The Lemon Index
Study #1 · 2026-10-21
The Most Reliable Cars, According to 1.6 Million Owner Complaints
The Toyota 4Runner drew about a quarter of the complaints of the average car. The Tesla Model S drew more than four times as many. Here's every number.
1,607,537complaints in the file
131models ranked
22brands
2010-2022model years
Most reliable: the top 10
| # | Model | Lemon Index | U.S. sold |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Toyota 4Runner | 27 | 1.27M |
| 2 | Lexus ES | 28 | 0.70M |
| 3 | Porsche Macan | 31 | 0.17M |
| 4 | Lexus RX | 32 | 1.34M |
| 5 | Nissan Frontier | 37 | 0.83M |
| 6 | BMW 3 Series | 37 | 1.24M |
| 7 | Honda HR-V | 41 | 0.74M |
| 8 | Hyundai Accent | 42 | 0.59M |
| 9 | Toyota Tacoma | 44 | 2.47M |
| 10 | Mercedes E-Class | 45 |
What it means for you: a long-running model with a low index is the safest bet. Most of this list has been on sale, mostly unchanged, for a decade.
Least reliable: the bottom 10
| Model | Lemon Index | Top complaint |
|---|---|---|
| Tesla Model S* | 430 | suspension 34%, steering 16% |
| Chevrolet Bolt | 410 | electrical 54% (battery-fire recall) |
| Tesla Model X* | 405 | suspension 27% |
| Tesla Model Y* | 360 | forward collision avoidance 85% (phantom braking) |
| Jeep Cherokee (2014+) | 307 | power train 47% |
| Chrysler Pacifica (2017+) | 281 | engine 36%, electrical 35% |
| Chrysler 200 | 261 | electrical, power train |
| Chevrolet Volt | 261 | electrical, power train |
| Kia Telluride | 256 | wipers and visibility 28% |
| Hyundai Palisade | 249 | wipers and visibility 25% |
What it means for you: one part can sink a car. Check the top complaint for the exact model year before you buy. * Tesla uses published sales estimates.
Brands, best to worst
Best and worst by type
| Type | Best | Worst |
|---|---|---|
| Cars | Lexus ES 28 · BMW 3 Series 37 · Hyundai Accent 42 | Tesla Model S 430 · Chevrolet Bolt 410 · Chrysler 200 261 |
| SUVs | Toyota 4Runner 27 · Porsche Macan 31 · Lexus RX 32 | Tesla Model X 405 · Tesla Model Y 360 · Jeep Cherokee 307 |
| Trucks | Nissan Frontier 37 · Toyota Tacoma 44 · Chevrolet Silverado 53 | Jeep Gladiator 194 · Honda Ridgeline 164 · Ram 1500 119 |
| Minivans | Toyota Sienna 53 | Chrysler Pacifica 281 · Chrysler Town & Country 175 |
Three patterns in the data
- Year one is the risky year. The bottom of the list is full of all-new models in their first years (Telluride, Palisade, Pacifica, the 2014 Cherokee). Wait for year two or three.
- The Germans beat their reputation, early on. BMW (52) and Mercedes-Benz (54) beat Honda (87) and Ford (144) in the first three years. This measures early safety complaints, not out-of-warranty repair bills.
- Tesla's problem is mostly one system. About 80% of Model 3 and Model Y complaints are about forward collision avoidance, the car braking hard for nothing.
How we measured it
A complaint counts only if NHTSA received it within three years of the model year, so old and new cars get the same window. Each model year is divided by that year's U.S. sales, then compared with the average car of the same years. Full method and caveats →