Consumer Reports – December 2018

The Powertrain Problem Index is for each engine and transmission combination within a brand. It is based on data from the 2016, 2017, and 2018 model years from CR’s most recent annual Auto

Reliability Survey. The vertical line is the average value of all nonturbo vehicles in CR’s survey. Each brand is ranked by how much its turbocharged powertrains deviated from the overall average.

Multiple dots in the line indicate other turbocharged engines offered by the automaker.

LEXUS

HONDA

PORSCHE

BMW

AUDI

SUBARU

BUICK

MAZDA

MERCEDES-

BENZ

INFINITI

VOLKSWAGEN

KIA

VOLVO

FORD

CHEVROLET

LINCOLN

HYUNDAI

MINI

WORSE BETTER

Powertrain

Problems

More than half of new U.S. models

offer turbo engines as an option.

As they become more popular, along

with multispeed transmissions, it’s

clear from CR reliability data that

not every automaker gets its turbos

and transmissions right. Check this

chart to see which car companies

are consistently building quality

powertains and which you should

avoid for now.

AVERAGE

NONTURBO

ENGINE

2.0L 4-cyl. 1.5L 4-cyl.

3.0L V6

3.0L 6-cyl.

2.0L 4-cyl.

1.6L 4-cyl. 1.4L 4-cyl.

3.0L V6

1.5L 3-cyl.

3.0L 6-cyl. 2.0L 4-cyl.

2.0L 4-cyl. 3.0L V6

2.0L 4-cyl.

2.5L 4-cyl.

2.0L 4-cyl.

2.0L 4-cyl. 1.4L 4-cyl.

2.0L 4-cyl. 3.3L V6

2.7L V6 1.5L 4-cyl.

2.0L 4-cyl.

3.0L V6 2.0L 4-cyl.

1.6L 4-cyl. 2.0L 4-cyl.

1.5L 4-cyl.

2.0L 4-cyl.

3.0L

V6

1.4L

4-cyl.

2.0L 4-cyl.