Last month members provided 17,861 responses to the Car Reliability Survey, a response rate of 36.2%. The updated car reliability stats include full results for 458 cars, and partial results for another 351. This compares to 404 full results and 320 partial results three months ago.
The updated results cover owner experiences through the end of June 2010. Other sources of reliability information won’t cover the most recent months until the summer or fall of next year.
With this update we have more solid results for a number of 2010 models and an initial look at some early 2011s.
Audi’s newest A4 and S4 (now reported separately) continue to be better than average, though they might be drifting upward to join the 2009 in “about average.” More repairs are being reported for the related Q5, and while still “about average” any further increase will make it significantly worse than the average.
Few repairs have been reported for the 2010 BMW 3-Series. But we had far fewer responses than for earlier model years, so it’s too soon to tell whether the 335i’s high pressure fuel pump problems have been resolved. Pumps continue to fail in the 2007s through 2009s, though it does seem that if a pump lasts for 10,000 miles it’s no longer likely to fail.
The 2010 GM products we had enough responses for–the compact and large crossovers and the Camaro–are all about average, and not far from “better than average.” The Camaro would be “better than average” if not for a common problem with a loose screw in the spoiler.
Fords seem to be similarly about average and not far from “better than average,” with one exception. The new Taurus is close to “worse than average” thanks to a common problem with chrome trim peeling off the tail lights. The PTU seal might still be prone to failure in the Edge, but we don’t yet have enough responses to be sure.
Hondas remain generally better than average, though problems with the tire pressure monitor in the Fit bumped it to “average.” Earlier years have been excellent, so the 2010 is expected to improve in future updates.
Hyundai’s record is mixed. We do not yet have enough data on the new 2011 Sonata and 2010 Tucson to provide full results for these models. The data we do have suggests that in their first model year they’re about average. The Elantra Touring is similarly about average. The Genesis sedan has improved to better than average in its second model year. 2009s with the Technology Package continue to have more problems. The reported repair frequency for the Genesis Coupe continues to increase, and it’s now quite a bit worse than average. Some owners are very dissatisfied with their cars and with Hyundai’s response. Hyundai appears to have launched this one too soon.
The Jaguar XF has improved little if any in its second model year, and remains much worse than average. Minor electrical problems are common.
Kia’s record is much the same as Hyundai’s. We don’t have quite enough data for a full result for the 2011 Sorento, but what we do have suggests that it’s about average–just like the new Sonata and Sorento. The Forte, new for 2010, is similarly about average. The Soul has improved to better than average now that some intial bugs have been resolved.
We don’t have enough data yet for a full result for the new Land Rover LR4. What we do have suggests that it is considerably more reliable than the LR3 it replaced, and most likely about average.
Very few repairs continue to be reported for the 2010 Mazda3–excellent for a car in its first year. The 2009 Mazda6 has settled in not far from the average.
The 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class and GLK are both about average. As is the 2009 C-Class, the first model year for that car. All of these models are doing far better than the GL-Class in its first two model years.
The 2010 Nissans are consistently better than average. However, we only had enough responses for full results for the cube and Rogue. A number of models started the 2010 model year relatively late, so we’ll have full results for them with the next update, in November. Looking at the 2009s, the Altima, Maxima, Murano, and Rogue are all better than average, while the 370Z and Versa are about average but not far from “better than average.”
A number of owners of the redesigned 2010 Subaru Legacy and Outback have reported problems with steering vibrations. A few cars have even been bought back when these problems could not be fixed. Even so, the reported repair frequency is better than average. The Forester is also better than average.
Despite the recent media circus and claims that Toyota’s quality has declined, the 2010s continue to be consistently much better than average in TrueDelta’s Car Reliability Survey. We don’t have full results for many 2010 models yet, but the data we do have strongly suggest that these cars rarely require repairs. Looking across all recent model years, Toyotas fare better than any other make.
The 2010 Volkswagen CC appear to have fewer problems than the 2009, and is about average. The MkVI Golf, GTI, and Jetta SportWagen continue to lag the MkV they replaced. The gas models are about average. The TDI remains worse than average, but not by nearly the same degree as three month ago. An early common problem with the O2 sensor has likely been resolved, so this result should continue to converge with that for the gas models. The reported repair frequency for the Tiguan has jumped quite a bit with this update, and while “about average” is not far from “worse than average.”
Finally, the 2010 Volvo XC60 is about average so far.
For detailed results for all model years:
I fear that with this engine they have gone too far in the other direction. Since 2006 the competing Lexus IS has been offered with two sixes, one a 2.5 and the other a 3.5. After driving both, I concluded that for most people the 3.0 they have failed to offer in the IS, but have offered in other products, would hit a sweet spot. 
For the enlarged Saab 9-5, this means other midsize luxury sedans. After similarly loading up both cars (the default comparison at TrueDelta.com), the 2011 BMW 535i was about $12,800 more than the new 9-5. Even after adjusting for remaining feature differences the BMW is about $11,700 more, a sizable premium but one that history has proven many people will pay. The 2010 Mercedes-Benz E350 4Matic is not quite as pricey, about $8,000 more before feature adjustments, and about $5,800 afterwards. The 2010 Audi A6 3.0T is closer still, about $3,100 more than the Saab before feature adjustments, and about $3,500 more afterwards. 
The new Volvo S60 goes up against the 3-Series and the other aspirants to the BMW’s crown. It replaces a model that has been on life support in the U.S. for the past three model years. Here as well the BMW costs quite a bit more. Specifically, a similarly loaded up 2011 335i xDrive lists for about $7,200 more. With the 2010 Audi S4 the difference is even larger, about $10,000. But then Volvo hasn’t blessed the new car with its late, lamented R moniker. The closest American competitor, the Cadillac CTS 3.6 AWD, is about $4,000 more than the Volvo after a series of price increases over the past few years. 
Price comparisons using TrueDelta’s car price comparison tool of similarly loaded cars find that 
compared to a similarly loaded Fiesta SES, but adjusting for the Fiesta’s additional features nearly eliminates this advantage, reducing it to about $200. Compare a Mazda2 Sport with a Fiesta SE hatch, both with manual transmissions and no options, and the Mazda lists for $1,065 less, but adjusting for remaining feature differences cuts the gap to about $300.
