Car reliability is a top concern when buying or leasing a car. No matter how fun it is to drive a car, how much money it saves or how stylish it looks, all of that is worthless if it doesn’t hold up over time. Thanks to J.D. Power and a recent Dependability Study, we now know the 10 least reliable car brands. These are the brands to avoid when possible.

10: Mercedes-Benz

J.D. Power reports a whopping 218 problems per 100 vehicles, proving that spending more on a vehicle doesn’t improve it. While it still is a popular option for drivers looking to keep up with the status quo, this brand isn’t one to rely on.

9: INFINITI

The luxury segment of Nissan has been around since 1989, but J.D. Power shows that there are 219 problems per 100 vehicles. While these vehicles can be more affordable to maintain, that won’t make up for the necessary repairs that can be inevitable.

8: Ford

With 239 problems being reported per 100 vehicles, Ford has come a long way from being America’s trusted brand. It’s possible that reliability has taken a back seat while the company focuses on keeping up with production.

7. Volvo

Volvo was once known as the safest and more reliable brand, but that’s not the case in modern times. The data shows 245 problems per 100 vehicles, making it among the least reliable.

6: Lincoln

As the luxury division of Ford, we can’t expect Lincoln to perform any better. This brand actually fares worst with 251 reported problems for 100 vehicles. Basically, consumers pay more to get a less reliable Ford vehicle.

5: Tesla

Even though Tesla has been the pioneer of electric cars, the reliability leaves something to be desired. J.D. Power indicates 252 problems per 100 vehicles, making this an EV better left undriven.

4: Volkswagen

While Volkswagen is a German brand, many of the vehicles and components are now made in China. That’s why the entire VW Group suffers with reliability issues (Audi, Lamborghini, Bentley, Ducati and Bugatti). This study shows 267 problems per 100 vehicles.

3: Land Rover

Land Rover ownership has been through many hands, but it now belongs to Tata Motors of India. While the style of the SUVs is still luxurious, reliability suffers, with a rating of 268 problems for every 100 vehicles.

2: Audi

As previously discussed, the VW Group is losing reliability points. With 275 problems for every 100 vehicles, newer Audi models are some to avoid.

1: Chrysler (Least Reliable Car Brand)

As one of the longest-running automobile companies in the world, Chrysler has had its good and bad years. Yet, it has now found itself at the top of the least reliable car brand list, with 310 problems per 100 vehicles.

Most Reliable Car Brand

Now that you know which brands to avoid – how about the top five worth considering? J.D. Power lists these as the best car brands in terms of reliability.

• Lexus
• Toyota
• Buick
• Chevrolet
• MINI

What do you think about the latest rankings? Let us know in the comments below.

If you are hoping to buy American, the latest Cars.com report should help you out. Every year, the American-Made Index is released and this year’s winners are quite the surprise. Let’s jump right in.

2023 American-Made Index Winners

Tesla comes out the sure winner this year with the most models on the list. Here are the top 12 winners out of the 100 on the list.

1. Tesla Model Y
2. Tesla Model 3
3. Tesla Model S
4. Tesla Model X
5. Honda Passport
6. Volkswagen ID.4
7. Honda Odyssey
8. Acura MDX
9. Honda Ridgeline
10. Acura RDX
11. Honda Accord
12. Toyota Tundra

American-Made Criteria

How does Cars.com choose which models are the most “American-made?” The automotive publication uses five criteria to make its decision. These include the following:

• Assembly location – where the vehicle gets assembled
• Parts content – how many of the parts come from American factories
• Engine origin – the country where the engine comes from
• Transmission origin – the country where the transmission comes from
• U.S. manufacturing workforce – how many of the employees are from the United States

In total, 388 vehicles undergo examination based on these factors. However, only the top 100 make the index. Anything lower than this probably isn’t very American.

What may surprise you is that some of these winners aren’t American companies. If you want to buy American, you may find that choosing a Japanese or German company may be a better option, as most of our domestic brands don’t seem to be very “American.”

What Makes Tesla so American?

Based on the methodology of Cars.com, the car needs to be built in the United States. Most of Tesla’s models come from either Fremont, California, or Austin, Texas. Plus, the battery factor is located in Sparks, Nevada. Aside from that, the majority of the workforce is American, so it makes sense that this automaker is taking up the first four spots of the index.

U.S. News & World Report has released its list of the 2022 Best Cars for the Money. Some of the winners might surprise you, but the majority of them were expected. Let’s take a closer look.

2022 Best Cars for the Money

Starting with the car segment, there are a few categories worth looking at.

• Subcompact Car: 2022 Nissan Versa
• Compact Car: 2022 Honda Civic
• Hybrid/Electric Car: 2022 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid
• Midsize Car: 2022 Honda Accord
• Large Car: 2022 Toyota Avalon

As far as the cars go, it seems Honda takes the top spot, with the Compact and Midsize segment under its belt. However, a few years ago, Honda would have swept many of the awards, which lines up with how customers have felt the brand is going downhill. You will notice that they are absent from the SUV awards as well.

2022 Best SUVs for the Money

These segments are among the most popular right now, so let’s see who won.

• Subcompact SUV: 2022 Hyundai Kona
• Compact SUV: 2022 Hyundai Tucson
• 2-Row SUV: 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe
• 3-Row SUV: 2022 Kia Telluride
• Hybrid/Electric SUV: 2022 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid
• Minivan: 2022 Honda Odyssey

It’s become clear that cost-conscious shoppers are going to want a Hyundai model. From all of the advanced driver assistance systems offered on these models to the extreme levels of comfort provided, it’s hard to find a better deal. Plus, these vehicles are going to retain their value, ensuring you get top dollar when you are ready to sell.

What Models are Your Top Choices?

Are you in the market for a fuel-efficient compact car as gas prices rise? Or, would you rather have room for the entire family to spread out? We would love to hear abotu your favorite model. Whatever your lifestyle requirements are, you can choose the best cars for the money. Make wise decisions to protect your investment and ensure complete on-road satisfaction.

The 2022 MotorTrend Truck of the Year might surprise you. It’s the first year for an electric truck model to win. It was only a month ago when MotorTrend named the Lucid Air the Car of the Year, making us wonder why the company has suddenly jumped on the EV bandwagon. With both models, this is the very first time that a startup won the accolades with its first vehicle.

Why 2022 MotorTrend Truck of the Year?

So, how did the Rivian R1T win this prestigious award? According to MotorTrend, the R1T deserves it because it is “a monumental achievement and astonishes with a quality of design, engineering, materials, and technology unmatched in trucks today, while providing a driving experience like that of a high-performance luxury car.”

You might not know that the R1T just entered production over the fall. It is produced at the company’s production plant in Normal, Illinois. The automaker plans to sell 1,000 electric trucks with the Launch Edition model (MSRP $73,000). However, in 2022, production will get ramped up as the entry-level trim hits the market. This truck is scheduled to sell at $67,500.

As a midsize pickup, there’s not much competition out there currently. However, the Rivian truck can boast of a 800-horsepower four-motor drive system. Plus, it has an air suspension system that’s controlled by computers. What’s most impressive is that this electric truck can tow up to 11,000 pounds.

It won’t be long before the R1T earns more awards. In fact, it’s currently a finalist in the North American Truck of the Year competition. Those results will be announced next month.

What Do You Love about the R1T?

The reasons to love this EV are endless. Of course, with all the new electric vehicles hitting the market, it’s hard to keep up. From the Toyota bZ4X to the Hyundai Kona, we have all the news that matters the most to you. Stay tuned for more information on the Rivian R1T trucks.

When it comes to safety, everyone trusts the IIHS Top Safety Pick+ list. One of the latest additions to the list is the 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe. Let’s find out what makes this midsize SUV such a safe choice for busy families.

How IIHS Judges Vehicles

IIHS uses a strict judging criteria to determine which vehicles are worthy of awards. To earn the top two designations, the vehicles must first earn Good ratings in the six crashworthiness evaluations. These evaluations include:

• driver-side small overlap front
• moderate overlap front
• passenger-side small overlap front
• head restraint tests
• roof strength
• side

To qualify for these designations, the vehicle must also have available front crash prevention system to earn advanced or superior ratings when evaluated in terms of vehicle-to-pedestrian and vehicle-to-vehicle evaluations. The headlight ratings are what separate the Top Safety Pick vehicles from the Top Safety Pick+ award. To achieve the lower-end of the awards, a minimum of one good or acceptable headlight system needs to be available. To add the additional +, the headlights must be standard across every trim level.

Why Was the 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe Rated so High?

The 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe earned the Top Safety Pick status, so what changed from the previous year to the new lineup? Last year, the lineup lost the higher designation because the available headlights didn’t all earn the good or acceptable status. However, the newer models, built after July of this year, all come with the good or acceptable headlight system, thereby improving the safety ranking.

Additionally, the 2022 Santa Fe includes standard front crash prevention that also earns a superior rating with both vehicle-to-pedestrian and vehicle-to-vehicle evaluations. Because of all of these aspects combined, the new Santa Fe is labeled a good safety option if you need a family vehicle.

Now, we wait and see how the new Hyundai Kona EV rates, but we expect it to fare well too. Do these rankings make you more excited about driving a vehicle? Let us know your thoughts.

Cars.com just put out its annual 2021 American-Made Index, with this round making it the 16th year for the rankings. This index determines which brands are the “most American.” To determine the scores five factors are in play:

• Origin of parts
• Assembly location
• Origin of transmission
• Origin of engines
• Manufacturing workforce

The results from this year might just surprise you.

Tesla Overtakes Ford in 2021 American-Made Index

The California-made Tesla Model 3 sedan earned the top spot this year. In fact, this is the first time that Tesla has seen the top of the rankings. In second place is the Ford Mustang, produced in Flat Rock, Michigan. However, the Tesla Model Y SUV was right behind in third spot, sandwiching Ford.

Recently, these two automakers have gotten insanely competitive with one another. As an example of this competition, the new Mustang Mach-E was made to directly compete against Tesla for EV sales. In fact, when it was first launched this year, it cut Tesla’s market share by more than 10% in the electric car segment.

Other American-Made Winners

Of course, other winners also need to be mentioned. Some of these were expected and some might not have been as well-known. For example, it’s obvious that the Jeep Cherokee and Chevy Corvette were considered American-made vehicles. On the other hand, it might surprise some that Japan-based Honda Ridgeline, Honda Odyssey, Honda Pilot and Honda Passport models fared better than most “American” automakers.

It goes to show that you can’t judge a book by its cover. Even the Toyota Tundra beat out the Ford Expedition, Chevy Colorado, GMC Canyon and Jeep Grand Cherokee. So, let me ask you a question – does knowing a company works hard to keep production, employment and parts based in the U.S. affect your purchasing decision? We would love to hear your thoughts. Leave us a comment below.

It wasn’t that long ago we told you about the redesigned 2020 Ford Explorer. Now, we have some safety news you might be interested in. The IIHS recently designated the 2020 Explorer as a Top Safety Pick+, which is the highest accolade given.

Why High Safety Ratings for 2020 Explorer?

The IIHS uses six crashworthiness tests to determine the ratings of vehicles. In addition to these tests, there are also ratings for the headlights. The IIHS further evaluates what advanced driver-assist technology must be included to reduce or avoid a collision.

The Explorer is Ford’s best-selling SUV of all-time. It’s been a mainstay of American families throughout the years, making it even more important to focus on safety. That’s why the automaker is so proud of the designation, proving that the company is taking steps to keep owners protected.

The new Explorer comes with the Ford Co-Pilot360™ system, which is a suite of driver-assistance features.

The complete suite contains the following features:

• Pre-Collision Assist complete with Automatic Emergency Braking
• Forward Collision Warning
• Pedestrian Detection
• Dynamic Braking System
• Rearview Camera
• Blind Spot Information System
• Cross-Traffic Alert
• Auto High-Beam Headlamps
• Lane-Keeping System

New Ford Explorer: What We Love

While safety is paramount in today’s modern driving age, there are other things that the redesigned Explorer offers. The redesign ensured that new Explorer models could tow up to 66% more. By changing the powertrain, Ford also made the Explorer lineup more efficient overall.

So, the new Ford SUV doesn’t just provide more power but also helps to save money. Plus, it’s a safe family-friendly vehicle. We wonder if we won’t start seeing more Explorers on the road soon.

What do you think of this IIHS designation? Does it make you more likely to purchase the 2020 Ford Explorer? We would love to hear your thoughts. Tell us how the Explorer stacks up to other SUVs you own.

We have recently received the standings of the 2020 J.D. Power Initial Quality Study and the results may surprise you. Let’s look at who J.D. Power deemed the top car brands of 2020.

2020 Top Car Brands

While many of the automakers fared well this year, Tesla ended up at the bottom of the rankings. However, Kia and Dodge tied for the top spot, with 136 problems per 100 vehicles. What’s most surprising is that seven of the American brands landed above the industry average. However, Chrysler, Lincoln and Ford came up short.

As the top car brands of 2019, Hyundai, Kia and Genesis took the top three spots. All three remain above the industry average, but only Kia gets to keep the title.

How are the Top Automotive Brands of 2020 Picked?

J.D. Power uses an owner survey that tracks the problems reported during the first three months of ownership. Some of these problems are simple complaints about the infotainment system, while others are major component failures.

Tesla had never been included in this study before, but the score of 250 consists of an asterisk notation. It turns out that the automaker refused to allow J.D. Power to survey the owners in 15 states, so the data was used from only 35 instead. This allowed Volvo, Audi and Land Rover to place higher than Tesla in the rankings.

J.D. Power also provided some scores on individual cars, allowing us to see the top models of 2020. Here are a few of the key segments.

• Midsize car: Chevrolet Malibu
• Midsize sporty car: Ford Mustang
• Compact SUV: Hyundai Tucson
• Compact premium SUV: Cadillac XT4
• Large light-duty pickup: Toyota Tundra
• Midsize pickup: Ford Ranger

Looking at these rankings, are you surprised by any of the findings? Does it change your mind when purchasing a vehicle, or do you take it all with a grain of salt? Let us know in the comments.

Consumer Reports recently listed the 2020 Best Cars of the Year. With this ranking, everything was presented by price, which makes it simple for anyone to find a good car that fits their budget. Let’s get a closer look at the ten winners.

Under $25,000

Toyota Corolla: This sedan was redesigned for the 2020 model year. Enthusiasts praised the Corolla for fuel efficiency, ride quality and standard technology. This included some of the best tech like adaptive radar cruise control.

$25,000 – $35,000

Toyota Prius/Prius Prime: This is Toyota’s most praised hybrid. Plus, this just happens to be the 17th time it’s on the list thanks to the fuel economy testing, which shows that it can get 52 mpg. Furthermore, the plug-in model, Prius Prime, gets over a 22-mile range on all-electric.

Subaru Forester: Consumer Reports talk about the Forester’s massive doors, hip-high seats and great visibility. The seats and doors make it easier for people to enter the vehicle. Plus, this SUV has the best owner satisfaction.

Subaru Legacy: We can’t say enough good about this car. It has a solid ride, plenty of room and a nice feel. The Legacy comes with standard all-wheel-drive, which is a plus considering most vehicles do not.

35,000 – $45,000

Toyota Avalon: This reliable sedan earned an almost perfect score for comfort. Plus, it comes with a V6 or one of the best hybrid powertrains available on the market. As a result, you receive 44 mpg combined.

Kia Telluride: If you own this vehicle, you can’t deny that it has the best features, design, comfort, value and capability. However, if you need more proof that this is the best vehicle, it also won the 2020 North American Utility of the Year award and the Top Rated Award from Edmunds.

Honda Ridgeline: Most people believe this pickup rides like a top-of-the-line sedan. Enthusiasts loved the handling, ride and fuel economy along with the lockable one-of-a-kind in-bed trunk. The Ridgeline had many updates for the 2020 model year, including some new advanced safety systems on every trim.

$45,000 – $55,000

Tesla Model 3: This automaker has been having trouble with their Autopilot driver-aid feature. Anyone who owns a Model 3 knows that Tesla needs to work on the systems that watch if the driver is paying attention. However, everything else about the car is great. It is a thrilling sedan with a long-range driving on a single charge.

Toyota Supra: BMW co-developed some of the new features on the redesigned Supra. Plus, the sports car’s efficiency and performance make it one of the winners on this list and in the market.

Lexus RX: This best seller is available with two or three-rows. You can also choose from a hybrid or V6 powertrain with this vehicle. The price of a new RX is about $45,000. CR rated it highly for noise control and ride comfort.

2020 Best Cars of the Year: Any Surprises?

Were you surprised by any of the top picks from Consumer Reports? Are you the proud owner of one of these cars? If so, let us know in the comments below.

Genesis is named the Most Dependable Automotive Brand in a recent study down by J.D. Power. This is the first year the company made the U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study list. The automaker beat out some top competitors, including Lexus, Buick, Porsche, Toyota and Volkswagen, to take this top spot.

Quick Genesis History

In 2009, the Genesis name first showed up as one of Hyundai’s sedan models. It became its own brand in 2017. There were three reasons Hyundai wanted to make Genesis a standalone brand:

1. It was one of the top three selling models
2. Customers wanted Genesis to be a separate division from Hyundai
3. Genesis was successful for seven years in the luxury car market

Genesis currently sells three sedan models in the US. However, the company is adding the 2021 Genesis GV80 this year. The new luxury SUV is featured in a Super Bowl ad starring John Legend and Chrissy Teigen.

You can read more about the history of Genesis with Wikipedia.

Top Cars

Along with the dependable makes, here are the other car models that J.D. Power listed as the best in each category.

• Small Premium Car: BMW 2 Series
• Small Car: Honda Fit
• Compact Sporty Car: Mazda MX-5 Miata
• Compact Premium Car: Lexus ES
• Compact Car: Nissan Leaf
• Midsize Sporty Car: Ford Mustang
• Midsize Premium Car: Genesis G80
• Midsize Car: Buick Regal
• Large Car: Toyota Avalon
• Compact Premium SUV: Porsche Macan
• Compact SUV: Chevrolet Equinox
• Small Premium SUV: Mercedes-Benz GLA
• Small SUV: Buick Encore
• Midsize Pickup: Nissan Frontier
• Midsize Premium SUV: Lexus GX
• Midsize SUV: Toyota 4Runner
• Minivan: Toyota Sienna
• Large Heavy-duty Pickup: Chevrolet Silverado HD
• Large Light-duty Pickup: (tie) Ford-150, Toyota Tundra
• Large SUV: Chevrolet Tahoe

Do You Agree With Most Dependable Automotive Brand Rating?

Do you think that Genesis deserves the title most dependable brand? Let us know what you think in the comments below. If you are planning to purchase a vehicle, first check our Top Cars list above to find some of the highest-rated cars on the market right now.