Help - Best Reliability: Toyota 4Runner v Subaru Ascent v Kia Telluride

[eye_zick]

Consumer Reports, Subaru Ascent

 

[Keptwalkin]

Subaru is good until 70 to 100k miles which may be plenty for people just looking to lease. I have heard anecdotally that it is the variable transmission that they insist on using. Toyota is tried and true and would be the better option in terms of longevity as well as resale value. There’s a reason some of the toyotas are more expensive used

 

[Trackerbacker]

You will get more for your money when it comes to goodies with the Subaru. I checked out all three for my wife as well and ultimately we ordered an Ascent. Part of that was it was her favorite to drive and had the most options at the cheaper price.

It does come at an expense as my teenage boys are saying she is now a tree hugging hippy, but hey what can you do. Mama loved the Subaru.

As far as reliable, I think your ranking is probably right, but I bet there isn’t enough difference to worry about.

Ascent was $41k ordered exactly how she wanted.

Kia they wouldn’t order and told us we had to buy what they had in the lot. Everything over 50k.

4Runner she didn’t like enough to even check price. No power and terrible mileage turned her off.

She didn’t like the Highlander at all.

I will second this near word for word.

I actually enjoy the ascent more as well. It's different grippy different. If I'm going 4runner, I'm going something solid, not this plastic version.

The rest we had driven all felt more minivan like or was the dime a dozen pick a color tahoe/burb/exp.

Really like the comfort of the qx80, but found the armada more plush, but they drive like tanks for what they are.

 

[Thinkingman]

Having owned Toyotas and Kias, I would go with Kia.
Equal reliability and fewer issues with bad engineering and cheap materials.

 

[Ucsdryder]

Having owned Toyotas and Kias, I would go with Kia.
Equal reliability and fewer issues with bad engineering and cheap materials.

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Man I needed a good laugh this morning. Thank you!

 

[wind gypsy]

I'd sure drive a highlander before writing it off, it's actually in the same class as the ascent and is a nicer driving experience than the gutless 4runner.

We have an outback that i bought as a commuter to qualify for company vehicle stipend without having to trade in my perfectly good paid for f150 that didn't quality for a new one. It's now my wife's car. It is a perfect family commuter especially for MN winter roads but Id have a hard time passing up a highlander over an ascent if we needed something bigger and didn't have icy roads for much of the year.

 

[wind gypsy]

My old man has a little kia econobox that he used as a commuter before retiring. The paint flaked off it like crazy and he even had a front a-arm completely break off on him while driving down the road. It's probably 15 years old so not a great indicator of current vehicles but it keeps me from mentally putting Kia in the same class as toyota for reliability.

 

[CorbLand]

My old man has a little kia econobox that he used as a commuter before retiring. The paint flaked off it like crazy and he even had a front a-arm completely break off on him while driving down the road. It's probably 15 years old so not a great indicator of current vehicles but it keeps me from mentally putting Kia in the same class as toyota for reliability.

To be fair, Toyota has had problems with paint peeling and did extend their warranty on a few models because of it. Toyota also had issues with lower ball joints on 1st gen Tundras.

We own a Kia and it’s been a good car but has had more issues in 6 years than my 22 year old Tundra though.

 

[Keptwalkin]

Kia and Hyundai have good warranties but well known engine failures, neither are in the same class as toyota for reliability

 

[Thinkingman]

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Man I needed a good laugh this morning. Thank you!

Okay...To be fair I did have to replace a frozen caliper on the Kia at about 125,000 miles.
Would have taken me 20 minutes but they mounted the lower control arm in the way of the lower caliper bolt so unbuttoning that took another 10 minutes.

 

[Ucsdryder]

Okay...To be fair I did have to replace a frozen caliper on the Kia at about 125,000 miles.
Would have taken me 20 minutes but they mounted the lower control arm in the way of the lower caliper bolt so unbuttoning that took another 10 minutes.

Tell that to the literally 1000s that have had their vehicle stolen with a screw driver or usb cord. To say a kia is better built and designed than a Toyota, or a ford, Chevy, Honda, Nissan, etc is just plain stupid.

 

[Thinkingman]

Tell that to the literally 1000s that have had their vehicle stolen with a screw driver or usb cord. To say a kia is better built and designed than a Toyota, or a ford, Chevy, Honda, Nissan, etc is just plain stupid.

Yeah.
Good analogy.
Solid.

 

[Keptwalkin]

Toyota engine is not as efficent as other makers but as we all know are stone cold reliable, maybe some car guys can speak to that. Toyota v6 is a good example of this

 

[7mm-08]

We've driven Toyotas since 2000. Most importantly, we have found a mechanic who has become a friend and he shares with us the lessons he and his father (they have owned and operated a "foreign car" repair shop in town for more than 40 years) have learned over time. Too much of their wisdom to list here, but if you are looking for longevity, you can't go wrong with the 4Runner. We have a 2020 SR5 and purchased it based on his recommendation. My wife uses it similarly to the way you described your wife would use a new vehicle. Our mechanic works on Toyotas, Nissans, Subarus, Hondas and other "foreign" cars and his position was that the body-on-frame construction of the Japan-built 4Runner (still built there, by the way) was superior to any of the other makes and models upon which he works for longevity. As others have said, it is not great on gas and it is technologically behind the Subaru and Kia, but it just, keeps, running...

 

[hoytrules]

My experience, reliability toyota. Nothing else comes close. I've had a tundra, tacoma( got struck by lightning)2 4 runners, matrix, corrola and supra. All of them nothing major except routine maintenance. Over 100,000 miles on all of them. 400,000 on the matrix.

 

[blicero]

Love my 4Runner. It’s sitting at about 155K miles on it now (2011 Trail) and am just now starting to see any real maintenance costs on it, needs a timing cover reseal which will run me a couple grand.

 

[bojangles808]

My mom lives at 7000 ft and all her friends drive Toyotas. Not a 4runner but her FJ cruiser has 260k plus trouble free miles

 

[Keptwalkin]

then again all those folks in colorado sure do love their subarus

 

[maxmfs]

+1 on the Highlander. I have a 2016 XLE AWD and it is a great car. No issues. It can pretty much go anywhere (besides true off-roading) with great reliability and excellent functionality. It’s a really practical and rugged car. It’s not a Land Cruiser, but it can do a lot, and with much better MPG and maintenance costs.

 

[Ferrulewax]

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Man I needed a good laugh this morning. Thank you!

Kia is actually the most reliable car brand in the US per a recent consumer report, or so I’ve heard- I’ll try to find a link. Korean Cars have come a very long way in the last 20 years. That said I’m still a toyota guy.

EDIT: toyota and Lexus still top Consumer Reports, but Korean manufacturers dominated JD powers report. I’m not sure what metrics they use to decide this though so either may be complete hogwash.

https://www.jdpower.com/business/press-releases/2022-us-vehicle-dependability-study