YONKERS, NY — While brand new cars often come with the latest cutting-edge technology and innovations that can improve their fuel economy and safety, they can also come with plenty of new glitches that frustrate their owners, according to the latest Annual Auto Reliability Survey from Consumer Reports (CR), the nonprofit organization committed to creating a fairer, safer, and more transparent marketplace for consumers. Nearly half (45%) of new and redesigned for 2019 models have below-average predicted reliability, according to the CR survey. 

CR’s Annual Auto Reliability Survey collected data from the organization’s members about their experiences with more than 400,000 vehicles. New-car shoppers should be cautious when considering a new or recently redesigned model because vehicles tend to be most reliable by the final year of any particular model run (typically five to seven years) after all the bugs have been worked out—and least reliable in the first year of a redesign, when freshly reconfigured and often touted as “all new,” according to CR’s analysis.

CR’s survey also revealed a small group of cars that have above-average reliability even though they’re brand-new or redesigned for 2019. The list includes the Ford Ranger compact pickup, and the Toyota Avalon large sedan.

“Consumers deserve products and services that are safe, high quality, and offer good value,” said Marta L. Tellado, President and CEO of Consumer Reports. “Our Annual Auto Reliability Survey, along with the exhaustive testing done at CR’s Auto Test Center in Connecticut, is one way we help consumers identify reliable and fuel-efficient choices to fit every budget and lifestyle, which is the way the marketplace should be.”

How to Know What You’re Buying 

If you’re looking for a new vehicle and want to follow CR’s advice to steer clear of a potentially problematic redesign, you may find yourself confused by advertising promotions that play fast and loose with industry terminology. Here are some steps that car buyers can follow:

• Always do your research in advance. The more complex or extensive the changes, the greater the chance of problems in the first year on the road. The free model pages on CR.org let members know whether the model they’re considering is a brand-new debut or whether it has been redesigned from the prior year.
• If the car has been redesigned, consider asking the dealer whether there are any previous-generation models available. An added bonus is that the older model is likely to be discounted.
• If you still want that newly redesigned model but don’t want to run the risk of first-year troubles, consider waiting a year. It could get more reliable in that time.
• You may plan to lease or trade-in your car before the warranty expires. But keep in mind that even though you won’t have to pay for repairs, you’ll waste a lot of time repeatedly taking an unreliable car in for service, which can quickly get frustrating.
• Buying a lightly used vehicle with modern conveniences, onboard entertainment, the latest safety features, and with proven reliability can also be a smart move.

“It’s tempting to want to be the first on your block to have the newest car, but you don't want to be a guinea pig for the auto industry,” CR’s Senior Director of Auto Testing Jake Fisher said. “Sometimes it pays to wait, and save yourself from years of frustration.”

For more information on CR’s Annual #CRCarReliability Survey, visit CR.org/reliability or follow Consumer Reports on Facebook at facebook.com/consumerreports and on Twitter @consumerreports.

About Consumer Reports Annual Auto Reliability Survey
The latest Consumer Reports Annual Auto Reliability Survey gathered information from Consumer Reports members who collectively owned or leased more than 400,000 vehicles, from model years 2000 to 2019. The survey, which is the largest of its kind, covers more than 300 models. More information can be found at www.CR.org.