The 5 best car brands, according to Consumer Reports — and the 5 worst

Buying a car is one of those decisions that can genuinely stress you out. There are so many options, and while two cars from the same brand can feel worlds apart, the brand name still gives you a decent idea of what you're signing up for.

Consumer Reports takes a lot of the guesswork out of it by looking at four things: how a car actually drives, how likely it is to give you problems, how it holds up in a crash, and whether owners are still happy with it a few years in.

Here's who made the cut — and who didn't.

Brandon Bell / Staff / Getty Images

Toyota $TM jumped four spots this year to land at number five. It's never been a brand that chases attention, and honestly, that's the point. Consumer Reports keeps flagging the same strengths — good gas mileage, rides that are smooth and quiet, and cars that don't make you awkwardly climb in and out. None of that is exciting, but it's why Toyotas keep selling well on the used market long after they've left the dealership.

Kevin Carter / Contributor / Getty Images

Honda $HMC moved up one spot to fourth, and the reasons are pretty straightforward. It's affordable, it's reliable, and it doesn't make you figure out where anything is. The driving feel is confident without being stiff, and both the SUVs and sedans tend to hold up well over time. Honda doesn't really surprise you — but in a good way. That predictability is exactly why it keeps scoring well across Consumer Reports' metrics.

Porsche / Getty IMages

Porsche climbed to third, which tends to catch people off guard. Most assume a luxury sports brand trades dependability for style. But every Porsche Consumer Reports has tested has done well — not just in how it drives, but in how satisfied owners actually are. The handling and braking are genuinely impressive, and while repairs aren't cheap, the reliability is better than you'd expect at this price point.

Brandon Bell / Staff / Getty Images

BMW remains in second place and continues to lead in road-test scores. These cars are fun to drive but still offer good fuel efficiency and everyday practicality. The technology feels well integrated, and both the SUVs and sedans get steady praise. For a luxury brand, BMW manages to stay practical, which isn’t easy.

Kevin Carter / Contributor / Getty Images

Subaru takes the top spot again, and it keeps doing it the boring way — by just being consistently good. Standard all-wheel drive on the SUVs isn't a selling point they drum up; it's just how the cars come. Owners tend to be happy with them, reliability stays high, and they're a safe bet whether you're buying off the lot or picking one up secondhand. There's nothing flashy about that, and that's exactly the point.

NurPhoto / Contributor / Getty Images

Alfa Romeo is in the bottom five, and it's been there for a reason. These cars are fun — they drive well and they turn heads. But the controls trip people up, and the reliability numbers aren't good. When you're choosing between a car that's enjoyable on a test drive and one that won't leave you stranded, that gap matters. Used Alfas are a particularly risky proposition.

Bloomberg / Contributor / Getty Images

Dodge comes in fourth worst. Some of the trucks and SUVs have real personality, and there's a market for that. But personality doesn't fix reliability problems or make up for weak crash test results. Consumer Reports doesn't mince words here — if you're shopping used Dodge, be careful about what you're walking into.

Xinhua News Agency / Contributor / Getty Images

GMC lands at third worst, and the core issue is reliability. The vehicles drive fine — that's not really the complaint. But GMC and Chevrolet share a lot of the same bones, and when you're paying more for what is essentially a rebadged version of the same truck with a few extra features, the reliability problems sting more than they should.

John Keeble / Contributor / Getty Images

Land Rover is second worst, and it's a recurring theme. The vehicles look incredible and can handle serious terrain. But Consumer Reports' reliability data tells a consistent story — these cars need a lot of attention from mechanics. If you're shopping for a used Land Rover, that's something you need to factor into the real cost.

Bloomberg / Contributor / Getty Images

Jeep is last, and the numbers across the entire lineup back that up. Reliability is a problem everywhere, and it also pulled the lowest road-test scores of any brand Consumer Reports evaluated. It's a tough brand to defend right now, new or used.