It is no secret that Toyota is often cited as the manufacturer that is the undisputed king of longevity. Whilst some of the competition jump from one experimental one-off to another, Toyota prides itself on the art of long-term development, serious testing, and mechanical stability. With Lexus as Toyota’s luxury division and its fortunate position of sharing all of its platforms and engines, it also ranks near the top of reliability studies, despite luxury cars often underperforming in these tests.
Just because Toyota holds dominance doesn’t mean they’re without competition. In previous outcomes of the Consumer Reports ‘Reliability Survey’, Subaru spent a brief stint enjoying the top spot, and Lexus was also fighting for the number one position — an enormous bragging right for any company that rivals Toyota. But with the latest 2025 results, we see Toyota fighting hard and successfully managing to claim their crown, proving them to be, once again, the champions of dependability.
The Most Reliable Toyota’s On The Market Today
Whilst the competition is fierce, the undisputed most reliable vehicle in their lineup today is the 2024 and onward Toyota Crown. With a score of 78 to 82 out of 100 (trim and time dependent), the Crown manages to hold the title of the most reliable sedan in the company’s entire lineup, even beating the legendary Camry.
With the combination of Toyota’s core principles in place, plus the 2.5-liter hybrid, which has been perfected for over two decades, Crown owners have enjoyed a stress-free existence. It also features a higher build quality than the Camry, due to its more luxurious positioning in the market, showing it to be a center point between a premium, dependable Lexus and an immensely frugal Toyota.
2025 Toyota Crown XLE Trim Specifications
|
Powertrain |
2.5L 4-cylinder Hybrid |
|
Transmission |
e-CVT |
|
Horsepower |
236 |
|
Torque |
163 Ib-ft |
|
0-60 mph |
7.6 seconds |
|
Economy |
41 mpg (combined) |
Other honorable mentions for reliability go to the 2025 Corolla, with its naturally aspirated, low-stress 2.0-liter engine, which sits on a problem-free seven-year-old platform. The Camry is enjoying its introduction into the hybrid-only world, and whilst it had a cosmetic makeover, it also enjoyed an eCVT transmission, which means there is no need for weak points like belts or pulleys. The 2025 4Runner managed to avoid the colossal recalls connected to the Tundra’s V6 and opted for a much more reliable 2.4-liter turbo four-cylinder, which has been an enormously reliable engine, proven by the Lexus NX over recent years.
The Surprising Manufacturer Climbing The Ranks
Electrification is a sure route to slipping down the ranking of Consumer Reports reliability surveys, but in 2026, Tesla saw a huge improvement to their placement on the list, clocking in at ninth overall. This is the first time they have entered the top 10 and have seen a brand redefining itself towards comfort in its existing technology and platforms, and focus on much-needed longevity. Coming from an appalling 27th out of 28th in the 2022 survey, Tesla now acts as one of the examples of how to turn cutting-edge electrification into stable maturity for its consumers.
Despite a turbulent production process in its earlier years, Tesla has been using the same platforms for the same cars in the same factory for several years now, meaning severe teething issues have been ironed out, and the production assembly runs much more predictably and smoothly than it did in its earlier years of dominance. With more established brands working out EV-centric issues of their own, Tesla has been able to overtake them concerning electric reliability, showcasing that time and commitment can iron out the most severe cases of questionable reliability.
This Older Hybrid Is The Best Choice For Long-Term Reliability
There’s no better poster for reliability than this trusty hybrid compact car.
How Toyota Managed To Reclaim The Crown
With 2024’s introduction of the brand-new Tundra and Tacoma models, which featured new powertrain options and technology, there were a couple of teething issues combined with a shocking engine disaster with the V6 Twin-Turbo, which was a completely unknown position for Toyota after enjoying a string of hugely durable powertrains. After mounting pressure and serious recalls, Toyota set the record straight in 2025 and now in 2026, with mechanical fixes that have resolved the significant issues. Considering the scale of the problem, the company managed to climb back up the reliability ladder rather quickly.
Core Reasons Toyota Has Such Excellent Reliability
- Incremental improvements to excellent, proven technology
- The entire production line is encouraged to stop for any minor defect
- Over-engineered nature and strenuous testing
- Many models use many shared parts, allowing for standardized perfection
With hybrids becoming the most reliable powertrains in vehicles recently, and Toyota being the ultimate pioneering force behind the technology with more than 30 years of development in the field, it is no surprise that they have been contributing to the manufacturer’s excellent Consumer Reports scores. Because recent models have become hybrid-only, like the 2025 Camry, the company has been able to standardize its focus on one form of propulsion after years of testing, as opposed to brands like Mercedes, which utilize a fragmented lineup of more experimental powertrains.
With an incredible combination of cutting-edge statistics from their mature hybrid models, combined with a reserved approach to new gadgetry, it makes sense that Toyota manages to feel efficiently futuristic without being risky. This can be seen in nearly all its hybrid offerings, from rugged trucks and SUVs to commuter sedans and minivans, where usability, dependability, and utility remain at the forefront, despite the power source.
The Rivals That Closely Challenged Toyota
An astonishing six of the top seven brands on the Consumer Reports Reliability survey are Japanese. Far too many to be by coincidence. Though Toyota, Subaru, Lexus, Honda, Nissan, and Acura don’t strive to be the most bleeding-edge in terms of their tech adoption, a cultural philosophy focused on a robust process and longer-term tested parts enables most Japanese brands to perform remarkably well. Sharing these inherent values and avoiding the temptation of chasing horsepower and risking experimentation, brands like Honda and Subaru have managed to rival the likes of Toyota.
The Top Five In Consumer Reports’ 2025 Reliability Survey
- Toyota (66)
- Subaru (63)
- Lexus (60)
- Honda (59)
- BMW (58)
Subaru are kings of commitment to their boxer engine design, and the ones found in the modern Crosstrek and Forester have had over 50 years of the same core design perfected. Ironing out issues like oil consumption and head gasket problems, and Subaru’s current CVT transmission, combined with including much more reserved electronics, their tried and tested formula has allowed them to mount serious pressure against Toyota. Even the one German rival in the list, BMW, relies on its wonderful B58 engine to perform so well in the survey: an engine that Toyota put through their own testing and tuning to meet their standards.
Ranking The Top 10 Toyota Camry Hybrid Models Years For Reliability
While many Camry years are known for their reliability, these model years stand out with the most reliable hybrid variants.
Toyota Proves Itself As Number One
In the wave of immense competition from rivals, especially competing Japanese ones, Toyota still reigns supreme overall for its dedication to a dependability-led process. With the fascinating combination of true innovation and incredible durability, the company has managed to continue its reputation for being a company that takes measured decisions with efficient technology. Unlike many General Motors brands, Toyota doesn’t just rely on older, more established tech; they are early adopters who refine and perfect futuristic technology and implement it into their vehicles in a mature way, without being tempted into unnecessary gambles along the way.
Sources: Toyota, Consumer Reports