What is a reliable car for its price?

toddr13 · 46-50, M

It depends upon the car, and how much you want to spend. For a basic sedan, something like a Toyota Corolla or a Honda Civic is reliable, same with something like a Honda CR-V or Toyota RAV4. If buying new, it would be difficult to find an unreliable car from a major manufacturer, but mid- and long-term reliability is the key. For a large SUV, the Toyota Land Cruiser is very reliable and durable, though it's not fuel efficient or fast.

Also, people define "reliable" differently, but to many it means that the car will run and drive without major flaws, not that a window regulator failed, the radio speakers are scratchy or have static at times, or a door lock actuator failed as that doesn't affect the ability to drive the car.

If you're buying used, pay attention to the long-term reliability and look for trouble spots, since even very reliable vehicles can have issues that may need to be addressed, either for a repair or maintenance that many not have been performed.