wheel My order
Mon-Sun 9am-7pm
704 755 4566
Charlotte, NC
wheel My order
Home / Insights /

Reliability by generation

Are new cars more reliable? Same brands, different generations

Every car here was checked at the same point in its life — 5–10 years old — so a 2012 model inspected back then and a 2018 model inspected recently compare fairly. Across all brands the answer is humbling: the share still in good condition has barely moved between generations (~55–60%). Cars overall aren't getting better or worse — but individual brands moved a lot, in both directions.

12
Brands with enough data
2,159
Cars inspected at 5–10 yrs old
4
Model-year generations
~56%
Of the newest generation in good shape — same as a decade ago
Brand by brand
Audi ▲ Newer Audis are holding up better 40% 60% 80% 2012–14: 61% in good shape (age-adjusted; 19 cars, raw 63%) 61 2015–17: 54% in good shape (age-adjusted; 24 cars, raw 50%) 54 2018+: 78% in good shape (age-adjusted; 20 cars, raw 85%) 78 2009–11 2012–14 2015–17 2018+
Lexus ▲ Newer Lexus vehicles are holding up better 40% 60% 80% 2012–14: 61% in good shape (age-adjusted; 19 cars, raw 58%) 61 2015–17: 70% in good shape (age-adjusted; 40 cars, raw 68%) 70 2018+: 68% in good shape (age-adjusted; 16 cars, raw 75%) 68 2009–11 2012–14 2015–17 2018+
BMW ▬ Consistent across generations 40% 60% 80% 2012–14: 67% in good shape (age-adjusted; 34 cars, raw 68%) 67 2015–17: 64% in good shape (age-adjusted; 46 cars, raw 63%) 64 2018+: 73% in good shape (age-adjusted; 39 cars, raw 82%) 73 2009–11 2012–14 2015–17 2018+
Ford ▬ Consistent across generations 40% 60% 80% 2012–14: 45% in good shape (age-adjusted; 37 cars, raw 41%) 45 2015–17: 50% in good shape (age-adjusted; 90 cars, raw 46%) 50 2018+: 50% in good shape (age-adjusted; 76 cars, raw 58%) 50 2009–11 2012–14 2015–17 2018+
Toyota ↘↗ Dipped in the mid-2010s — the newest generation recovered 40% 60% 80% 2012–14: 72% in good shape (age-adjusted; 59 cars, raw 66%) 72 2015–17: 57% in good shape (age-adjusted; 105 cars, raw 53%) 57 2018+: 69% in good shape (age-adjusted; 62 cars, raw 77%) 69 2009–11 2012–14 2015–17 2018+
Volkswagen ▬ Consistent across generations 40% 60% 80% 2012–14: 62% in good shape (age-adjusted; 19 cars, raw 58%) 62 2015–17: 64% in good shape (age-adjusted; 20 cars, raw 60%) 64 2018+: 59% in good shape (age-adjusted; 17 cars, raw 65%) 59 2009–11 2012–14 2015–17 2018+
Mercedes ▬ Consistent across generations 40% 60% 80% 2012–14: 58% in good shape (age-adjusted; 32 cars, raw 59%) 58 2015–17: 64% in good shape (age-adjusted; 41 cars, raw 66%) 64 2018+: 53% in good shape (age-adjusted; 33 cars, raw 61%) 53 2009–11 2012–14 2015–17 2018+
Nissan ↘↗ Dipped in the mid-2010s — the newest generation recovered 40% 60% 80% 2012–14: 65% in good shape (age-adjusted; 29 cars, raw 59%) 65 2015–17: 45% in good shape (age-adjusted; 45 cars, raw 44%) 45 2018+: 58% in good shape (age-adjusted; 47 cars, raw 66%) 58 2009–11 2012–14 2015–17 2018+
Mazda ▼ Newer Mazdas aren't holding up as well 40% 60% 80% 2012–14: 56% in good shape (age-adjusted; 23 cars, raw 52%) 56 2015–17: 53% in good shape (age-adjusted; 34 cars, raw 47%) 53 2018+: 48% in good shape (age-adjusted; 32 cars, raw 56%) 48 2009–11 2012–14 2015–17 2018+
Hyundai ▼ Newer Hyundais aren't holding up as well 40% 60% 80% 2012–14: 59% in good shape (age-adjusted; 33 cars, raw 58%) 59 2015–17: 59% in good shape (age-adjusted; 40 cars, raw 58%) 59 2018+: 47% in good shape (age-adjusted; 28 cars, raw 54%) 47 2009–11 2012–14 2015–17 2018+
Chevrolet ▼ Newer Chevrolets aren't holding up as well 40% 60% 80% 2012–14: 56% in good shape (age-adjusted; 20 cars, raw 55%) 56 2015–17: 57% in good shape (age-adjusted; 45 cars, raw 56%) 57 2018+: 43% in good shape (age-adjusted; 34 cars, raw 53%) 43 2009–11 2012–14 2015–17 2018+
Honda ▼ Newer Hondas aren't holding up as well 40% 60% 80% 2012–14: 65% in good shape (age-adjusted; 53 cars, raw 62%) 65 2015–17: 50% in good shape (age-adjusted; 90 cars, raw 49%) 50 2018+: 40% in good shape (age-adjusted; 44 cars, raw 48%) 40 2009–11 2012–14 2015–17 2018+

Blue = share of that brand's cars scoring 60+/100 when we inspected them at 5–10 years old, by model-year generation; the dashed grey line is the all-brand average. Because newer generations are inevitably inspected at the younger end of that window, every point is age-adjusted to a typical 7½-year-old using the decline we measure in our own data (6.1 points per year of age). Each point covers at least 15 cars — hover a dot for the sample. Brands appear once three generations have enough data, and the newest generation splits into its own column as inspections accumulate — the chart grows on its own. One honest caveat: a brand's model mix shifts between generations, and the newest generation's high-mileage story isn't written yet.

FAQ
?
Are new cars more reliable than older ones?
Not as a whole. Comparing cars at the same age (inspected at 5–10 years old), about 56% of the newest generation is in good condition — essentially the same share as generations from a decade earlier. Individual brands, though, moved a lot in both directions.
?
Which brands are improving?
Audi, Lexus show newer generations holding up clearly better at the same age.
?
Which brands are slipping?
Mazda, Hyundai, Chevrolet, Honda score lower in their newer generations than they did in the early 2010s — worth knowing before paying a premium for the badge's old reputation.
Averages describe the brand — not the car in front of you. Get the exact car inspected before you pay.
Book an inspection

Based on 2,159 inspections at the 5–10 year checkpoint · updated Jul 12, 2026