Don’t trust what people say from their individual stories. You need statistics of hundreds of cars, not single anecdotes. There must be sites that evaluate cars reliability, average spending on repairs and so on, model by model. Find those.

Can’t go wrong with Honda and Toyota. They are basically tanks that keep running even when you abuse them.

+1 for Toyota Corolla

I’ve got -06 model with 225000km (140000mi) on the meter. Outside basic maintenance the only problem it has had was that the ABS timing ring snapped. It cost about 80€ at the local shop to clean the spot and weld it whole again.

I’m currently driving a company owned Toyota corolla Fielder, with a cool quarter million KMs on the clock, 260-something thousand to be exact.

Toyota have a legendary reputation for reliability, for good reason.

I have had mazadas and toyotas run for decades with zero problems but they are also decades old and may not be reflective of the current quality of the cars. See: BMW and Mercedes. they used to be quality in the 20th century, now they are a bit shit.

My mechanic buddies all swear by Toyota, the Prius is rated the kind of car least likely to seen in a shop and pretty much any other Toyota is bullet proof.

Flipside, I will never own a Nissan. Worked at an auto auction for 6 months as an inspector. One thing that was hammered on us is check engine oil even before it went to the auctions mechanic for sludge. The reason it was hammered so hard is because it was a problem. Only with Nissans. In 6 months, hundreds of cars a day, Nissans were the only ones with the engine sludge issue.

Toyota Prius. I’ve seen people in central Asia rock mud and dirt trails with it, that most Westerners wouldn’t dare to go on with their SUVs

Flawed premise.

You don’t care about brands generally, you only care about the car you buy specifically.

Every brand / model has good and bad cars. If you’re unlucky enough to get a shit one, it doesn’t really help you if people swear by that brand.

Just figure out the format (SUV, hatch, etc), then your budget, then buy the lowest kms you can.

Honda. The answer is Honda.

You know what “Ford” stands for, eh?

Fix It Again, Tony.

But to add something to the conversation, my vote goes to Toyota and Honda.

Anecdotally: Had a 1999 Corolla that I drove into the ground, ignored oil changes, was a stupid teen, and it ran fine until I wanted automatic windows. Currently riding in a Nissan Altima, which seems to be pretty great (as long as the transmission doesn’t fail, which they can do sometimes).

Parents had a Ford Eacort that was a lemon, and a Ford Escape that was a money-pit.

Don’t get a jeep! Ours developed a heart defect 2 weeks before we paid it off. Turns out, it’s a known issue that Jeep just doesn’t care about addressing because “loyal” owners will just replace it (meaning the whole engine), and often do.

Toyota or lexus are most reliable, Honda (Acura) is a close 2nd. After that it isn’t even close.

Yes ford’s aren’t all bad, especially their international designs are not bad.

After Toyota and Honda the reliable cars to buy are going to be specific models and specific years, you’re going to have to find the many youtube mechanic commentary videos “buy this not that” and do your research.

It may be that rather than buying the most reliable vehicle you avoid buying one of the known worst vehicles. I’ve been there and now I own 2 Toyotas and a Honda.

And it goes without saying, before you buy anything have it inspected by an impartial mechanic you trust.

You will see that Toyotas cost a lot more than other cars. It’s because the cheaper cars end up costing thousands more in the long run because of the many repairs you’re going to have to do. Pay now or pay later.

I am not native and wanted to say I always swear on SUVs, Pickups and unnecessarily loud or stupid cars.

Dont get one of those, please.

Honda and Toyota last forever. Incredibly reliable cars.

Honda, Toyota, Subaru. Specific models with high sales and as such high parts availability. I’d avoid new models or low sales. It’ll be harder to pick-n-pull parts. The prius claims to be low maintenance and I believe it based on experience. Most issues I’ve had with those brands have been fixable and not too soul crushing. Even the worst prius issue i ever had with a stuck coolant valve I was able to fix myself wigh youtube vids.

Of course this comes with the caveat that you take care of your vehicle. Don’t drive like a moron being harsh on it, perform regular maintenance at proper intervals, do your fluid and filter checks and changes, don’t swing for only cheap products, use full synthetic oil when you can. Use higher quality oil, air, cabin, etc filters within reason. Follow the manual. Set maintenance reminders for yourself. Don’t add unnecessary performance mods. Don’t go to jiffy lube. Be skeptical of mechanics that will screw up your car. Check their work when you can, or do it all yourself. If your car allows it, use better fuels.

Reliable doesn’t equal zero maintenance or zero cost.

On that note. Michelin tires are worth it. Cheap tires are cheap and get replaced more. Tire performance under braking is perhaps the most important safety feature. I’ve never been disappointed by Michelin for performance, safety, or life. Worth every penny every time.

By the way, if you want some fun, go to the car dealer area of your town on random days and check out their service departments. I laugh every time I see places like Hyundai packed in the waiting room.