Detroit-based brands landed three vehicles among the nine finalists for the North American car, truck and SUV of the year.
The reliability of hybrid and electric vehicles is improving, but U.S.-based brands continue to trail their competition, according to Consumer Reports' influential 2025 Automotive Report Card.
From EV startups like Rivian and Tesla to established brands like Chevrolet, Ford and Jeep, brands that eagerly embraced new technologies routinely suffer quality woes, Consumer Reports director of automotive testing Jake Fisher.
"It's all about growing pains," Fisher said. "Incremental changes equal greater reliability. Newer technologies, like electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids are less reliable."
That simple rule applies across the board, he said. "Manufacturers who embrace the idea of incremental change do better. All the manufacturers in the top ten keep systems and perfect them over years."
That means even initially troublesome systems like BMW's infamous iDrive can evolve from sore spot to selling point, as it has with the addition of simpler menus and a touch screen. BMW placed No. 8.
CR's survey findings were announced Thursday at an online news conference hosted by the Detroit-based Automotive Press Association.
Owners and road tests tell the story
Even the most reliable automakers have troublesome vehicles.
Subaru, the No. 1 brand for the first time ever this year, has one vehicle with below average predicted reliability -- the Solterra, its first electric vehicle, which Toyota, the No. 3 overall brand, builds and sells as the bZ4X.
The rankings are based on Consumer Reports' own vehicle tests and reports from owners who subscribe to the publication.
CR defines a reliability problem as anything that requires down time or loss of function. It surveyed readers this spring and summer and crushed data on 300,000 vehicles from the 2000-2025 model years and surveyed readers this spring and summer.
"Whenever there's a new platform or new electronics, we expect problems," Fisher said.
The variation within brands is so great that Fisher recommends shoppers use individual model ratings rather than the brand rankings for guidance.
Rivian rated last in CR's overall list, which left out a number of prominent brands because of small sample sizes, including Chrysler, Dodge, Land Rover, Lincoln, Mercedes, Porsche and Ram.
Many of those did make lists broken down into mainstream and luxury cars, making the overall picture a bit complicated.
For instance, Chrysler is the highest ranked U.S. mainstream brand at No. 8, a spot ahead of Buick. Tesla was 10th, followed by Ford.
Jeep ranked last among mainstream brands, Rivian last among luxury.
"U.S. brands are investing heavily in EVs," Fisher said. "Some have been problematic for reliability for reliability."
Cadillac dropped seven spots on the overall list -- to 21 -- solely because of early production problems with its electric Lyriq, for instance.
GM's EV program hit full stride this year, as vehicles in every segment from compact SUV to full-size pickup and large luxury SUV hit the road.
"Time will tell," if widespread quality flaws remain an issue, Fisher said. We need another year on the road to know."
EVs and hybrids improve
The report shows rapid improvement among EVs and hybrids, which trailed the century-plus-old internal combustion engine (ICE) technology badly last year.
Hybrids now have the same average problem rate as ICE. Problems for EVs and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) both fell about 50% from last year.
EVs now have 42% more problems than ICE, versus 70% last year. PHEVs, which are in some ways the most complicated technology because they combine elements of ICE and EV, came in at 70% more problems -- not much of a bragging point, except when compared to last year's 146%.
"Strap in. We're going hybrid," Fisher said. "The consumer has spoken."