Understanding What Is The Make Of The Car is fundamental when you’re navigating the automotive world. It’s the first step in identifying a vehicle, and it often signals a wealth of information about its origin, reputation, and expected performance. Consumer Reports’ annual car brand report card serves as a crucial guide in this process, ranking automakers based on a comprehensive evaluation of their vehicles. This report helps consumers quickly grasp which brands are consistently delivering quality and which might warrant more caution. Let’s delve into the latest findings and understand how brand reputation plays a pivotal role in your car buying decisions.
Each year, Consumer Reports meticulously assesses car brands, culminating in an overall score that blends road-test performance, safety evaluations, predicted reliability, and owner satisfaction. This comprehensive metric offers a definitive ranking, allowing car buyers to easily discern the top-tier brands and those that might present more risks. In the 2025 report, Subaru emerged as the top brand, surpassing BMW by a narrow margin, highlighting the dynamic shifts within the automotive industry.
Top of the Class: Leading Car Makes in 2025
The top five brands in the 2025 rankings maintained their positions from the previous year, demonstrating consistent excellence. However, a notable change occurred at the very top:
- Subaru climbed to the first position, achieving the highest average Overall Score. This reflects Subaru’s commitment to producing vehicles that score well across all Consumer Reports’ testing metrics.
- BMW, last year’s leader, now sits in the second spot, only a single point behind Subaru. BMW continues to be recognized for its strong performance and brand appeal.
- Lexus made a significant move upwards, advancing from fifth to third place. This wasn’t due to Lexus’s improvement alone but also because other brands slightly declined, showcasing the competitive nature of these rankings.
- Porsche and Honda, while still in the top five, experienced slight dips, allowing Lexus to overtake them. Despite these minor shifts, these brands remain highly regarded for their quality and performance.
These top-performing brands exemplify what it means to consistently produce high-quality vehicles. When considering what is the make of the car to purchase, starting with brands like Subaru, BMW, Lexus, Porsche, and Honda is a sound strategy due to their proven track records.
Notable Shifts: Brands on the Move
Beyond the top tier, several brands experienced significant movement in the rankings, indicating evolving performance and reliability:
- Audi was a major climber, jumping six places to secure the sixth position. This substantial improvement suggests Audi has made strides in enhancing its vehicle quality and reliability.
- Mini and Acura both slipped in the rankings due to decreased predicted reliability scores. This highlights the importance of considering reliability when evaluating different car makes.
- Buick fell four places to 17th, primarily due to lower road-test scores, particularly for the new Envista model, which received only an adequate rating.
- Cadillac experienced a significant drop of seven places, landing at 21st. This decline was partly attributed to the below-average reliability of its Lyriq EV model, emphasizing that even within a brand, model-specific reliability can vary.
These shifts underscore the dynamic nature of car brand performance. When you ask, “what is the make of the car that offers consistent quality?”, it’s crucial to stay updated on these rankings, as brand performance can change year to year.
Consistency is Key: What Car Make Should You Trust?
Consumer Reports emphasizes the importance of consistent performance, particularly among the top-ranked brands. These brands generally deliver reliable vehicles across their product lines. Conversely, the lower-rated brands tend to consistently appear at the bottom of the list. Brands like GMC, Land Rover, Rivian, and Stellantis brands such as Alfa Romeo, Dodge, and Jeep often populate this lower segment.
However, it’s essential to remember that even high-scoring brands can have models that underperform. Therefore, while brand reputation is a valuable indicator, always check the specific model ratings you are interested in. For instance, Toyota, a generally high-ranking brand, has models like the Camry that receive excellent scores, while others like the Tacoma may score poorly in road tests and predicted reliability. This model-specific variation is critical when determining “what is the make of the car and model that best suits your needs?”.
Brand Recommendations: A Deeper Look
Interestingly, only a small number of manufacturers received recommendations for every single model tested by Consumer Reports. Porsche, Infiniti, Mini, and Buick achieved this distinction. However, it’s important to consider that these brands often have smaller product lines and fewer models tested, which can skew these statistics. Chrysler, for example, is the highest-ranked domestic brand in 16th place, but its score is based on a limited product line.
On the other end of the spectrum, seven brands did not have a single model recommended by Consumer Reports: Lincoln, Alfa Romeo, Dodge, GMC, Land Rover, Rivian, and Jeep. These brands also tend to be among the lowest-ranked overall, suggesting a higher risk for consumers. When considering what is the make of the car to avoid, these brands warrant careful consideration and thorough research.
Brands Not Ranked: Factors for Inclusion
To be included in Consumer Reports’ brand ranking, at least two current models from a manufacturer must be tested. This criterion excludes brands like Fiat, Jaguar, Lucid, Maserati, Polestar, and Ram from the 2025 report. The absence of a brand from the ranking doesn’t necessarily indicate poor quality but rather a lack of sufficient data for a comprehensive brand-level assessment.
Making an Informed Choice: Brand Matters
Consumer Reports’ brand rankings provide valuable insights into what is the make of the car that aligns with your priorities. Whether you’re focused on reliability, performance, or overall satisfaction, understanding brand reputations is a crucial step in the car buying process. While these rankings are based on averages and broad brand performance, they serve as an excellent starting point. Always remember to delve into specific model reviews and ratings to ensure your final choice meets your individual needs and expectations. By leveraging resources like Consumer Reports, you can confidently navigate the complexities of the automotive market and make a well-informed decision about your next vehicle.
