CarMD, a provider of automotive information and products, on Tuesday released their annual Vehicle Health Index list. This study differs from other vehicle-reliability rankings in that it looks specifically at the frequency of “check engine” light appearances, combining that with the cost of common repairs on each type of vehicle. While the study found an overwhelming majority of manufacturers continue to climb in reliability in general, some — including Ford and General Motors — did lose ground in the CarMD ratings this year.
According to CarMD’s rankings — which used data from more than 163,000 specific repairs performed on 2002 to 2012 model year vehicles between Sept. 1, 2011 and Sept. 1, 2012 — Toyota, Hyundai, BMW, Honda and Volkswagen produce the “healthiest” cars, or the vehicles with the fewest “check engine” problems combined with relatively low repair costs. Despite comparatively high repair costs, BMW made the top five this year thanks to a very low rate of needing repairs performed.
Ford and General Motors fell out of the top five (Ford from number 4 to number 9 and GM from number 5 to number 8) not because the frequency of repairs increased, but because the costs associated with repairs rose, CarMD explained.
To narrow the list down to the “healthiest” makes and models, here are the top five:
“This ranking of top manufacturers and vehicles provides an unbiased and unprecedented view into vehicle reliability, based on total vehicle population and real-life repairs,” said Art Jacobsen, vice president of CarMD. “Unlike any other ranking or award, CarMD’s index transcends the new car ‘honeymoon’ period to help car shoppers get a true picture of what to expect as vehicles age.”
The graphics featured in the gallery below detail the top-ten healthiest cars by make and model, the most common repairs by manufacturer and the most maintenance-free bets for each vehicle category.
If you don’t see the car you are shopping for on these lists, visit CarMD.com for a Vehicle Health ScoreCard specific to the make and model for which you are searching. The scorecard will list common problems and repair costs by year, make, model and also mileage to help you make the best choice.
