Japanese automakers have been the reigning reliability champs for years. But when Consumer Reports completed its annual ranking of the brands making the most reliable new cars, two Japanese marques suffered a noticeable drop: Subaru and Mazda.

CR surveyed drivers about problems they experienced with 2000–2025 model year vehicles during the past 12 months. It received 380,000 responses, then used that data to predict reliability for 2026 models. Asia-based automakers led the pack with an average score of 56/100. European companies averaged 50/100, and U.S.-based companies averaged 41/100.

Subaru did better than average but lost its No. 1 spot. Meanwhile, Mazda fell far below average for this year’s biggest tumble.

Subaru (63/100) slips but stays ahead of Lexus

Last year, Subaru shocked the automotive world when it pulled off a win over Toyota in the CR reliability rankings. It was a bad year for Toyota. Its own luxury brand, Lexus, also beat it, and Toyota landed in third place.

This year, Subaru still has many models with above-average reliability. The Impreza is Subaru’s most reliable model, while the Crosstrek is its third. The Forester Hybrid is just above average, while the lowest scorer is its model that has gone the longest without a redesign: the third-row Ascent. That SUV still earned an average reliability score.

With a second-place finish — ahead of Lexus — Subaru may have lost the headline this year, but it can still hold its head high. Subaru’s secret is a move right out of Toyota’s playbook: using the same components across as many models as possible, tossing unreliable components, and reusing reliable ones across multiple model years. It is a comparatively small automaker, redesigning cars on a longer cycle than Toyota and GM. But it has steadily built up its overall reliability.

Mazda (43/100) stumbles after new powertrain issues emerge

Another smaller Japanese automaker took a tumble in predicted reliability this year. But if you’re a big fan of Mazda’s legacy models, rest assured they still score well. The sedan and hatchback Mazda3 did better than average. The CX-30, CX-50, and CX-50 Hybrid all held onto average predicted reliability scores.

The vehicles that brought down Mazda’s score are its largest crossovers. The CX-70 and CX-90 — both their PHEV and conventional models — all scored poorly. Mazda completely redesigned the powertrain these vehicles share, and owners reported problems. In addition, the PHEV batteries and motors caused issues for drivers.

The irony is that the CX-90 is essentially the CX-70 with a third row of seating. If Mazda had lumped all the above vehicles into a single model name, it might have earned a much higher average reliability across its lineup. The tried-and-true CX-5 is also getting a full redesign, so CR chose not to rate its predicted reliability until more data is available.

All in all, Mazda doesn’t have a reliability problem across its entire lineup. But you will want to shop wisely.