It's safe to call the Japanese sedan the most reliable vehicle segment. The world's best-selling car is the Toyota Corolla, a Japanese sedan. If you are curious about the most consistent luxury vehicle of the past decade, you guessed it: the Lexus ES sedan.
There have been so many dead reliable Japanese sedans over the last couple of decades that it's easy to lose count. Thus, we did our best to include what we believe are only the top dogs of the pack, the absolute standouts in elite competition. In this list, we will feature almost every Japanese brand from Acura to Mazda, with a good mix of models that offer strengths in sport, comfort, and luxury without sacrificing reliability. Without further ado, let's dive in!
In order to give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from various manufacturers and other authoritative sources. The models below have been ranked from newest to oldest.
It's not all about speed—with regular maintenance and oil changes, one of these reliable Japanese models could become your trusty long-term workhorse.
Toyota officially decided to go all-in with their well-known Camry and, for the first time, this mid-sized sedan is hybrid only for 2025 and beyond.
Engine | 2.5-liter four-cylinder hybrid | |
Horsepower | 225 hp | 232 hp |
Torque | N/A | |
Transmission | e-CVT | |
Drivetrain | FWD | AWD |
Fuel Economy (Combined) | 51 MPG (LE), 47 MPG (SE, XLE, XSE) | 50 MPG (LE), 46 MPG (SE, XLE), 44 MPG (XSE) |
Driving Range | 663 miles (LE), 611 miles (SE, XLE, XSE) | 650 miles (LE), 598 miles (SE, XLE), 572 miles (XSE) |
Base MSRP | $28,700 |
The 2.5-liter A25 inline-four platform powering the 2025 Camry is the current standard for the majority of Lexus and Toyota's hybrid fleet and right now it's the most reliable hybrid platform available. This platform is set to define this entire generation of Toyota's powertrains, and they are more committed to hybrid tech than ever before. With 663 miles of range on a single tank, you understand why Toyota is putting serious infrastructure behind this new generation of fuel-efficient platforms.
SUV? No need for that. The 2024 Subaru Outback does everything its SUV counterparts can all while retaining the last of the lineage of the wagon.
Regarding Subaru boxer engines, the 2.5-liter FB25D inline-four variant found in the Outback is as reliable as this platform has ever been. We also appreciate the fact that the turbo variant is also offered for those who need a bit more pep in the step. If you are going to get a Subaru, it's hard to compete with the flexible package that the Outback offers.
Next on our list is the sleekly-styled fourth-generation 2024 Mazda3 sedan (2019-present).
Engine | 2.5-Liter Naturally Aspirated Inline-Four | 2.5-Liter Turbocharged Inline-Four |
Transmission | 6-Speed Manual or 6-Speed Automatic | 6-Speed Automatic |
Horsepower | 191 HP | 250 HP |
Torque | 186 LB-FT | 320 LB-FT |
Driveline | FWD or AWD | AWD |
0-60 MPH | 6.1 Seconds | 5.6 Seconds |
Top Speed | 134 MPH | 134 MPH |
The ultra-practical Mazda3 has never looked better or been more capable than it is right now in the current generation. The 2.5-liter Skyactiv-G inline-four found in the base model Mazda3 has seen continued refinement since its debut in the Mazda6 back in 2013. Over a decade later Mazda has sorted the majority of the kinks and the 2.5-liter inline-four is their most reliable platform to date with a turbocharged variant boosting performance on top trim models.
On paper, the Mazda3 Turbo has all the ingredients of a true pocket rocket. Unfortunately, there are too many compromises that hold it back.
The second generation of the Toyota Prius Prime (now known as the Plug-in Hybrid) may not be as "sexy" as the sleeker third generation, but its consistency and reliability are still exceptional.
If low upkeep cost, reliability, and fuel economy are must-haves, you will find few vehicles that can compete with the 2022 Toyota Prius Prime. Its 1.8-liter inline four hybrid engine has seen over a decade's worth of development and the 2022 model is the ultimate variant of this platform. The Prius Prime is so reliable, most of the time it doesn't even need its gas engine thanks to 25 miles of EV range. The 2022 Prius Prime provides a level of flexibility and sheer utility that is hard to beat when compared to even other ultra-fuel-efficient models.
Moving back almost a decade, we find one of the most consistent Acura models of all time, the first generation of the four-door TLX.
Engine | 3.5-liter V-6 |
Transmission | 6-speed automatic |
Horsepower | 290 horsepower |
Torque | 267 lb.ft |
Driveline | AWD or FWD |
0-60 MPH | 6.2 seconds (AWD) |
Top Speed | 155 mph |
The 3.5-liter J35 V-6 remains a hallmark of Honda's engineering efforts and the Y6 variant found in the 2016 Acura TLX was utilized across various larger Honda vehicles up until 2022.
The next Japanese sedan on our list is a close counterpart of the 2016 Acura TLX, the ninth-generation 2015 Honda Accord.
Honda Accord 2.4 | Honda Accord 3.5 | Honda Accord Hybrid | |
---|---|---|---|
Engine | 2.4-liter, NA I4 | 3.5-liter, NA V6 | 2.0-liter, NA I4 hybrid |
Power | 185 hp | 278 hp | 195 hp |
Torque | 181 lb-ft | 252 lb-ft | 122 lb-ft |
Drivetrain | Front-engine, FWD | Front-engine, FWD | Front-engine, FWD |
Transmission | 6-speed manual, CVT | 6-speed manual(coupe only), 6-speed automatic | CVT |
Fuel economy (manual) | 27 MPG combined (23 MPG city, 34 MPG highway) | 21 MPG combined (18 MPG city, 28 MPG highway) | N/A |
Fuel economy (automatic/CVT) | 30 MPG combined (27 MPG city, 35 MPG highway) | 25 MPG combined (21 MPG city, 34 MPG highway) | 47 MPG combined (49 MPG city, 50 MPG highway) |
Whether you are looking for low upkeep cost, performance, or fuel economy, the 2015 Honda Accord has a trim and model for you. Regardless of which you choose, you can expect top-level reliability for its era. The 2.4-liter inline-four may seem lackluster compared to the more expensive trims like the Hybrid variant, but its value and simplicity at its price point are unbeatable.
Honda has always been known for producing some of the most popular vehicles in the market, but it also made some hidden gems along the way.
If you were to call the sixth and seventh generation of Lexus ES the most reliable luxury sedan ever, few would argue against it.
Engine | 3.5-liter V-6 |
Transmission | 6-speed automatic |
Horsepower | 268 horsepower |
Torque | 248 lb.ft |
Driveline | RWD |
0-60 MPH | 6.0 seconds |
Top Speed | 131 mph (limited) |
The Lexus ES is smooth, refined, and never hurried, but always ready. Nothing embodies the character of the Lexus ES more than the 3.5-liter 2GR V-6 that served as its backbone for several generations. The 2GR V-6 is, simply put, one of the greatest engine platforms ever engineered, and this engine didn't feel at home anywhere more than in a Lexus ES. The hybrid variant is leagues more efficient, but as far as reliability and smoothness are concerned, the V-6-powered ES 350 defines its class with exceptional driving quality.
Our next Japanese sedan is the seventh generation of the Toyota Camry (2011-2017).
Engine | 2.5-liter inline-four |
Transmission | 6-speed automatic |
Horsepower | 177 horsepower |
Torque | 173 lb.ft |
Driveline | FWD |
0-60 MPH | 8.4 seconds |
Top Speed | 137 mph |
This generation shared some similarities to the 2015 Lexus ES, but the 2015 ES is closer to a Toyota Avalon than a Camry of the same generation. The 2.5-liter inline-four that came as the Camry's base engine served as Toyota's primary mid-sized platform for almost a decade. If you want a bit more juice, the V-6 option provides all the power you could ever need in a Camry without sacrificing any reliability (the same V-6 as offered in the Lexus ES 350).
The only V-8-powered vehicle on our list is the flagship Lexus LS 460 sedan from the 2011 model year.
Engine | 4.6-liter V-8 |
Transmission | 8-speed automatic |
Horsepower | 380 horsepower |
Torque | 367 lb.ft |
Driveline | RWD |
0-60 MPH | 5.8 seconds |
Top Speed | 155 mph (limited) |
The fourth generation of the Lexus LS (2007-2017) was a pivotal moment as it introduced Toyota's UR-family platform with the debut of the 4.6-liter 1UR V-8 powering the then-new LS 460. The UR V-8 platform would form the entire basis of Toyota's modern V-8 technology push and the UR remains in use in high-performance Lexus models to this day. It's crazy to think about how dead-reliable this platform is because it has been utilized for almost two decades and is still relevant and in circulation. If you are going to buy any V-8 for the sake of reliability, make sure it's a UZ or a UR.
Undercutting the rest of its ultra-competitive segment, Lexus' largest sedan offers top levels of luxury for the most affordable price tag.
When discussing world-class reliability standards, the fourth-generation 1990 Honda Accord should be a central figure in the conversation.
Engine | 2.2-liter inline-four |
Transmission | 4-speed automatic or 5-speed manual |
Horsepower | 125 horsepower |
Torque | 137 lb.ft |
Driveline | FWD |
0-60 MPH | 9.7 seconds |
Top Speed | 119 mph |
How many other vehicles do you know that have made it to a million miles and beyond with only scheduled oil changes and routine maintenance? The 1990 Honda Accord goes to show that constant care and consideration for your vehicle is just as important as how well it is engineered. A lot of the time, the simpler, the better. Yet, even the most bulletproof platforms can still provide headaches if they are neglected and/or not maintained properly.
So reliability is a two-way street; just like any other good relationship, constant communication is required for success. If this old Honda can make it this far with the original engine and transmission, why could your more modern vehicle do the same with the same quality of attention and upkeep? We provided many solid options worth taking that far. We hope you can make every mile count!