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

[Ucsdryder]

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

I agree they’ve gotten better, but anybody that thinks they’re better than the Japanese brands needs their head checked.


Even Rogan agrees.

 

[Thinkingman]

I agree they’ve gotten better, but anybody that thinks they’re better than the Japanese brands needs their head checked.


Even Rogan agrees.

Quote from the article:
Kia ranks highest overall in vehicle dependability, with a score of 145 PP100. This is the first year Kia leads the overall ranking after ranking third overall in 2021. Other mass market brands ranking high for vehicle dependability include Buick (147 PP100), Hyundai (148 PP100), Toyota (158 PP100) and Dodge (166 PP100).

The 2022 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study is based on responses from 29,487 original owners of 2019 model-year vehicles after three years of ownership. The study was fielded from July 2021 through November 2021.

To learn more about the U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study, visit https://www.jdpower.com/business/automotive/us-vehicle-dependability-study.

1 Japanese company in the top five...That's pretty good.

 

[Ucsdryder]

Quote from the article:
Kia ranks highest overall in vehicle dependability, with a score of 145 PP100. This is the first year Kia leads the overall ranking after ranking third overall in 2021. Other mass market brands ranking high for vehicle dependability include Buick (147 PP100), Hyundai (148 PP100), Toyota (158 PP100) and Dodge (166 PP100).

The 2022 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study is based on responses from 29,487 original owners of 2019 model-year vehicles after three years of ownership. The study was fielded from July 2021 through November 2021.

To learn more about the U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study, visit https://www.jdpower.com/business/automotive/us-vehicle-dependability-study.

1 Japanese company in the top five...That's pretty good.

Your original post said having owned Toyotas and kias. What year were your kias? What was their rank at that time? Kia and hyundai have a history of being turds. Yes they’ve gotten better.

And I’ll say it again…anybody that says a kia has better reliability than Toyota needs to put down the alcohol and if they’re not drinking…well then I’m sorry.

 

[Thinkingman]

Your original post said having owned Toyotas and kias. What year were your kias? What was their rank at that time? Kia and hyundai have a history of being turds. Yes they’ve gotten better.

And I’ll say it again…anybody that says a kia has better reliability than Toyota needs to put down the alcohol and if they’re not drinking…well then I’m sorry.

I had two Toyotas...A RAV4 with the 2.4l engine that is the subject of defective engine lawsuits and recalls as you're well aware.
The other was a 2006 Tacoma which was well-documented for leaf spring recalls and frame rot recalls that your expertise also makes you aware of.
My current Kia is a 20009 Optima that I bought my son used for a high school car. It had a clean history and flawless interior at 109,000 miles. I put new tires, pads and rotors on it because he used it to Door Dash. It's been perfect minus a siezed caliper at about 125,000 that was an easy DIY fix. It has about 132,000 on it now and I use it while he's in college so I don't have to feed my F150. It's a great little car.
Don't know what Kias rank was in 2009 but after having driven Toyotas from that era, I knew what I didn't want.

 

[fngTony]

@Ucsdryder @Thinkingman maybe you guys can hash this out over turkey burgers and tater tot’s

 

[Ucsdryder]

@Ucsdryder @Thinkingman maybe you guys can hash this out over turkey burgers and tater tot’s

I couldn’t handle the critiquing of my tots because of a bad experience is 1997.

 

[jewbacca]

As great as the 4runner is, I can't imagine intentionally buying a body-on-frame vehicle for dedicated soccer mom use. If you had said it would see significant use as your outdoors vehicle, then sure. But if reliability strongly outweighs driveability then maybe it still wins.

I'd look hard at the Telluride. That's hard for me to say as I've been a honda/toyota guy most of my life and older Kias don't have the best reputation. But supposedly Kia has stepped up their game in the last decade, and the Telluride has been around long enough now to be well tested. Consumer Reports has graded it extremely well.

I would naturally lean towards the Subaru but I'm still leery of turbo engines from a reliability standpoint. Reading up on the FA24F engine doesn't ease that for me. It's hard to say how much of its reliability issues are organic vs induced by all the modders (think WRX). The naturally aspirated V6 in the Telluride is another bonus in that regard.

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[browning2480]

As great as the 4runner is, I can't imagine intentionally buying a body-on-frame vehicle for dedicated soccer mom use. If you had said it would see significant use as your outdoors vehicle, then sure. But if reliability strongly outweighs driveability then maybe it still wins.

I'd look hard at the Telluride. That's hard for me to say as I've been a honda/toyota guy most of my life and older Kias don't have the best reputation. But supposedly Kia has stepped up their game in the last decade, and the Telluride has been around long enough now to be well tested. Consumer Reports has graded it extremely well.

I would naturally lean towards the Subaru but I'm still leery of turbo engines from a reliability standpoint. Reading up on the FA24F engine doesn't ease that for me. It's hard to say how much of its reliability issues are organic vs induced by all the modders (think WRX). The naturally aspirated V6 in the Telluride is another bonus in that regard.

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We looked and drove both the Telluride and Ascent back in October when we were buying. I called the local dealer to ask questions about ordering a Kia and he wouldn’t even discuss it. Said they had three on the lot and they can’t special order vehicles. Well the three on the lot were $15k higher than a comparable Ascent and the Subaru dealer let us order exactly I what we wanted. Ascent is in the driveway and I am 100% glad Kia was a pain to deal with. Love the Ascent

 

[RS3579]

Did the OP make a decision? Did I miss it? My vote is a Toyota.

 

[doc holiday13]

Quote from the article:
Kia ranks highest overall in vehicle dependability, with a score of 145 PP100. This is the first year Kia leads the overall ranking after ranking third overall in 2021. Other mass market brands ranking high for vehicle dependability include Buick (147 PP100), Hyundai (148 PP100), Toyota (158 PP100) and Dodge (166 PP100).

The 2022 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study is based on responses from 29,487 original owners of 2019 model-year vehicles after three years of ownership. The study was fielded from July 2021 through November 2021.

To learn more about the U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study, visit https://www.jdpower.com/business/automotive/us-vehicle-dependability-study.

1 Japanese company in the top five...That's pretty good.

I'll be one to poopoo those numbers because 3 years of driving is generally based on 20K/year mileage. I'd be curious where these vehicles rank based on significant maintenance required at 100K, 150K, and 200K.

200K being the mileage when you start looking at new vehicles and I think most reasonable people would expect to get 10 years out of their vehicle without needing significant maintenance/repairs.

One of my good friends is a non-dealership(but used to work at a dealership) mech and he's replaced A LOT of Kia engines. At least 4 other casual and work friends have had to have their Kia engine replaced at just about 110K miles

 

[jewbacca]

We looked and drove both the Telluride and Ascent back in October when we were buying. I called the local dealer to ask questions about ordering a Kia and he wouldn’t even discuss it. Said they had three on the lot and they can’t special order vehicles. Well the three on the lot were $15k higher than a comparable Ascent and the Subaru dealer let us order exactly I what we wanted. Ascent is in the driveway and I am 100% glad Kia was a pain to deal with. Love the Ascent

That's great to hear. You know, even if the Subaru ends up with worse reliability (of which I'm still skeptical), $15k can cover an awful lot of repairs.

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[MattB]

Did the OP make a decision? Did I miss it? My vote is a Toyota.

He probably did, the bigger question is whether his wife has totaled it already?

 

[Poser]

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.

You can’t even get insurance on Kias in certain areas now because of how easy they are easy to steal.