10 Most Reliable American Cars

2018 Cadillac CTS ・ Photo by Cadillac

One of the perks of buying a new car is its reliability, but some cars are more reliable than others. Certain brands do better than others, and even brands with excellent reputations for building reliable vehicles have an issue with a particular model or model year occasionally. Here are the 10 most reliable American cars you can buy, according to their most recent J.D. Power rankings for the 2017 and 2016 model years.

2017 Lincoln Continental

The Lincoln Continental was reintroduced in 2017, bringing back the traditional American luxury car in a big way. It has a bold, striking exterior design and a sumptuous interior full of luxurious materials. The Continental feels as good as it looks with plenty of room for five passengers in a genuinely expansive cabin. It’s also a powerful vehicle with a choice of three different engines. The base Lincoln Continental has a 3.7-liter V6 with 305 horsepower and 290 lb-ft of torque. There’s also a 2.7-liter twin-turbo V6 with 335 horsepower and 380 lb-ft of torque or a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 with 400 horsepower and 400 lb-ft of torque. The 2018 Lincoln Continental has a starting price of $45,160.

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2018 Chevrolet Bolt

The Chevrolet Bolt puts an electric car on the list for those who want an efficient and environmentally conscious choice. It has a range of 238 miles and gets an EPA-estimated 128 mpge city/110 mpge highway/119 mpge combined. The Chevrolet Bolt was also a 2017 Top Safety Pick with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

When it comes time to charge your Bolt, it takes 9.3 hours with a 240-volt source, or you can get up to 90 miles of range from a DC fast charging station in as little as 30 minutes. You can also customize charge settings for when you’re home, so the Bolt charges when utility rates are at their lowest. Starting price on the 2018 Chevrolet Bolt is $37,495.

Photo by General Motors

2018 Buick LaCrosse

The Buick LaCrosse offers the convenience of a full-size sedan with an award-winning interior. Pricing runs from $30,495 for the base LaCrosse up to $39,595 for the LaCrosse Premium. Front-wheel drive is standard with all-wheel drive available as an option on select trim levels. There’s also a choice of two powertrains.

The base 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine has 194 horsepower and 187 lb-ft of torque paired to a 6-speed automatic transmission. There’s also a more powerful 3.6-liter V6 with 194 horsepower and 187 lb-ft of torque paired to a nine-speed automatic transmission. The Buick LaCrosse is roomy enough to seat five adults comfortably and has a large trunk with 15 cubic feet of cargo space.

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2018 Chevrolet Camaro

The Chevrolet Camaro earns a spot on our list proving even sporty, performance-oriented cars can be reliable vehicles. There’s room for four passengers in the Camaro, and you have your choice of either a coupe or soft-top convertible. Pricing starts at $26,900 for the coupe and $32,900 for the convertible.

It’s all about performance with the Camaro, so you have your choice of two powerful engines. There’s a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder with 275 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque or a 3.6-liter V6 with 335 horsepower and 284 lb-ft of torque. There’s also a choice of either a six-speed manual transmission or an eight-speed automatic.

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2018 Buick Cascada

The Buick Cascada is an often-overlooked convertible, but its consistent high-reliability ratings make it an excellent choice. It’s available in three trim levels, starting with the base Cascada at $33,990 and topping out with the Cascada Sport Touring at $37,995.

Available only with front-wheel drive, this soft-top convertible features a 1.6-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine with 200 horsepower and 207 lb-ft of torque paired to a six-speed automatic transmission. There’s room for four passengers with a surprisingly large trunk for a convertible. There are 9.8 cubic feet of cargo room with the top down or 13.4 cubic feet with the top raised.

Photo by General Motors

2018 Chevrolet Sonic

The 2018 Chevrolet Sonic is a compact car with a starting price of only $16,170, making it ideal for buyers on a budget. It’s also a fuel-efficient choice with an EPA-estimated 28 mpg city/37 mpg highway when equipped with the 1.4-liter engine and a manual transmission. Those numbers drop slightly if you opt for an automatic transmission to 27 mpg city/35 mpg highway.

The Chevrolet Sonic has room for five passengers and is available as a sedan or a hatchback with more flexibility for cargo. While the sedan has 14.9 cubic feet in the trunk, the hatchback offers 47.7 cubic feet for cargo with the rear seats folded flat.

Photo by Chevrolet

2018 Chevrolet Cruze

The 2018 Chevrolet Cruze is an affordable and efficient vehicle that offers plenty of choices. It’s sold as a sedan with a starting price of $17,850, or as a hatchback from $19,695. Engine choices include a 1.4-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder with 153 horsepower and 177 lb-ft of torque, or a 1.6-liter turbo-diesel with 137 horsepower and 240 lb-ft of torque.

Finally, you have a choice of several transmissions. There’s a six-speed manual offered with both engines, while the gas engine gets a six-speed automatic and the diesel gets a 9-speed automatic. There’s room for five passengers with up to 14.8 cubic feet of cargo space in the sedan and 47.2 cubic feet in the hatchback (with the rear seats folded).

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2018 Ford Mustang

The Ford Mustang adds a second sports car to our list of most reliable American cars. The iconic pony car is available as a coupe or convertible with a choice of engines and transmission. The base 2.3-liter 4-cylinder engine has 310 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque making this quite a ride even in its tamest form. Your second engine choice is a 5.0-liter V8 engine with 460 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque.

A six-speed manual transmission is standard with the option for a 10-speed automatic. There’s room for four passengers with 11.4 cubic feet of cargo room in the trunk of the convertible and 13.5 cubic feet if you opt for the coupe.

Photo by Ford

2018 Chevrolet Malibu

The Chevrolet Malibu is a mid-size sedan with plenty of room for five passengers, a choice of powerful turbocharged engines, and a starting price of $21,680. The base engine is a 1.5-liter 4-cylinder with 163 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque. There’s also a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine with 250 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque.

In addition to plenty of room for passengers, the Malibu has a spacious trunk with 15.8 cubic feet available for cargo. Fuel efficiency is good, especially with the 1.5-liter engine. It achieves an EPA-estimated 27 mpg city/36 mpg highway. The Malibu was also named a 2017 Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Photo by General Motors

2018 Cadillac CTS

The Cadillac CTS is a luxury sports sedan with powerful engine options and a beautiful interior. There are seven different trims available ranging from the base CTS at $46,495, to the V-Sport Premium at $71,295. With so many options, it's easy to find a Cadillac CTS that suits your personal preferences.

The base engine is a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder with 268 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque. Next up is a 3.6-liter V6 with 335 horsepower and 285 lb-ft of torque. Sitting at the top is a 3.6-liter twin-turbo V6 with 420 horsepower and 430 lb-ft of torque. An eight-speed automatic is standard across the range as is rear-wheel drive. Select trims offer all-wheel drive as an option.

Photo by General Motors