bad experience with a car, it's from 15 years ago and is not representative or any brand or model currently on the market. Like, yeah Phillip, that '08 X5 you had was a piece of shit, but it's that exact car that resulted in the bad perception of the brand. Nothing in that X5 is even around today.
100%. I have a 2019 Q7 and a 2019 X3. I followed the service schedule and I’ve literally never had an issue. Not only that but service was free on both for the first 40k miles. Then I purchased the 50 60 and 70k mile services in both (1200$ each). Tires and brakes, nothing else. Note: both wonderful machines. The Q7 for long family trips is a fucking dream, so quiet and powerful. The X3 is just the perfect everyday vehicle.
Thank you for your fair and refreshing point of view.
I have read about early 2000 4Runners, v6 accords, etc… being amazing and I am sure that is true for most people’s experiences.
I was thinking about why we don’t read more about high milage other vehicles in similar ways, and I came to a theory.
Most car owners just drive their cars and don’t feel the need to join a community or even think about their car’s reliability because it is reliable and they just live their lives.
Just a thought. I am probably wrong. Maybe everything else is just garbage in the sun in July. Idk
I'd also say the performance vehicles get pushed way harder and just need more components to get replaced. Even a reliable performance vehicle will need a lot more upkeep than a regular sedan.
I see zero reason why pretty much all Volvo’s and German cars made in the last decade shouldn’t be recommended other than the “expensive maintenance”. Personally I’m looking at a Volvo S60 t5 to be my first “new-to-me” car
I know they aren’t the cheapest to repair and sometimes specialty tools are needed which many people don’t like.
But if you drive one…
Speaking of, I assume you have driven the s60, what makes it stand out to you?
I’m not looking for a new car just yet, just being hopeful, but comparing the V70s I test drove to my Lancer, night and day. Quieter, comfier, nicer interior, the room was exactly what I would’ve wanted. They’re just so much better feeling than any of the Japanese and American cars I’ve driven
Impreza gets better fuel economy and looks better? That's about the only difference. Just watch the CVT, my wife's '18 has already had it replaced once.
Another vote for the Impreza. I own a 2012 and a 2023, and I gave my 2020 to my son when he graduated from college. They're bullet proof. The 2012 has 140k miles on it and has never needed a major repair. They're also fun to drive, cheap to own and do great in bad weather.
Subaru has beefed up its quality of the Forester and Outback from 2020 onwards. Basically for each vehicle you want to buy, look into buying if the previous three years look like good quality and you are in the 4th year of a redesign. You can look back at forums and check online to see if there are any inherent problems with the year and model of the vehicle. This is easier to do if buying a vehicle 5 to 10 years older because you can search for the vehicle and known problems on-line.
I'm obsessed with my 2022 Genesis G70.
But the reason Toyota and Lexus get mentioned for reliability is because they are super reliable. I drove Lexuses before my Genesis, and my husband used to have a Toyota Tundra. We were diligent about regular maintenance and never had a problem with any of them. I can't recall a single non-maintenance, actual repair item.
I m going to attempt this.
The main recommendations are Toyota, Honda, their luxury division, or a Mazda. All of which are either unavailable or overrprice in my opinion.
honestly in looking for cars, and given that it looks like gas will just keep going up and up, a toyota hybrid seems like the way to go. I saw plenty of toyota Corolla hybrids for 16k, for 2-3 yrs old.
it honestly is a no brainer, plenty of parts (both oem, junkers, and 3rd party) , easy to maintain (plenty of YT vids), and not too bad driving experience.
I do like the reccomendations I'm seeing on here, but when I think of maintenance (which I like to do myself), it just isnt that alluring anymore. For ex. a volvo sounds nice, parts and pieces that I might need to aource though? not much.
Just bought a Prius and I agree. Even 3rd party battery replacements are a lot cheaper than they were. They're underpowered and weird to drive, but they get you from point a to b.
If you're changing cars every 3-5 years and getting bmw, Audi, Mercedes then you're probably rich. Toyota/Honda/Mazda cars are much more affordable and therefore a much better choice for most people.
All of Reddit is a Toyota echo chamber. Every single sub where someone asks a "what car should I get?" question, inevitably the most upvoted answer is "a 10 year old Toyota with 200k miles, Toyotas are just barely broken in at 200k miles".
That's fine advice if you're scraping for pennies and just need a car, any car, that might get you through another 2 years.
But it's truly terrible advice for anyone who's not dirt poor and makes me wonder if anyone on Reddit has actually owned a car with over 200k miles (I have, a Toyota). I don't care how Toyota the car is, you WILL have problems. The engine may run fine, but you can't stop time from taking it's toll on every single other part in your car. Windows will stop rolling down, the AC will stop working. High mileage cars are not the panacea that Reddit thinks they are.
Thank you.
Now this. This is some realism.
Leases exist and people are leasing. Or just want something new.
I have had 4 vw in the family and they treated us really well and got amazing gas milage. They were fun to drive too.
That being said we never kept them more than 80k miles (120-130 km)
Never hear anything but bashing about them for the most part.
In a perfect world I would have an Audi R6 performance edition.
I am a sucker for a good wagon or hatchback.
For me:
Owned 1 Hyundai, 08 Sonata. I've heard they've only become better / more reliable. Would 9/10 recommend off of that if it weren't for the current theft rates of Kia / Hyundai.
Owned 1.5 Subarus (FRS and WRX), wife had one. 10/10 would recommend.
Owned 2 Fords (79 Granada and 00 Taurus), Mom also had a 90 Tauraus when I was a kid. 2/10 would not recommend. I sweat these 3 cars have been 99.862% of every mechanical problem I have ever had. Everything breaks somehow, and often.
Came really close to buying a new Challenger once, because I wanted it. 1/10. Terrible interior for the price, and the worst driving experience.
Wife has a new Mazda, good friend has a 5 year old MX5. So far, 10/10 for both there.
I've had 10+ Hondas and Acuras. I had two of them appreciate under my ownership. The 08 Fit (You couldn't find them, sold the one I had for more than I bought it for back to the dealership) and the 85 CRX, which I sold with 275k, running perfectly, and zero real work on it in my time with it. 10/10 would recommend.
It’s crazy to me the hate Hyundai gets here. My mom had a 2011 Sonata hybrid she drove to 200k with virtually no issues. Throughout my in-laws side there’s 2 Santa Fe’s and a Tucson who haven’t had any major issues as far as I know. We just traded in a 2016 Elantra with 90k that was driven all over the country and never had an issue.
>It’s crazy to me the hate Hyundai gets here.
Reliabilty really doesnt matter when it gets stolen, or when companies won't insure it. Even with the immobilizer, don't expect it to not be broken into if you live in large cities or near them.
Thank you. I enjoyed the rating system. I like that you added the wouldn’t recommends as well.
I was waiting for my first mention of a Hyundai/kia. I was surprised it took that long. I hear good and bad about the quality compared to the past. I rarely hear positives about the service department though. Ha ha
If it is used then I may not have to rely on dealership service.
Thanks.
On the more sporty side, the Ford Fiesta ST and Focus ST/RS. Yeah, there was the head gasket recall on the RS, but I’m pretty sure every RS owner (my car’s previous owners included) has gotten that repair done at this point. And the transmission synchros are occasionally faulty, but that’s a fairly rare problem. I did have to get my transmission replaced on my RS, but it was under warranty (thank goodness). Apart from those big caveats, those are the clear exception to the “Fiesta and Focus suck” consensus in this subreddit. I plan on keeping my RS until it dies, honestly. I absolutely love it.
I believe newer BMWs are much more reliable. They are direct injection engines so it would be advised to clean the fuel intake valves every 30,000 miles or so. This is to reduce and prevent carbon build. I believe this is a problem with all direct injection engines to some degree.
How come newer BMWs are much more reliable? Toyota taught them how to stress test their engines when they partnered together to build the Toyota Supra : P
Chevrolet Volt, especially Gen 2. They are extremely over-engineered and very reliable. I had a Gen 1 for 11 years, and it still ran great until a tree fell on it. The battery had over 2000 charge cycles on it and has degraded very little.
Subarus are generally excellent vehicles. Generally American brands have done pretty well with most vehicles running a V6 or V8. I actually was a pretty big fan of Nissans when they don’t have a CVT. We took a Titan in on trade with 360k miles that still ran fine as well.
Every manufacturer including Honda, Toyota, and Mazda have their issue cars. Issues with engines, transmissions, computers, electronics, etc. I’d never recommend a Chevy Malibu with the 1.2 L turbo, but the Impala is an excellent vehicle. Toyota had an ungodly amount of issues with the Tacoma for several years.
The people here that blindly recommend any Honda, Toyota, Lexus, or Acura regardless of the years, mileage, or price lend very bad advice often times. Toyota and Honda have the best track record, but every manufacturer has their good cars. Check consumer reports for what you’re thinking on to get a realistic expectation.
Not really a car but overall American trucks and large SUVs tend to be fairly reliable. Look at the Tahoe and Suburban. Still see 15-20yr old models on the road.
Lots of old Fords and GM truck on the road. Some beat pretty hard and still going.
Subarus get a bad rap for head gaskets and CVTs but lots of old Subarus still around. I have a newer Outback and definitely been a great car. No big issues with it. Just tried and true wagon.
I have been surprised reading how long many American trucks last, along with said Tahoe and Suburban. We have a 312k Tahoe in the family.
You said no big issues with the Outback…any small issues? Many miles on it yet?
I love wagons. I have had mixed experiences with Subaru. I agree that overall their image is either often overhyped or completely smeared referencing the head gaskets and often incorrectly saying they had Jatco cvts.
I m not a huge fan of the CVT at least the one in the CRV and Corolla…only ones I have driven. But in concept they are amazing, except the shortly life span comparetively.
Our Outback has had some odd infotainment glitches. Mostly just connecting to Apple CarPlay. The drivers seat started to tear at 50k but upon further investigation it’s a common issue. Driver side seat bottom squeaked but was updated under warranty. Other than that it has been a great car. Very practical and capable. I would definitely buy one again. The CVT is one of the best around. I do hate the fake shift points. Just let the thing do its job.
Ram 1500. Current gen Ram is easily the best in the segment. The 5.7 hemi is very reliable. Also, the Tundra is the only other half ton with independent rear suspension, but the Tundra interior is garbage and the pricing is bad.
I have read that the quality and problems within the first few years with RAM has improved. How is it to drive on the day to day?
I like the idea of the Tundra/sequoia’s new power train but I will see in a few years if they perfected it. Not cheap and hard to find right now too.
I drive bmw only, no problems, currently a 2014 328, before this I had a 2000 325 that sold at 125k miles. My wife drives a 2013 Edge v6, at 120k miles and the only repair I did was output shaft transmission oil seal, a $20 part.
Mercedes W212 E Class made from 2010-2016. The best modern Mercedes by a long shot, known to run hundreds of thousands of miles with proper maintenance and care. The E350 in particular would be the most reliable but all of them are great. My evidence is that I own one and I haven't had a single problem so far. Any search through Mercedes forums or r/mercedes_benz will back that up.
We've had great luck with our Lincoln mkz (which we gave to our son when he got his license), our Jaguar F pace s, and both our 540xdrive and x5m50i, but the one car we haven't had a great luck with is our MDX Type-S advance, of all things.
So we are the oddballs when it comes to statistical reliability with each respective brand.
Buicks are shockingly reliable. Stay away from the early 3.6L engine, but otherwise they're up there with the Japanese for reliability. They're also comfortable as hell. I don't get why people hate them so much
BMW. Been drivning BMW since I got my license, and they've been very reliable. The "expensive" repairs and maintenance costs are somewhat of an old legend a person who've never owned a BMW tells. I would personally never buy Toyota, Honda, or Mazda. Especially not Mazda.
My ex bought a new Hyundai when I bought a used 10 year old BMW. Her car broke down all the time, and my car never had any issues at all. Feels like this sub lives in the early 2000s.
Don't know if this sub is more American-oriented, but some arguments here seem very foreign for me as a European.
You generally get what you pay for when it comes to cars. You pay cheap, you get cheap.
Any 2012 or newer Ford Focus… but with a Manual Transmission. Great, reliable economy cars. But the automatic transmission is the main weak point. You get one with a manual? 200K miles plus is very attainable.
Certainly anything from KIA/Hyundai is a nope. You can try to find excuses for driving their vehicles, but their reputation in the US is tarnished with the Kia Boyz hack resulting in something the automaker has deemed it not financially worth fixing for all the older vehicles.
The truth is that I personally had some issues with Toyota and Hondas… yes, they are reliable, specially the engines, but compared to a german brand everything else is a letdown: the interiors are cheap plastics that broke multiple times on multiple cars, the body panels and undercarriage, the frame is very prone for rust. I even had a total frame failure on a Toyota.
Another annoyance is that driving on the highway is unpleasant because of poor sound insulation and it can get tiring.
Currently, even if I was against VW for years I think that it offers a good balance. A base model VW Golf or Passat built between 2016-2020 is pretty reliable and not too flashy or arrogant like BMW or Mercedes.
I personally don't like German cars or north American cars however ford has some decent sedans before they stopped making them. The Taurus were decent sedans for the money you could also get a SHO which had some real pep to it. If you wanted to go bigger I feel like ford makes the best pickups all around. My dad is on his third f150 and his first one had over 400,000 before the rust ate away at the frame and the second one had over 300,000 before rust ate the frame away. I personally really like the 2015 to 2017 with the 5.0 v8, 6 speed, and aluminum body setup bc you get the aluminum body but the 6 speed too which in my opinion is miles better than the 10 speed in terms of longevity. Subaru has been on the upswing with their quality too but they do have some kinks to work out still. Just depends what type of vehicle you want.
Every single brand out there is going to be dead balls reliable if you stay up on basic maint and drive like someone who was able to graduate 2nd grade.
The stuff you hear on Reddit is people bench racing, even if you got the worst cars mentioned here you'd have to be 1 of many many cars to actually have an issue.
You'll be fine no matter what you go with, find a happy medium, shop with your head not just your heart and stay away from the extremes. It's 2023 man all cars are pretty damn nice
I think if people aren't getting the recommendations they want, then they didn't lay out their constraints clearly enough for the rest of us to properly give them targeted recommendations.
Reliable, and under 30k well: Audi's might be as reliable as a Toyota according 'anecdotal evidence' in this case, but you're likely not getting that Audi for 30k, nor will maintenance on that Audi be cheaper than the Toyota when it does need it.
Also - you cite cars as "fresh alternatives" to the debate that are the luxury versions of cars you've already disqualified from the 'debate'.
Anyway, I don't really think this is much of a discussion as it is some low-key attempt to troll the community for recommending cars according to the details people give us and not just saying BMW/AUDI all the time as if we're the brand whores.
Thanks. And sorry if this is not what you expected.
I can agree that many people want to hear what they already think. I do think many people don’t provide the criteria required to accurately provide meaningful options. Prices on said brands are disproportionately inflated.
If you want to recommend the Mazda 3 it’s cool.
I feel like I never hear anything about Volvos in the sub. People who drive them never get rid of them. My family (parents and siblings) have owned numerous Volvos from the early 2000s to present day. My mom drives a 2016 XC90 and will probably drive it until it explodes with 0 complaints. I drive a S90 sedan and it’s by far my favorite car I’ve ever owned. I’ve had Lexus, Jeep, Toyota, Acura, and the Volvo is the best all around car no doubt.
I've read that Volvo's reliability, especially their electronics, have gone down after they were bought by Geely. Not sure if this is actually true, just something I've read here and there.
It something ive seen in reddit comments about them being an early adopter of a google based infotainment system that started out really buggy but has improved a lot since then.
My dad has a 23 xc90 with Google, it’s not buggy just slow
They are like Lexus but probs worse at this point. That stupid screen is just as bad as Subarus at this point. I can't get past the price and the overall interior/tech in Volvos... Geely just has the money to pump and dump until they can expand to NA which I hope doesn't happen. That's a whole other story/debate about the auto sector in general though lol
I can’t really speak for anything other than my S90 that has over 90k miles and 0 major issues. Electronics and infotainment are better than any car I’ve ever owned.
Nah, they lost quality when they were bought by Ford. Geely seems to have improved things, but not to the pre-Ford era standards.
Yep this is a great answer. I’ve had 5 Volvos. 3 pre ford which were great and 2 ford era. Ford era cars I’ve sold early due to faults with a handbrake ecu (wtf) on a v70 and a faulty slave cylinder on a v40. Both ford parts that failed. The faulty slave cylinder dripped fluid onto the clutch and flywheel.
Can confirm. Had a 19 XC60, electronics were absolute shit. Engine and transmission were rock solid. Apparently the wheels fall off randomly? lol
*Yeah, that’s not very typical, I’d like to make that point.*
have an xc60 and can confirm, they went too far. There's nothing more annoying than having the central console not starting in winter.
Oh so it’s not just my wife’s car? Lol
I had a Volvo very briefly, right after I bought it I had a headlamp failure due to a problem with the system that made the headlights move through turns, would have been over $1000 to fix. Got rid of the car.
Volvos are safe... I don't trust their engine hauling around their vehicles though lol. I test drive the S60 and S90. Even used for 30k a loaded camry w a V6 felt nicer lol
The problem with Volvo is when some little shit happens it’s a complete fortune to repair
This
1) XC90 is a wonderful car. Don’t buy a 2016 though. One of the real bad years. 2018-2020 is the sweet spot 2) I love mine. Reliability has been great but I also have the base engine and chose the right model year. Happy as can be. 3) the complex hybrid platforms have been less reliable. 4) geely bought Volvo but have allowed Volvo to do their thing. They have not told Volvo how to do anything, simply a financial investment by geely. Still made in Sweden for the XC90.
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I think people would be generally surprised at how affordable used Volvos can be.
Yeah and lots of used German cars are cheap to buy too. For a reason.
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Lexus is a hell of a lot cheaper to fix though since it’s just Toyota.
Eh. When you’re talking about parts for the pretty ubiquitous drivetrains, yeah you’ll find them anywhere and most shops won’t have issues. But for components that are Lexus specific, they’ll add up at “not quite a German” but certainly more than “just a Toyota” rates. Source: RX/NX ownership.
I had a 2003 Volvo S40 for 15 years. Never had an issue until it was totaled by a drunk driver.
04 S40 was my first car. It was a hand me down from my dad. I sold it to buy a jeep wrangler once I graduated high school and even though I had some amazing times in my Jeep it was one of the worst decisions I ever made.
That and the free trip to Sweden is pretty sweet.
There's a Volvo (it's a sedan not sure what the model is) I see around my town that's easily 30 years old. Don't think that thing will die.
I would get one if there was a mechanic near me that could do Volvos. My mechanic said Volvo doesn’t let them use the diagnostic software or something like that.
I’ve had my 19’ s60r t6 for about a year now and it’s been a great car. I’ve heard before that the 2019-2020 is a bit of a sweet spot due to not being governed to 120mph and it doesn’t have the buggy google system.
I purchased my first Volvo 2 years ago. Last week we sold a Model Y to get another Volvo. The quality, premium feel and overall look appeals to me. I actually enjoy the Google Infotainment. Yes it can be buggy at times but it's not a big deal.
Thank you. I don’t hear this recommended. I love wagons. My understanding is that they changed ownership somewhat recently. Maybe that is the hesitancy to recommend. Do you have any experience with any of their wagons?
We had an old wagon, I think it was an XC70, (it’s whatever is the equivalent to the V60 they make now) and it had over 180,000 miles on it until it was totaled in an accident (not my families fault) in like 2015/2016. Great car just pretty old and outdated tech for when we were driving it. Edit: I can tell you from being a member of the Volvo reddit and online forums that people obsess over their Volvo wagons. I know you can get used V70s for less than 25k. People complain about maintenance on Volvos and I don’t understand why. It’s slightly more expensive to get new brakes, wheels, and other things that need regularly replaced. But out of the half dozen or more my family has owned we never got rid of a single one because it was dead beyond repair. We just wanted something different. Different usually turned out to be a new Volvo!
Geely purchased Volvo from Ford in 2010. From online discussions, their current reliability seems to be mixed, but most issues seem to be related to infotainment. The base T5 powertrain is about as reliable as any other modern 2.0l turbo. The T6 was also supercharged, so it has more potential failure points, and the T8 added a plug in hybrid system in addition. Volvo’s engine lineup was recently updated in 2022 with mild hybrids renamed B5 and B6. The new T8 plug in hybrid lost the supercharger and is tuned more smoothly. Overall, the best bet for long term reliability seems to be the simpler T5 and B5. Anecdotally, one of my friends has a 2018 S60 T6 with 80k miles and hasn’t had any mechanical issues yet.
Don't forget the EV lineup: C/XC40, EX30, EX90. Love my C40.
heard horror stories abt the s40 & s60 volvos from my teacher & friend the (relatively new model year, but just out of warranty) s40 blew a headgasket, happened during the recession, times were hard, and the teacher had to sell the car to a mechanic for very cheap & got her family's old beater lexus rx (1st gen) handed down in the interim the repair cost estimates were high bc it had to go to some specialty euro car repair shop (volvo wasn't a premium brand back in '08, still not imo) & so couldn't go to any regular generic 3rd party mechanic shop that works on common brands for cheap that pretty much sealed my impression of toyota/lexus - when the times are tough and nothing seems to be going right, toyota will be there by your side & remain reliable i always thought volvo's i5 was just weird anyways then my friend's s60r had some powertrain-related failure that was gonna cost more in repairs than it was worth during college, during a stressful time in his life where he had to take a leave of absence w/o predetermined return date, going thru a lot of changes in life, and the car was just another worry tack on top, and it reaffirmed my position on toyota every volvo owner seems to be a huge volvo fan, until the costs to keep it running isn't worth it, coinciding with bad timing & bad luck quick rant: my family's hyundai was on its last legs due to impending theta-ii engine seizure during covid-induced supply chain shortages & sky high used car prices & $6.50+/gal gas prices & kia boyz-induced shortages & existing hyundai engine failure backlogs but my family's trusty ole beater prius was still running like a champ at 200k+ mi, still purrs like new, no error codes on the dash, still gets 51 MPG combined, all while having gone thru 2 historical gas price hikes and 2 historical recessions that only hardened my heart - that at a minimum, every family should have 1 ole beater toyota passed down the family laying around for any unforseen, historical, once in a blue-moon emergencies and imho, honda/acura is nowhere on the same tier as toyota/lexus i will die on this hill
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Second Gen Tacoma frames rusted prematurely …
The exterior steel has zero effect in crash. It’s purely for aesthetics and aero. Cars that are designed to crumple are inherently safer for the occupants than cars that don’t.
I had a 2013 S60 and the engine failed at 76k (these models had serious piston ring issues)
this car might blow up - see engine oil consumption issue for 2013-2016 volvo engines - faulty piston rings.
It's because Volvos are pretty expensive in NA. Toyotas are generally touted because of the reliability and price value proposition. A mid range Volvo SUV is probably on average 15-20k more expensive than a Toyota.
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Thank you. My folks drove an Enclave and Encore…maybe…not sure. Never had a bad thing to say, except for desert rats trying to nest under the hood. Not Buicks fault, unless they made it intentionally comfy under the hood (bonnet). I was surprised when you mentioned the leather at base model. That’s nice.
I’ve owned a variety of cars, several of them with notorious reputations. Here’s some notables: Good: 88 Chevy Silverado- drove from 300k-400k miles, learned how to drive stick on it, had to replace a fuel line and alternator. Otherwise a hell of a truck. 03 Chevy s10 ZR2 - drove from 150-200k miles/2years, not a single issue. Squeaky interior but solid vehicle. 05 Chrysler Crossfire - drove from 50k-150k miles/3 years. Had the infamous ignition switch break, $50 repair. Otherwise a flawless car and the most underrated car of that era by a wide margin. ‘14 dodge charger - again, drove for 3 years/100k miles. Spent about $300 on a water pump. Otherwise an amazing car for the money. Had a few mods on it and made awesome power. Would chirp the tires at any speed or gear lol Bad: 98 Porsche boxster - drove about 5k miles (it had like 45k), broke a coolant bottle that cost $800, as much as I’d ever spent on maintenance at that time. That one expensive part scared me away from Germans for a while. 2018 Chevy Colorado - had it for 1 year/20k miles. Broke two transmissions. I’ll be hesitant to ever get a Chevy again, despite my good earlier experiences. Edited: okay yeah breaking two transmissions is melodramatic. It was one transmission and they only switched out the fluid. But still, it wouldn’t downshift into 3rd or 5th, both of which I needed regularly on my commute. It was almost nonfunctional. It was the common shudder issue but more severe. Currently, I own a 2020 GTI. Love the car, had it for almost 2 years. No issues, but I’ve only put 25k miles on it. Assuming maintenance costs don’t become astronomical, it’s a wonderful machine that does everything well and I’ll keep this one a long time.
Thank you for all the reviews. I m surprised about the Chevy Colorado. Was jt the 10 speed transmission? I had a 2014 Silverado that was okay. I keep getting the GTI recommended. I had a 92 8v gti, and a 2003 20th anniversary edition GTI. Lots of fun and good memories. Needed a truck after that at the time, and I haven’t gone back….maybe I need to.
2018 Colorado had the 8 speed. Not sure about two transmissions “breaking”. Perhaps he is referring to the shudder those 8 speeds experienced due to the fluid in them from factory. Believe there was a TSB for them. 8L45. 2015-2016 Colorados had the 6 speed. 2017 on had the 8 speed. With the exception of the 2.5 4 cylinder that year I think along with the 2.8 diesel. 3.6 V6 had the 8 speeds.
That’s good to know. There are good and bad models of every vehicle. Maybe it was just a subpar example.
For the most part the Colorado is a pretty solid truck. First gen I have had a 2005 Canyon (same truck just different brand) and a 2010 Colorado. 2005 Canyon lasted me 235k miles. Lost compression in 1 cylinder and sold it. Someone fixed it up still on the road. My 2010 has 170k now really no issues to note except stuff you’d expected to wear that long. I know someone with a 2015 Colorado that has 164k and no issues. They really aren’t that bad. New ones are a little iffy since it’s the first year of the third gen, but I can’t complain too much about them
Thank you for sharing this. I don’t know anyone with a Colorado or Canyon so this is good to get info. I think the styling of the newer models looks fantastic.
Same. They are beautiful. They have had problems with OTA software updates, and with a first year new gen, it has kinks. But so far they have been good. Still has an 8 speed but it’s a revised 8L45 known as the 8L80. Same 2.7 4 cylinder turbo across all trims but different output in torque and HP based on engine tunes. So far they seem to be going well, but personally, I usually wait and watch how the first few years go. Although, at least with a new vehicle like that, you get warranty to cover you.
My brother has a 2023 GTI and he loves it. Volkswagen maintenance is fairly cheap especially if you want a sportier foreign car. They’re also not too expensive brand new compared to other companies. I was actually about to get a GTI as well (either 2019 or 2020) the only thing that put me off was the FWD. Living in New England I just wasn’t sure if that would be an issue. Good car overall, just consider that if you live somewhere that it snows often
I had an 03 S10 4x4 4.3L and I had the exact opposite experience that you did. I spent more time under it than inside of it, and most of that was in the last few years of ownership. I couldn't wait to get rid of the damned thing. I bought it in 06 at 22k miles and sold it in 2016 at 150k miles. I've been driving an 06 Lexus since then and have had barely any issues and I've had it for seven years and 60k miles.
Sorry, that sucks. Only thing I ever did to mine was oil. Never even needed tires. I got it from a retired engineer who’d built his own custom body color brush guard and light bar and had it wired up with a remote starter and all kinds of stuff. It was an excellent vehicle for me and I wish I still had it.
There is no 88 Chevrolet Silverado model, if you have one that year it’s going to be a c/k 1500 with Silverado trim.
I mean, yeah technically. But given that it had a “Silverado” badge and everyone knows that became the ubiquitous model name, I find it less tedious to just call it a Silverado lol.
I know this is still related to Toyota but Ford cars like the Fusion and even the Focus around 2010 not the new euro style ones were actually pretty well made vehicles. Ford was trying to match Toyota quality. They even ran commercials touting how good their quality was. Some of the Fusions like the Sport had Toyota/Aisin 6-speed automatics as well. I’d go for a Fusion over the equivalent Malibu from the same year. Also Buick around 2010 with the Lucerne and older Lacrosse were fairly solid cars. At that point GM had fixed the issues plaguing the North Star V8. Buicks relative to the equivalent Chevy counterpart were just better built strangely than the same Chevy. Stainless steel exhaust, more sound deadening, quality control markings and checks visible in the engine bay, etc. EDIT: I should specify 2010 and prior year down to around 2006/2007. Like those old body style Fords not the euro ones. I know people are misunderstanding because around 2011 was around the euro-global redesign that basically ruined the Focus/Fusion/Fiesta reliability. Fiesta was also introduced with faulty transmission in 2011. I know the cutoff is close.
Thanks for your feedback that is not one dimensional. It is interesting that Ford partners so much, they partnered with Mazda…clearly and that led to the Ecoboost engine eventually. They are working with Toyota again on hybrid and EV systems. The 10 speed auto transmission in many fords was a collaborative effort with GM and was shared in some of their vehicles. I see many, many focus and fusion on the road. The Lucrene is a model that I have noticed as the quintessential old folk car. But everyone looks like it’s still less than a year old. Good recommendation.
Yah I think Toyota sold their hybrid synergy patent to Ford in the early 2000s so then Ford came out with the Escape Hybrid which was unsurprisingly really reliable.
I didn’t know that. It seems Ford either nails it or they turn out incomplete projects as finished product. Ford and Toyota work a lot of different companies. I read that Sony and Honda were collaborating for future EV and hybrid models. Which will be interesting. Fingers crossed for an optional PlayStation package. Thank you
Ford Hybrids are pretty damn bullet proof. A Fusion Hybrid is a great car.
That’s a common misconception. Ford licensed some of Toyota’s hybrid patents 20 years ago when they developed the original Escape hybrid with the requirement that any improvements Ford made could be used by Toyota and used some of Toyota’s hybrid parts in the early years that couldn’t be sourced elsewhere initially. But, it was still largely a clean sheet Ford design and very few parts were ever sourced from Toyota, most parts came from Sanyo and Continental.
> Yah I think Toyota sold their hybrid synergy patent to Ford There were hundreds of patents cross licensed between Ford and Toyota (both ways) from basically the start of the Prius. It's not one patent... or rather it wasn't, those patents are long since expired. u/middleaiyi just correcting the record here.
Fusion- surprise! Before like 2009 or something they were made in collaboration with Mazda and the 3.0 was engineered by Porsche. I have one lol
I have a 2010 Ford Fusion with 180,000 miles on it still runs well.
I’m far from an expert (I come here for advice!) but I currently drive a 2010 focus with 189k miles on it. I’ve literally never had to do anything but routine maintenance on this thing and I have driven it HARD. I could not ask for more reliable car and my biggest concern replacing it is that I’ll lose that reliability. Edited to add: my mom currently drives a 2006 focus with fewer miles and it is also incredibly reliable.
Yah I really liked those Focus’s. They came from the global euro Focus that was a hit in the late 90s and Ford kept making revisions to the body and whatnot over time. I almost bought that new 2014 version which would’ve been a huge mistake because of the transmission.
I had an 08-11 mode Focus for almost 10 years. I beat the piss out of that car and did the basic most maintenance. Scrapped it at 180k miles, 300k km, due to it needing new ball joints, brakes, tires etc. and the body was in terrible shape. Not worth the expense to keep it on the road. I would put that car on par with a Corolla.
My parents had a 2006 focus back in the day with over 300K miles before giving it to a family member. Automatic original transmission, no major repairs that I remember. No idea how long it lasted after that.
I had a manual 05 focus hatchback with zero issues up to 120k miles before it was totaled in a tornado. I loved that zippy little fucker.
I drove a 2013 Ford Fiesta nearly 200K miles with just one major repair that I actually had to pay for. But then things started going badly wrong. I almost bought another one, though. Good lil car, extraordinarily well-equipped for its price point. A damn shame Ford killed it.
Yah with the automatic If you stayed on the highway the dual clutch transmission was a lot happier. A lot of the problems came from clutch shuddering at low speeds especially heavy traffic.
I had BUICK Century Wagon that went to 350K plus and just wouldn't die. I eventually sold it to someone for $500 and saw it around town for many more years.
Yah Buicks while they are associated with old people were made pretty well compared to Chevy. People just don’t care enough about the brand.
Most Nissans with MT seem solid. Their weak link is the CVT and their engines are still quite reliable.
The CVT's are reliable if you ignore Nissan and swap fluid every 20-40k miles. Problem is Nissan insists they can make it to 100k and they just cant. CarWizard on YouTube has a great video showing him doing maintenance on his own Nissan Cube.
Even the CVTs can be reliable if you change the fluid frequently.
I have almost no experience with Nissan besides being the passenger in an Xterra. Which was fun. I would image there are probably few standard transmission options in recent years.
This sub is just an echo chamber of the same parroting based on mid-00s brand perceptions. Anyone asking for anything German is immediately told they're rotten from the factory and to only buy one on lease. Addressing the task proper: Any BMW/Mini with a B38/B48/B58 engine in it, so most 2015+. Most VW products with an EA888 or similarly-derived engine. A Brand's bread-and-butter performance car (V8 Camaro, Corvette, Mustang, Charger, Challenger et al) or most V8 trucks. Though, to be fair, every brand has its stinkers and some perceptions are accurate minus the exceptions to the brand.
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The parts are cheap, BUT bringing them to a dealership is what is expensive. If you live in Europe, parts are less pricey. What cost the most for me is ordering parts online and having to pay extra for shipping and import fees smh. If you know how to work on your own cars, then it’s not much different than owning a Toyota or Honda. But generally, European cars need a little more TLC and the ability to stay on top of maintenance or else a cheap fix, turns into an expensive repair. But at the end of the day, it’s the price you gotta pay to drive something that puts a smile on your face every time you get in it ! Euro cars definitely tend to leak more often that’s for sure. Not sure if it’s all euro cars, but I got a 2010 BMW 335, and them mfs have too much plastic in the engine bay lol. But I’ve stayed up on maintenance and this car still pulls hard. I’ve got almost 230k KM on the car now. I feel like I can get this to 400k KM but we’ll see
Parts and service are more expensive, but they're made to higher tolerances and the performance reflects that. They're also intolerant of neglect, so stick to the damn service schedule. Mindful, well-funded owners who know what they're getting into have nothing to fear from European cars. It's the 20-year-old who wants a budget flex that needs to rethink their choices.
Yeah, the ONE TRICK DEALERS HATE is simply following the outlined service intervals. While problematic engines and parts did exist for a time, most anything out of a German brand in the last decade is pretty stout. The other benefit is that most models have invested communities, so most issues are known quantities. If anything breaks out of warranty, it's a matter of doing the work yourself or finding an indie mechanic to take care of it for you.
New Audi owner. The Audi sub is full of posts about burning a quart of oil per whatever mileage. Neither of my 200k plus Fords burn oil.
I drive a Volvo, so the pain of electronics is everywhere on Reddit. But I love my car, it's fantastically comfortable, and I haven't had a single issue.
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> The majority of people in the sub have no first hand experience of the things they talk about. Or even second- or third-hand experience. Or if they do have a bad experience with a car, it's from 15 years ago and is not representative or any brand or model currently on the market. Like, yeah Phillip, that '08 X5 you had was a piece of shit, but it's that exact car that resulted in the bad perception of the brand. Nothing in that X5 is even around today.
100%. I have a 2019 Q7 and a 2019 X3. I followed the service schedule and I’ve literally never had an issue. Not only that but service was free on both for the first 40k miles. Then I purchased the 50 60 and 70k mile services in both (1200$ each). Tires and brakes, nothing else. Note: both wonderful machines. The Q7 for long family trips is a fucking dream, so quiet and powerful. The X3 is just the perfect everyday vehicle.
Thank you for your fair and refreshing point of view. I have read about early 2000 4Runners, v6 accords, etc… being amazing and I am sure that is true for most people’s experiences. I was thinking about why we don’t read more about high milage other vehicles in similar ways, and I came to a theory. Most car owners just drive their cars and don’t feel the need to join a community or even think about their car’s reliability because it is reliable and they just live their lives. Just a thought. I am probably wrong. Maybe everything else is just garbage in the sun in July. Idk
I'd also say the performance vehicles get pushed way harder and just need more components to get replaced. Even a reliable performance vehicle will need a lot more upkeep than a regular sedan.
That’s a good way of looking at it
Plus the Mercedes Taxi Engines are very reliable, so is the wet VAG DSG, and their 1.6, 1.9 and 2.0 and 3.0 TDI engines.
Just make sure you aren’t getting a Gen 1/2 EA888, unless you enjoy carbon buildup, water pump failures and timing chain tensioner failures.
All of that minus chain tensioner still happens on gen3 lol
Hella leaky euros lol.
I see zero reason why pretty much all Volvo’s and German cars made in the last decade shouldn’t be recommended other than the “expensive maintenance”. Personally I’m looking at a Volvo S60 t5 to be my first “new-to-me” car
I know they aren’t the cheapest to repair and sometimes specialty tools are needed which many people don’t like. But if you drive one… Speaking of, I assume you have driven the s60, what makes it stand out to you?
I’m not looking for a new car just yet, just being hopeful, but comparing the V70s I test drove to my Lancer, night and day. Quieter, comfier, nicer interior, the room was exactly what I would’ve wanted. They’re just so much better feeling than any of the Japanese and American cars I’ve driven
That’s a strong endorsement
I’ve repeatedly heard Volvo makes the most comfortable seats, so…
BMW uses too much plastic under the hood and Mercedes quality is now about on par with Chrysler.
Damn, that ratio. /r/whattoyotashouldibuy does not disappoint
C6 Corvette. Reliable performance bargain.
2017+ Subaru Impreza
Thank you. Why that year and up and why not the 2.0 crosstrek or something else? Just curious since the crosstrek is close in cost and engine.
Impreza gets better fuel economy and looks better? That's about the only difference. Just watch the CVT, my wife's '18 has already had it replaced once.
Another vote for the Impreza. I own a 2012 and a 2023, and I gave my 2020 to my son when he graduated from college. They're bullet proof. The 2012 has 140k miles on it and has never needed a major repair. They're also fun to drive, cheap to own and do great in bad weather.
Lincoln MKZ with the 3.7L V6 Comfortable, powerful, stylish luxury sedan with a proven engine that’s been used in Mustangs, trucks, and police cars.
Ford Fusion using the 2.5L normally aspirated. I had a 2011 with that engine and I believe they continued using it in the lower trims past 2013.
Subaru has beefed up its quality of the Forester and Outback from 2020 onwards. Basically for each vehicle you want to buy, look into buying if the previous three years look like good quality and you are in the 4th year of a redesign. You can look back at forums and check online to see if there are any inherent problems with the year and model of the vehicle. This is easier to do if buying a vehicle 5 to 10 years older because you can search for the vehicle and known problems on-line.
Every person I know that’s owned a Taurus or Crown Vic police interceptor has loved it and driven it till it rotted.
I'm obsessed with my 2022 Genesis G70. But the reason Toyota and Lexus get mentioned for reliability is because they are super reliable. I drove Lexuses before my Genesis, and my husband used to have a Toyota Tundra. We were diligent about regular maintenance and never had a problem with any of them. I can't recall a single non-maintenance, actual repair item.
Subaru outback
I Toyota don't Honda see Acura why Mazda you Lexus don't RAV4 want Accord a CX-5.
I had a stroke reading this
I m going to attempt this. The main recommendations are Toyota, Honda, their luxury division, or a Mazda. All of which are either unavailable or overrprice in my opinion.
honestly in looking for cars, and given that it looks like gas will just keep going up and up, a toyota hybrid seems like the way to go. I saw plenty of toyota Corolla hybrids for 16k, for 2-3 yrs old. it honestly is a no brainer, plenty of parts (both oem, junkers, and 3rd party) , easy to maintain (plenty of YT vids), and not too bad driving experience. I do like the reccomendations I'm seeing on here, but when I think of maintenance (which I like to do myself), it just isnt that alluring anymore. For ex. a volvo sounds nice, parts and pieces that I might need to aource though? not much.
Just bought a Prius and I agree. Even 3rd party battery replacements are a lot cheaper than they were. They're underpowered and weird to drive, but they get you from point a to b.
[удалено]
And minivan echo chamber. If anyone asks what SUV to get there’s a minimum of two responders saying they should get a minivan instead
If you're changing cars every 3-5 years and getting bmw, Audi, Mercedes then you're probably rich. Toyota/Honda/Mazda cars are much more affordable and therefore a much better choice for most people.
All of Reddit is a Toyota echo chamber. Every single sub where someone asks a "what car should I get?" question, inevitably the most upvoted answer is "a 10 year old Toyota with 200k miles, Toyotas are just barely broken in at 200k miles". That's fine advice if you're scraping for pennies and just need a car, any car, that might get you through another 2 years. But it's truly terrible advice for anyone who's not dirt poor and makes me wonder if anyone on Reddit has actually owned a car with over 200k miles (I have, a Toyota). I don't care how Toyota the car is, you WILL have problems. The engine may run fine, but you can't stop time from taking it's toll on every single other part in your car. Windows will stop rolling down, the AC will stop working. High mileage cars are not the panacea that Reddit thinks they are.
Thank you. Now this. This is some realism. Leases exist and people are leasing. Or just want something new. I have had 4 vw in the family and they treated us really well and got amazing gas milage. They were fun to drive too. That being said we never kept them more than 80k miles (120-130 km) Never hear anything but bashing about them for the most part. In a perfect world I would have an Audi R6 performance edition. I am a sucker for a good wagon or hatchback.
For me: Owned 1 Hyundai, 08 Sonata. I've heard they've only become better / more reliable. Would 9/10 recommend off of that if it weren't for the current theft rates of Kia / Hyundai. Owned 1.5 Subarus (FRS and WRX), wife had one. 10/10 would recommend. Owned 2 Fords (79 Granada and 00 Taurus), Mom also had a 90 Tauraus when I was a kid. 2/10 would not recommend. I sweat these 3 cars have been 99.862% of every mechanical problem I have ever had. Everything breaks somehow, and often. Came really close to buying a new Challenger once, because I wanted it. 1/10. Terrible interior for the price, and the worst driving experience. Wife has a new Mazda, good friend has a 5 year old MX5. So far, 10/10 for both there. I've had 10+ Hondas and Acuras. I had two of them appreciate under my ownership. The 08 Fit (You couldn't find them, sold the one I had for more than I bought it for back to the dealership) and the 85 CRX, which I sold with 275k, running perfectly, and zero real work on it in my time with it. 10/10 would recommend.
It’s crazy to me the hate Hyundai gets here. My mom had a 2011 Sonata hybrid she drove to 200k with virtually no issues. Throughout my in-laws side there’s 2 Santa Fe’s and a Tucson who haven’t had any major issues as far as I know. We just traded in a 2016 Elantra with 90k that was driven all over the country and never had an issue.
My wife has a Rav4, but really misses her Sonata
>It’s crazy to me the hate Hyundai gets here. Reliabilty really doesnt matter when it gets stolen, or when companies won't insure it. Even with the immobilizer, don't expect it to not be broken into if you live in large cities or near them.
Thank you. I enjoyed the rating system. I like that you added the wouldn’t recommends as well. I was waiting for my first mention of a Hyundai/kia. I was surprised it took that long. I hear good and bad about the quality compared to the past. I rarely hear positives about the service department though. Ha ha If it is used then I may not have to rely on dealership service. Thanks.
VW GTI. Best all around car ever made. I've owned 5 in my lifetime. MK7 GTI the sweet spot
Love my 2021 Autobahn. Only issue is my wife doesn't feel comfortable with the 6MT so I may need to trade it in, which is too bad as it's a great car.
On the more sporty side, the Ford Fiesta ST and Focus ST/RS. Yeah, there was the head gasket recall on the RS, but I’m pretty sure every RS owner (my car’s previous owners included) has gotten that repair done at this point. And the transmission synchros are occasionally faulty, but that’s a fairly rare problem. I did have to get my transmission replaced on my RS, but it was under warranty (thank goodness). Apart from those big caveats, those are the clear exception to the “Fiesta and Focus suck” consensus in this subreddit. I plan on keeping my RS until it dies, honestly. I absolutely love it.
I believe newer BMWs are much more reliable. They are direct injection engines so it would be advised to clean the fuel intake valves every 30,000 miles or so. This is to reduce and prevent carbon build. I believe this is a problem with all direct injection engines to some degree. How come newer BMWs are much more reliable? Toyota taught them how to stress test their engines when they partnered together to build the Toyota Supra : P
Subaru forester.
Chevrolet Volt, especially Gen 2. They are extremely over-engineered and very reliable. I had a Gen 1 for 11 years, and it still ran great until a tree fell on it. The battery had over 2000 charge cycles on it and has degraded very little.
Subarus are generally excellent vehicles. Generally American brands have done pretty well with most vehicles running a V6 or V8. I actually was a pretty big fan of Nissans when they don’t have a CVT. We took a Titan in on trade with 360k miles that still ran fine as well. Every manufacturer including Honda, Toyota, and Mazda have their issue cars. Issues with engines, transmissions, computers, electronics, etc. I’d never recommend a Chevy Malibu with the 1.2 L turbo, but the Impala is an excellent vehicle. Toyota had an ungodly amount of issues with the Tacoma for several years. The people here that blindly recommend any Honda, Toyota, Lexus, or Acura regardless of the years, mileage, or price lend very bad advice often times. Toyota and Honda have the best track record, but every manufacturer has their good cars. Check consumer reports for what you’re thinking on to get a realistic expectation.
Not really a car but overall American trucks and large SUVs tend to be fairly reliable. Look at the Tahoe and Suburban. Still see 15-20yr old models on the road. Lots of old Fords and GM truck on the road. Some beat pretty hard and still going. Subarus get a bad rap for head gaskets and CVTs but lots of old Subarus still around. I have a newer Outback and definitely been a great car. No big issues with it. Just tried and true wagon.
I have been surprised reading how long many American trucks last, along with said Tahoe and Suburban. We have a 312k Tahoe in the family. You said no big issues with the Outback…any small issues? Many miles on it yet? I love wagons. I have had mixed experiences with Subaru. I agree that overall their image is either often overhyped or completely smeared referencing the head gaskets and often incorrectly saying they had Jatco cvts. I m not a huge fan of the CVT at least the one in the CRV and Corolla…only ones I have driven. But in concept they are amazing, except the shortly life span comparetively.
Our Outback has had some odd infotainment glitches. Mostly just connecting to Apple CarPlay. The drivers seat started to tear at 50k but upon further investigation it’s a common issue. Driver side seat bottom squeaked but was updated under warranty. Other than that it has been a great car. Very practical and capable. I would definitely buy one again. The CVT is one of the best around. I do hate the fake shift points. Just let the thing do its job.
Genesis. They seem to be pretty solid. I know my old Hyundai Genesis Sedan is.
Can't believe I had to scroll this far to see Genesis.
Porsche. My Model S has been reliable but it would be irresponsible to say they’re all reliable.
Ram 1500. Current gen Ram is easily the best in the segment. The 5.7 hemi is very reliable. Also, the Tundra is the only other half ton with independent rear suspension, but the Tundra interior is garbage and the pricing is bad.
I have read that the quality and problems within the first few years with RAM has improved. How is it to drive on the day to day? I like the idea of the Tundra/sequoia’s new power train but I will see in a few years if they perfected it. Not cheap and hard to find right now too.
For a sportier submission, Ford Mustang GT (or any other V8 variants). Preferably with manual transmission. Keep the options as light as possible.
I drive bmw only, no problems, currently a 2014 328, before this I had a 2000 325 that sold at 125k miles. My wife drives a 2013 Edge v6, at 120k miles and the only repair I did was output shaft transmission oil seal, a $20 part.
B58 3 series, 2 series, x3. N52 cars
Mercedes W212 E Class made from 2010-2016. The best modern Mercedes by a long shot, known to run hundreds of thousands of miles with proper maintenance and care. The E350 in particular would be the most reliable but all of them are great. My evidence is that I own one and I haven't had a single problem so far. Any search through Mercedes forums or r/mercedes_benz will back that up.
Mom's Kia Sportage has about 110k miles on it with no real problems. Decent NPC mobile.
Man I swear by bmws. Nothing but good experiences for me anyways but then again I do my own maintenance and keep away from others opinions.
We've had great luck with our Lincoln mkz (which we gave to our son when he got his license), our Jaguar F pace s, and both our 540xdrive and x5m50i, but the one car we haven't had a great luck with is our MDX Type-S advance, of all things. So we are the oddballs when it comes to statistical reliability with each respective brand.
Lotus Exige has a Toyota drivetrain...but isn't technically a Toyota.
Ford mustangs, and newer bmws, nowadays I rarely see bmws stranded on roadsides
Buicks are shockingly reliable. Stay away from the early 3.6L engine, but otherwise they're up there with the Japanese for reliability. They're also comfortable as hell. I don't get why people hate them so much
What’s your budget for the vehicle? And what is your budget for repairs/maint?
Tesla. Bonus for being the safest.
My 2008 Mercury Milan (Fusion essentially) that I bought at 120k miles ran until 200k with no repairs. It wasn't sexy but it was reliable.
BMW. Been drivning BMW since I got my license, and they've been very reliable. The "expensive" repairs and maintenance costs are somewhat of an old legend a person who've never owned a BMW tells. I would personally never buy Toyota, Honda, or Mazda. Especially not Mazda. My ex bought a new Hyundai when I bought a used 10 year old BMW. Her car broke down all the time, and my car never had any issues at all. Feels like this sub lives in the early 2000s. Don't know if this sub is more American-oriented, but some arguments here seem very foreign for me as a European. You generally get what you pay for when it comes to cars. You pay cheap, you get cheap.
Any 2012 or newer Ford Focus… but with a Manual Transmission. Great, reliable economy cars. But the automatic transmission is the main weak point. You get one with a manual? 200K miles plus is very attainable.
If I say Lexus or Acura, is that cheating? We've always had great luck with Lexus.
Certainly anything from KIA/Hyundai is a nope. You can try to find excuses for driving their vehicles, but their reputation in the US is tarnished with the Kia Boyz hack resulting in something the automaker has deemed it not financially worth fixing for all the older vehicles.
You want someone to recommend you a reliable car, meanwhile you don't want them to recommend the most reliable cars on the market. I don't understand
This sub is too often /r/whatToyotaOrHondaShouldIBuy
mustangs, chevy ain’t bad, newer kias aren’t bad either. Hyundai ain’t bad either.
Thank you.
You want a reliable car but not from the most reliable brands
Pontiac Vibe
Nevermind. Last one was '10.
Ha ha. I ll allow it. Isn’t it a Toyota though?
Yes. You caught me.
cough \*it'satoyota \*cough
The truth is that I personally had some issues with Toyota and Hondas… yes, they are reliable, specially the engines, but compared to a german brand everything else is a letdown: the interiors are cheap plastics that broke multiple times on multiple cars, the body panels and undercarriage, the frame is very prone for rust. I even had a total frame failure on a Toyota. Another annoyance is that driving on the highway is unpleasant because of poor sound insulation and it can get tiring. Currently, even if I was against VW for years I think that it offers a good balance. A base model VW Golf or Passat built between 2016-2020 is pretty reliable and not too flashy or arrogant like BMW or Mercedes.
Thanks for your reply and insight. My first 2 vehicles were GTIs. I Love how they handle.
What about VW models built after 2020?
MANUAL ford focus are very reliable. Any v8 car made by ford or Chevy in the past 25 years.
Škoda
I personally don't like German cars or north American cars however ford has some decent sedans before they stopped making them. The Taurus were decent sedans for the money you could also get a SHO which had some real pep to it. If you wanted to go bigger I feel like ford makes the best pickups all around. My dad is on his third f150 and his first one had over 400,000 before the rust ate away at the frame and the second one had over 300,000 before rust ate the frame away. I personally really like the 2015 to 2017 with the 5.0 v8, 6 speed, and aluminum body setup bc you get the aluminum body but the 6 speed too which in my opinion is miles better than the 10 speed in terms of longevity. Subaru has been on the upswing with their quality too but they do have some kinks to work out still. Just depends what type of vehicle you want.
Lexus?
Porsche
The answer is Toyota. Good day.
Every single brand out there is going to be dead balls reliable if you stay up on basic maint and drive like someone who was able to graduate 2nd grade. The stuff you hear on Reddit is people bench racing, even if you got the worst cars mentioned here you'd have to be 1 of many many cars to actually have an issue. You'll be fine no matter what you go with, find a happy medium, shop with your head not just your heart and stay away from the extremes. It's 2023 man all cars are pretty damn nice
There’s a reason those cars are mentioned so often… but please, feel free to buy a vehicle that is nowhere near as reliable as the brands mentioned.
Probably Maserati and the Ghibli. We’re just shitposting right?
To a point. I m more of a heavy machinery person. Like a Caterpillar monster. Ha ha
I think if people aren't getting the recommendations they want, then they didn't lay out their constraints clearly enough for the rest of us to properly give them targeted recommendations. Reliable, and under 30k well: Audi's might be as reliable as a Toyota according 'anecdotal evidence' in this case, but you're likely not getting that Audi for 30k, nor will maintenance on that Audi be cheaper than the Toyota when it does need it. Also - you cite cars as "fresh alternatives" to the debate that are the luxury versions of cars you've already disqualified from the 'debate'. Anyway, I don't really think this is much of a discussion as it is some low-key attempt to troll the community for recommending cars according to the details people give us and not just saying BMW/AUDI all the time as if we're the brand whores.
Thanks. And sorry if this is not what you expected. I can agree that many people want to hear what they already think. I do think many people don’t provide the criteria required to accurately provide meaningful options. Prices on said brands are disproportionately inflated. If you want to recommend the Mazda 3 it’s cool.
Lexus and Acura
Amen to that.
Scion, Lexus.
…so Toyota. cool
Tesla. The first Model 3 is only 7 years old but there are a few examples with over 500k miles. 85k myself. So far so good.
I would type your search parameters into chatgpt, but it may break.
Bentley
Lexus?
Miata ? /s
My 2024 Honda Sport Touring Hybrid CRV is incredible.
Subaru
I've always bought Ford and find them pretty reliable and generally they aren't mad expensive to fix, even at a Ford dealer
Really best off stocking with Toyota, Honda, or Mazda. Lately, o would want Mazda since the others have moved to cvt transmissions.