Mazda, Hyundai Lead Repair Affordability Rankings
CarMD’s 2018 Vehicle Health Index finds Mazda was the most affordable brand to repair and the 2017 Hyundai Tucson registered the lowest average check-engine repair cost.

The 2017 Hyundai Tucson registered the lowest average check-engine repair cost in CarMD’s latest rankings of brands and vehicles by reliability and repair affordability.
Photo courtesy Hyundai Motor America
IRVINE, Calif. — Automotive repair data and diagnostic solutions provider CarMD.com Corp. has released its 2018 CarMD Vehicle Health Index Make and Model Reliability Rankings.
Toyota was the brand least likely to need check engine repairs over the past year, edging out Acura and Hyundai, which rank No. 2 and No. 3 respectively. Mazda, which ranked second last year, is now the brand with the lowest average repair cost ($286), followed by Kia ($320), Dodge ($326) and Hyundai ($328). Honda and Toyota are the only two brands to rank in the top 10 on both lists.
The 2016 Audi Q5 is least likely to need a check engine light-related repair. The 2017 Hyundai Tucson costs the least on average ($67) to repair when the light is on, with a loose gas cap or an improperly installed intake air duct the two most common reasons the Tucson’s check engine light illuminates.
Published annually since 2011, CarMD’s index analyzes check engine repairs and costs to rank the 10 brands and 100 vehicles least likely to have a check engine light on. The report also ranks 10 makes and 100 vehicles with the lowest average repair costs and the top three vehicles by category. CarMD analyzed data from over 5.6 million in-use vehicles, model year 1996 to 2018, reporting check engine health from Oct. 1, 2017, to Sept. 30, 2018.
“The CarMD Vehicle Health Index Make and Model Reliability Ranking is the only report that statistically measures check engine failures and repair costs,” said David Rich, CarMD’s technical director. “Understanding which makes and models have which kinds of problems, how frequently they occur and what those repairs cost can be useful to vehicle owners, used car buyers, as well as repair professionals looking to increase their knowledge of trends within the industry.”
Brands and vehicles highlighted on this year’s list include:
Brand with lowest average repair cost: Mazda ($286)
Vehicle with lowest average repair cost: 2017 Hyundai Tucson ($67)
Most reliable brand: Toyota
Most reliable vehicle: 2016 Audi Q5
To read the report in its entirety, click here.
Originally posted on Auto Dealer Today
More Showroom

Making the Safe Choice
Kelley Blue Book has turned households with teen drivers onto safe and affordable options for their vehicles of choice
Read More →
Inventory Holds Steady
September new-vehicle inventory rose slightly month-over-month, but dealer lots are laden with MY2026 vehicles as the typical model year changeover trudges along.
Read More →
October Auto Sales Fall With the Leaves
A forecast anticipates retail deliveries are down this month as consumers continue to face cost challenges, though more are tapping long loans in order to buy.
Read More →
California Sees Quarterly Gains
California’s new-vehicle market saw a boost in hybrids in the third quarter and its first overall quarterly market gain of the year.
Read More →
New-Vehicle Prices Stay Put
Affordability pressures and model availability shaped new-vehicle sales in September, according to an analysis by Kelley Blue Book.
Read More →
EV Buyer Consideration Shifts
What drives American consumers to purchase an electric vehicle is shifting as the question moves away from Should I?' to 'Which features and experience do I want to have?'
Read More →
Year-to-Date Auto Sales Holding Their Own
A forecast through August shows that automakers have shifted strategies to keep deliveries and revenues up despite tariffs and other economic challenges.
Read More →
Slow to Robo
Ten years of polling consumers shows autonomous vehicles’ profiles have risen considerably, but even more people now want at least some level of control if they go that route.
Read More →
Dealers a Little Down
A third-quarter Cox Automotive survey finds them in a mixed mood, bummed by fallen customer traffic but encouraged by better profits, costs and EV interest.
Read More →
European EV Sales Skyrocket
The EV market on the continent held strong in July with almost 25% of new-car sales being fully electric units, a stark contrast to the U.S., where EV sales declined about 42%.
Read More →