These Are The Least Reliable Japanese Cars, According To Consumer Reports

Unreliable Japanese cars? That whitethorn look for illustration an oxymoron erstwhile you first look astatine nan Consumer Reports ratings. After all, nan apical six names successful CR's caller marque reliability study were each Japanese — Subaru, Lexus, Toyota, Honda, Acura, and Mazda, successful that order. In addition, nan apical 5 astir reliable individual cars were besides Japanese – Toyota RAV4, Toyota Corolla,Toyota RAV4 PHEV, Mazda MX-5, and Toyota RAV4 Hybrid. CR, obviously, considered vehicles from nan aforesaid nameplate, for illustration nan RAV4, but pinch different powertrains, arsenic wholly abstracted models.

But nan truth of nan matter is that conscionable astir each automaker throws retired a clunker each now and then, and that includes manufacturers from Japan. For instance, Toyota had to callback complete 591,000 vehicles precocious for problems pinch their integer displays. Also this year, nearly 450,000 Nissans and Infinitis were recalled because their adaptable compression engines tin fail. No, neither marque has caught up pinch Ford's record-setting twelvemonth of recalls, but nan constituent is you can't presume a car will beryllium reliable simply because it's from a Japanese company. And let's beryllium clear, reliability remains an important portion of nan decision-making process for customers erstwhile they're connected nan prowl for a caller ride.

This is wherever Jalopnik tin help. We cautiously evaluated nan Consumer Reports reliability information for this twelvemonth to observe which Japanese cars you mightiness want to debar if staying connected nan roadworthy — and retired of nan shop — is your superior goal.

Now, to beryllium clear, we're going successful reverse bid here, meaning that nan Honda Prologue and Infiniti QX80, pinch nan aforesaid scores, really had nan fourth-worst CR results for predicted reliability. The Prologue stands retired arsenic Honda's first mass-market EV. It rides connected nan aforesaid level arsenic nan Chevrolet Blazer EV, arsenic good arsenic nan 2024 Acura ZDX, which only lasted for a azygous twelvemonth and besides comes pinch abysmal reliability ratings from CR. While it's existent the ZDX and Prologue are outselling their GM cousins, it's not because of their outstanding reliability. In fact, nan Prologue is tied for ninth spot (out of 12 vehicles) successful its competitory group for reliability, per CR. It did decorativeness good supra nan Blazer, though.

Moving from nan businesslike two-row Prologue to a large body-on-frame three-row SUV, we find nan Infiniti QX80 has nan aforesaid benignant of reliability arsenic nan Land Rover Range Rover aliases Mercedes-Benz GLS — terrible. CR reported that 11 different three-row luxury SUVs had higher predicted reliability scores than nan QX80. One point to support successful mind, however, is that the Infiniti QX80 sewage a twin-turbo V6 and a large tech boost for 2025 arsenic portion of a complete redesign.

On nan adjacent measurement down nan reliability ladder for Japanese cars are nan Mazda CX-90 and nan virtually identical Mazda CX-70. As we pointed out, nan CX-70 is virtually conscionable a CX-90 pinch only 2 rows of seats and a different name. For its part, CR said, "We rented a CX-70 from Mazda, and recovered that it was excessively akin to our previously-tested CX-90 to warrant purchasing one." That explains why nan 2 SUVs had nan aforesaid CR results for predicted reliability.

That said, nan spot count does mean nan 2 Mazdas were compared to different imaginable rivals. In nan three-row category, facing disconnected against nan likes of nan segment-leading Kia Sorento Hybrid, nan CX-90 trailed 19 different SUVs successful predicted reliability, including nan old-school Dodge Durango. The CX-70 finished higher against less competitors, ending up successful 11th place. Frankly, it's benignant of an overseas situation, because CR classed Mazda arsenic nan sixth astir reliable marque overall, and others, for illustration Car and Driver, person said that nan CX-90 "continues to beryllium itself a reliable rig" during its ain semipermanent roadworthy test.

This 1 whitethorn beryllium different surprise. After all, erstwhile we first tested nan current-generation Toyota Tacoma, we said nan hybrid blows distant each motortruck successful its segment. Moreover, nan Tacoma was number 1 successful its conception successful nan 2025 J.D. Power Vehicle Dependability Study, and it's 1 of the best-selling midsize pickups successful nan country. In different words, a batch of group look to find a batch to for illustration astir nan Tacoma.

Yet, for Consumer Reports, nan 2025 Tacoma trailed nan Ford Ranger, Honda Ridgeline, and Jeep Gladiator by acold for predicted reliability. Plus, it's been taxable to 3 recalls already, including for surgery driveshafts and brake-fluid leaks. It was a akin communicative for nan Tacoma successful 2024, too. Perhaps it's nary coincidence that 2024 besides was nan twelvemonth Toyota launched a brand-new procreation of nan Tacoma — nan previous-gen exemplary was often among nan people leaders for predicted reliability. The bully news, comparatively speaking, is that nan midsize motortruck conception arsenic a full isn't that reliable today. The aforesaid predicted reliability people that buried nan Mazda SUVs successful their segments near nan 2025 Tacoma successful 4th spot successful its people of seven.

Much of what we said astir Toyota's mini motortruck could besides use to nan 2025 Nissan Frontier, starting pinch our first affirmative reception to nan current-gen models. Indeed, we thought the Frontier could yet beryllium a worthy competitor for nan Tacoma back erstwhile nan newest procreation was released, while Motor Trend praised nan Nissan during a year-long information and had "no complaints astir work costs."

Yes, CR seems to person agreed pinch america astir nan comparative reliability of nan Frontier and Tacoma, but that's nan problem. Remember, nan Tacoma's predicted reliability dropped importantly erstwhile it was redesigned for 2024, and it turns retired that nan Frontier's did nan aforesaid pursuing its ain 2022 makeover. So, nan 2 trucks whitethorn person akin reliability results now — pinch nan Frontier somewhat down nan Tacoma, successful 5th spot retired of 7 successful its people — but immoderate erstwhile generations were considered to beryllium overmuch much reliable.

The Frontier besides shows a worrying inclination successful this regard. Consumer Reports has humanities information for nan motortruck that indicates worsening wide reliability and build value successful 2022 and 2023, nan first 2 years nan existent procreation was connected nan marketplace — though location is nary information for immoderate exemplary years.

There's an aged saying that claims nan much parts you person successful a car, nan much parts you person that tin break down. Perhaps that explains nan predicted reliability of nan three-row Mazda CX-90 Plug-in Hybrid and its two-row counterpart, nan CX-70 Plug-in Hybrid. They're virtually nan aforesaid arsenic nan non-hybrid CX-90 and CX-70 — themselves astir identical prevention for their seating — yet their expertise to supply a mini chunk of electrical driving comes astatine a melodramatic cost.

Both nan CX-70 and CX-90 are EPA-certified arsenic providing up to 25 miles of EV scope arsenic portion of their wide ranges of 490 miles, and some are tied for having nan worst predicted reliability of immoderate Japanese cars successful nan 2025 CR rankings.

This is really correct successful statement pinch CR's findings from 2024 that, mostly speaking, plug-in hybrids, arsenic a class, person nan astir powertrain problems successful nan industry. They had 70% much powertrain issues successful 2024 than gas-only aliases accepted hybrid cars, and that's connected apical of plug-in hybrids being almost arsenic soiled arsenic state cars.