The low dependability of German vehicles, despite their ostensibly superior engineering, is more than a joke in enthusiast circles; it’s just the way things are. It may come as a surprise, though, that Consumer Reports classified BMW as one of the top three most dependable brands. It climbed ten spots in the company’s 2022 rankings to win this award.
This is the first time BMW has ever fared so high in Consumer Reports’ dependability study. Japanese brands often have the highest dependability ratings. Keep in mind that these outcomes are self-reported by owners rather than scientifically assessed by a third party.
BMW ranked third on CR’s list owing to consistently average or above-average levels of reported dependability across the majority of its products. Notably, the 3 and 4 Series are rated as “above-average” in terms of dependability. Other models in the range, such as the X3, X5, X7, and 5 Series, are typically mediocre. Owners reported electrical difficulties and cumbersome user interfaces, therefore they were rated lower than the 3 and 4 Series.
Mercedes-Benz finished last (24th) in the CR rankings for the first time. According to the magazine, this is due to widespread “issues with the in-car technology, such as screen freezing or turning blank.” It further mentions that these problems may occasionally get so severe that actual hardware must be changed in order to be resolved.
Some of the survey findings are surprising. Conventional hybrids and plug-in hybrids are the most sophisticated cars on the road in terms of drivetrain. These cars are powered by both an internal combustion engine and an electric powertrain. Despite this, owners indicate that they are quite dependable. On the other hand, several new completely electric cars have experienced reliability issues. According to CR, “just four of the 11 EV models on which CR has adequate data have average or superior anticipated dependability.”
