New reliability data gives dealers another way to evaluate used-vehicle inventory—and gives shoppers a closer look at potential repair costs.
Reliability is one of the biggest questions facing a used-car buyer, and new CARFAX data offers some insight into which vehicles may be less likely to need unexpected repairs.
Using billions of records from more than 177,000 data sources, CARFAX ranked 2019–2023 vehicles by estimated likelihood of an unexpected repair over the next year. The results put several familiar models near the top of their respective segments.
Among cars, the Kia Rio, Mitsubishi Mirage G4 and Toyota Camry each had an estimated unexpected-repair likelihood of roughly 2%, compared with a 5.5% average for the segment.
The top SUVs were the Honda CR-V, Kia Sportage and Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross, each with an estimated repair likelihood below 2.5%, compared with a 7.8% segment average. In the truck category, the Ford Ranger, Nissan Frontier and Toyota Tacoma all came in below 4%, compared with a 9.1% segment average.
For independent dealers, the information could provide another useful data point when evaluating potential inventory. Reliability isn't the only factor that determines whether a vehicle makes sense for the lot, but expected repair risk can influence consumer confidence, ownership costs and ultimately how easy a vehicle may be to sell.
CARFAX says its newer future Reliability information goes beyond model-level rankings. Its reports and vehicle listings can provide VIN-specific estimates, giving shoppers an indication of the likelihood of repairs over the next three years and potential repair costs.
The rankings are based on 2019–2023 model years, which CARFAX says represent a substantial portion of today's used-vehicle inventory.
Bottom Line
For independent dealers, reliability can be another selling point—and another inventory consideration. Models with a lower predicted repair risk may give dealers a stronger ownership story to tell shoppers, particularly buyers focused on keeping monthly and unexpected costs under control. CARFAX's VIN-level data also gives dealers and customers a way to look beyond the make and model and consider the individual vehicle's history.
