Top 5 Most Reliable Vehicles to Buy in 2022
A feature-rich and affordable car will not be a good deal if you often have to take it for repairs. Apart from your lifestyle, requirements, and budget, you also need to consider the vehicle’s reliability so it serves you for years without breaking down on the way. A reliable car will not only be light on your pocket but will also retain its value for a very long time. Today, we bring you the most reliable cars of 2022, according to U.S. News rankings.
The agency’s editors take into account published reviews from esteemed automotive critics and information from third-party sources. The editors assign a score out of 10 after considering the car’s performance, interior, safety, reliability, fuel economy, critic’s rating, etc.
#5. 2022 Toyota Prius Prime – Category: Hybrid Cars
- U.S. News Score: 7.7
- J.D. Power Quality and Reliability Rating: 74
While Consumer Reports has ranked the 2022 Prius Prime on the third spot in its most reliable car list, we consider it our best hybrid car for its impressive 54 mpg fuel economy, an electric-only range of 25 miles, above-average cargo capacity, and a long list of standard tech and safety features.
Obtainable in three trim levels – LE, XLE, and Limited – all models are propelled by a 1.8-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine. The mill takes assistance from a lithium-ion battery and a pair of electric motors to generate a total output of 121 horsepower and sends power to the front wheels via a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT).
The combined city/highway rating of 54 mpg and 133 MPG-equivalent is exceptionally impressive, and so are the standard features, including a 7-inch touch screen, a Wi-Fi hot spot, a six-speaker stereo, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa.
With the IIHS safety rating of Good in most tests and the overall safety rating of five from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, your commutes are 100% safe, especially with the Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 suite of safety features. All these features even allow you to convert this Prius to a camper.
#4. 2022 Honda Ridgeline – Category: Compact Pickup Trucks
- U.S. News Score: 8.3
- J.D. Power Quality and Reliability Rating: 78
The 2022 Honda Ridgeline is our most reliable compact pickup truck courtesy of its classy cabin, spacious seating, powerful engine, and easy-going performance.
All four variants in the range – Sport, RTL, RTL-E, and Black Edition – are powered by a 3.5-liter V6 engine yielding 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. The standard nine-speed automatic transmission powers all the wheels and tows up to 5,000 pounds, which is around a couple of thousands less than most of its close rivals.
If the standard features like cloth upholstery, proximity keyless entry, tri-zone automatic climate control, a universal garage door opener, remote start, and an 8-inch touch-screen infotainment system with Android Auto, Apple CarPlay aren’t enough, there is a long list of appearance and performance packages to upgrade your ride.
On the safety front, the 2022 Ridgeline shines supreme with an overall safety score of five out of five stars from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The driver assistance facilities are also quite generous, comprising forward collision warning with emergency braking, road departure mitigation, adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, etc.
#3. 2022 Honda Civic – Category: Compact Cars
- U.S. News Score: 8.7
- J.D. Power Quality and Reliability Rating: 82
The fully redesigned, 11th-generation Honda Civic takes the top spot in the compact car category for its new and upscale cabin, superb fuel economy, advanced tech, and agile handling.
Accessible in sedan and hatchback body styles and four trim levels across the range for each, there are two engine choices. The entry-level LX and Sport variants get a naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine producing 158 horsepower, whereas the EX/EX-L and Touring/Sport Touring trim levels use a turbocharged four-cylinder generating 180 horsepower. The front-wheel drivetrain and CVT come standard in all variants, but you can opt for a six-speed stick shift for the hatchback Sport and Sport Touring trims. All models feature front-wheel drive.
The base engine delivers 31/40 mpg city/ highway, while the turbo engine returns 33/42 mpg city/highway fuel economy, making it one of the most fuel-efficient compact cars on the market.
If the standard 7-inch touch screen, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, Bluetooth, a USB port, and a four-speaker stereo aren’t enough, there is a long list of available infotainment and other features to spec up your drive.
What makes the new Honda Civic so desirable in its class is its Top Safety Pick+ award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the Honda Sensing suite of driver assistance technologies.
The extensive list of standard safety tech includes forward collision alert, automatic emergency braking, road leaving mitigation, adaptive cruise control, lane departure alert, lane keeping assist, traffic sign recognition, and more if you are willing to pay a little extra for systems like blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert.
#2. 2022 Hyundai Tucson – Category: Compact SUVs
- U.S. News Score: 8.9
- J.D. Power Quality and Reliability Rating: 88
The 2022 Tucson ranks at the top of our most reliable compact SUVs list for its premium cabin, composed ride and handling, spacious seating and cargo space, user-friendly infotainment system, and a range of driver assistance features.
Fully restyled for the 2022 model year, the new Tucson comes in four variants – SE, SEL, N Line, and Limited – each powered by a 2.5-liter four-cylinder unit pumping out 187 horsepower and 178 pound-feet of torque. The power plant pairs with an eight-speed automatic transmission, powering the front or all the wheels, depending on your choice. The EPA-estimated fuel economy stands at 26/33 mpg city/highway for the front-wheel drive model and 24/29 mpg city/highway for the all-wheel-drive variant.
In addition to a long list of standard facilities such as an 8-inch display, wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto, a six-speaker stereo, remote keyless entry, cloth upholstery, and 17-inch alloy wheels, the compact SUV has received the Top Safety Pick+ award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
Hyundai ensures driver’s and passenger’s safety through various advanced driver assistance systems like the forward collision warning, pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, driver drowsiness monitoring, etc. Besides, there is a long list of available driver assistance facilities like Safe Exit Assist, rear collision warning, etc., to make your drives safer and more convenient.
#1. 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS – Category: Luxury Electric Cars
- U.S. News Score: 9.4
- J.D. Power Quality and Reliability Rating: NA
The all-new Mercedes EQS came and conquered the luxury electric car segment thanks to its remarkable driving range, sophisticated and roomy interior, big cargo hold, and well-rounded performance.
It is available in two models – EQS 450+ and EQS 580 4Matic – each having three trim levels. The base 450 features a 107.8-kWh lithium-ion battery and a single electric motor, offering 329 horsepower and 419 pound-feet of torque. In contrast, the 580 4Matic uses the same battery and adds another motor in the powertrain to deliver 516 horsepower and 631 pound-feet of torque.
Mercedes claims 350 miles of drive range with the base model and 340 miles with the dual-motor model. The recharging time on a DC fast charger is just 31 minutes for replenishing from 10% to 80%.
The standard feature list is extensive and luxurious, starting with a 12.8-inch touch screen, voice recognition, augmented-reality navigation, wireless device charging, a 15-speaker Burmester surround-sound stereo, wireless Android Auto & Apple CarPlay, and so on.
Since the new 2022 EQS just arrived, neither the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration nor the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has tested its safety attributes. Rest assured, Mercedes will not disappoint any of its customers in the safety, reliability, and driver assistance tech.
In fact, the luxury electric sedan comes with the most highly advanced and extensive list of driver assistance systems in its segment. Forward and reverse automatic emergency braking, blind spot monitoring, stop-and-go adaptive cruise control, Car-to-X communication, automatic parking assist, and speed limit recognition and limiting are just a few of those facilities.
