Most Reliable Cars in NZ

Japanese brands tend to take a more conservative approach to engineering, rather than pushing the boundaries (and having things break). They don’t tend to rush development of new tech; Toyota took a slow approach with its hybrid powertrain, the first generation only sold in Tokyo, Japan to ensure it was right before it launched to the global market three years later. Early critics of the Prius questioned its use of low tech NMH batteries but they were chosen primarily for reliability reasons. And it’s not uncommon for Prius to wrack up high mileage (250,000km plus) without worry. 

Toyotas are not immune to mechanical problems, even the rugged and dependable Hilux has had its issues with diesel injectors and exhaust filters. Though Toyota, like other Japanese manufacturers, usually acknowledge the problem and find a fix. 

Part of the success of a reliable brand is having a reliable supply of parts to fix problems quickly (and hopefully in a relatively affordable manner) when things do go wrong. Having a large network of service centres (for new car buyers) also helps. 

Cars are complex machines and regular maintenance is key to ensuring long term reliability. Make sure you stick to a manufacturer’s recommended servicing schedule in terms of both mileage and time. These windows might reduce if you regularly tow with your machine, or if you make frequent short trips for instance. Using the correct grade of gas is important too; you won’t be saving money in the long term by running a car on 91 if it requires 95. 

Car brands like Toyota, Honda, Suzuki and Mazda often come out on top when drivers are surveyed on their ownership experience. Suzuki won the Canstar Blue Customer Satisfaction New Car Award for 2024. This marks the fifth time the brand has received the award after it did so in 2014, 2015, 2017, and 2018. It scored five stars in all categories, including overall satisfaction, after sales, service, driving experience, point of sale service, reliability, and value for money, with Mazda and Toyota second and third. 

Consumer NZ’s latest survey on car reliability, gathering data on some 8500 cars, turned out some interesting results. No, not really, most of the top picks were Toyotas and Hondas like the Jazz, HR-V, Land Cruiser, Corolla and Aqua. When it came to the most reliable brands, some might find it interesting to hear BYD topped the list, followed by Honda, Lexus and then Tesla and Toyota. All these brands were in the ‘highest’ band for reliability and satisfaction.   

When it comes time to buy a new car, and reliability is high on your wish list, it pays to do some research online. Some swish-looking Euro sportscars often have remarkably cheap asking prices as used cars which makes them tempting buys. But do a little research and you’ll likely discover why; these sorts tend to have a long list of potential problems that cause poor reliability. 

Don’t rely on brand reputation alone. Some Toyotas are better than others; the Cavalier for instance was a bad one. Though that’s because it was a re-badged Chevrolet, some models from generally reliable brands have been known to have problems. So it pays to know what you are getting into before buying with a little online research first.