Are new Toyotas still reliable or should we consider other options?

I’ve been reading that the newer models aren’t as reliable compared to the older ones. This has my wife and I questioning if a Kia might be a better option. Any thoughts? I’d appreciate your advice.

New Toyotas may have some changes, but they’re still way more reliable than Kias.

Hart said:
New Toyotas may have some changes, but they’re still way more reliable than Kias.

Thanks! I didn’t think Kia would be a reliable option, but my wife is considering it for the budget if Toyota isn’t as reliable anymore.

@Graydon
Reliability plays out over time. Both Toyota and Kia are reliable at first, but if you’re keeping the car for 5-10 years, you’ll see the difference. Kia engines, especially, don’t always hold up well long-term. They’ve had manufacturing issues, and while they’ve improved, Toyota is still ahead in quality.

Hart said:
New Toyotas may have some changes, but they’re still way more reliable than Kias.

Kia’s new tech and designs might look great, but after a few years, things start to break down. I mean, remember the 2010 Forte? Looked great, but now they’re almost all gone. Meanwhile, old Toyotas last forever. Toyota might be a little slower to adopt new tech, but they wait until it’s tried and tested, so it’s more reliable.

@Ethan
I’m about to upgrade my 2006 Tacoma with a new Homelink mirror. Love how reliable it’s been.

Vin said:
@Ethan
I’m about to upgrade my 2006 Tacoma with a new Homelink mirror. Love how reliable it’s been.

Haha, nice! You’ll be all set to break into the garage too when I ‘borrow’ it :wink:.

Hart said:
New Toyotas may have some changes, but they’re still way more reliable than Kias.

Toyota cars are pricey now. A Ford might be a better option for less money, and the extra maintenance costs are smaller. For example, a fully-loaded Ford F150 is $15k cheaper than a Tundra, with almost no extra maintenance cost.

@Sai
Yeah, but I’ve seen a lot of Ford hybrids having electrical issues. Not a good sign for long-term reliability.

Kia just isn’t reliable. I’ve owned both Toyotas and Kias. Kias might look cool, but they have constant engine problems. They’re always getting recalled for engines catching fire, or their engines just fail at around 50,000 miles. You’d be crazy to trade Toyota for Kia. Toyota and Lexus are the two most reliable brands out there.

People often say new cars aren’t as reliable as older ones, but the data shows that isn’t true. Toyota is still one of the top two brands for long-term reliability, with Lexus being number one.

Remington said:
People often say new cars aren’t as reliable as older ones, but the data shows that isn’t true. Toyota is still one of the top two brands for long-term reliability, with Lexus being number one.

I didn’t know Lexus was so reliable! Thanks for the info. This definitely helps clear things up for us.

@Graydon
https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/used-car-brand-reliability-a2811658468/

Haha, Kia? Sure, they’ve gotten better, but Toyotas are still way more reliable.

I wouldn’t buy a Kia. They’re easy to steal, and in some places, it’s hard to even get insurance on them.

laura said:
I wouldn’t buy a Kia. They’re easy to steal, and in some places, it’s hard to even get insurance on them.

They used to be like that, but thieves still try to break into them anyway. Some things never change.

New Toyotas may have more parts that can break compared to older ones, but that doesn’t mean they’re less reliable. It’s just the new tech being added. I work at a Toyota dealership, so I see both sides. Compared to what my friend’s Kia went through, I’d still pick Toyota any day.

Any new car model can have its issues at first, but Toyota’s problems are usually minor compared to other brands. Kia isn’t a good alternative. If you want something that will last, go with a Toyota or a Mazda. They’ll get you over 250k miles with little trouble. A Kia? You’ll run into problems around 100k miles.

The 2020 model might not seem more reliable yet, but give it a few years. One thing I can say is that Toyota’s hybrid models, like the RAV4 Hybrid, are super reliable. Don’t listen to the news, negativity spreads fast online. Toyota’s hybrid tech is solid.

Are new Toyotas still reliable? Yes and no. They’re still the best in terms of reliability. But would I trust a 2024 Toyota to go 500,000 miles without major issues? Not yet. Kias are bad, though. If you want a reliable car, go with a Toyota or Honda. If you want a good-looking car that might break down, get a Kia.