Most Reliable Car Brands: What About Security?
There’s a time and place for you to think about whether your car is reliable, safe, and secure. But when you or your driver are stranded on the side of the road because of a vehicle breakdown, that is definitely not the right time.
So, let’s do this. What makes a car reliable? Our answer is simple: safety and security.
Get insights on the most reliable car brands here, but more than that – get the information you need on how to improve your vehicle’s safety and security with the best Cartrack features.
What is the most reliable car brand
According to a recent article in Business Tech, Asian car brands are regarded as the most reliable car brands. This list of the most reliable car brands is based on a Consumer Report (CR) based on the experience of over 330,000 vehicle owners with vehicles as old as 23 years. Asian car brands are followed by vehicles from European automakers, and American vehicle brands are on the list of most reliable brands.
It’s not surprising that car brands like Toyota, Honda, Mazda, BMW, Kia, Hyundai, Nissan, Audi and more would pop up on the Business Tech list of most reliable car brands in South Africa. These are also some of the most popular car brands around the country, but with new car ranges available, the demand for entry-level and budget-friendly cars, and innovations regarding built-in security features for vehicle and driver safety, reliability is about more than popularity.
So, what made these cars score high in the car reliability index? Here are a few contributing factors:
- Frequency of major and minor engine issues
Engine durability is critical for vehicle owners, and more customers are concerned about the engine’s lifetime. The engine is one of the most expensive car parts to replace and repair, especially when there is significant engine damage. A car is more reliable if there aren’t any frequent engine problems. Vehicle owners who participated in the CR survey have reported that they experienced fewer to no engine problems with these top car brands.
- Vehicle fuel system and overall emissions
The engine system also affects efficiency, so producing a fuel-efficient engine that reduces overall emissions has been a top priority for many car manufacturers over the years. These cars were considered to be more fuel-efficient on the list of most reliable car brands. Of course, the type of vehicle also determined where these car brands landed on the list. Sedans, hatchbacks, and wagons were determined to be the most reliable vehicle types.
- Ease or difficulty of car body damage in an accident
A scratch here and chipped and scuffed paint there may not be major indicators for car reliability, but how the vehicle fares in a crash is a major concern for vehicle owners. The IIHS vehicle testing evaluates cars based on crashworthiness and the in-built crash avoidance and mitigation technology. The 2024 car brands that faired quite well include the Hyundai, Mazda, Toyota, and Subaru for small and mid-sized vehicles. In addition to these, car brands such as Kia, Lexus, Ford, Jeep and VW have made the list for small SUVs, Midsize Luxury SUVs and Large SUVs. etc.
- Frequency of vehicle brakes, suspension, and steering problems
Bad brakes, damaged suspension, or shaky steering can be catastrophic or cause a serious accident. This is why the frequency of these problems is a major concern for vehicle owners. Even though repairing and replacing brakes, shocks, and struts is relatively easy and less costly compared to an engine, frequently having these problems can be alarming.
- Ease or difficulty of fixing car parts and other maintenance issues.
It can be inconvenient to have a vehicle part repaired or replaced after an accident or when a problem is identified while servicing your vehicle. These car brands scored high for how much easier it is to fix/replace a damaged car part or attend to the vehicle’s maintenance issues.
Whether a car is reliable depends on how it fits the vehicle owner’s needs for personal or business use. Plenty of car reliability surveys are available online. If you are looking for a new car or adding vehicles to your fleet for business purposes, then ease of maintenance, fuel consumption and efficiency, and vehicle security are important aspects of car reliability for you.
Benefits of choosing reliable car brands for business and personal use
In our view, car reliability really comes down to vehicle maintenance and fuel consumption. These two things can determine how long you enjoy your car or how much return there is on your investment.
Reliability and maintenance
Regular servicing and maintenance make a car more reliable. Your vehicle (s) should easily be maintained and serviced without breaking the bank or experiencing vehicle downtime. This helps you reduce the likelihood of your loved ones or drivers being stranded on the side of the road or unnecessary vehicle downtime due to a breakdown.
Through regular maintenance, businesses and individuals can:
Avoid major vehicle repairs: Routine maintenance helps you quickly identify and address minor issues, such as worn brake pads, before they quickly turn into major issues, like complete brake failure, which puts your drivers and other people on the road at risk. Brake failure is also a more expensive problem than simply replacing your brake pads.
Extend your vehicle lifespan: Well-maintained vehicles simply last long and often perform at their optimal performance, as if they were purchased just yesterday. By sticking to your vehicle’s service plan, you can help your fleet vehicle’s engine, transmission, and other systems wear out much more slowly and prolong your vehicle’s lifespan so your drivers enjoy a smooth driving experience.
Improve your vehicle safety: keeping up with your maintenance ensures critical safety systems in your fleet vehicles, like brakes, tyres, and lights, are all in working order for your drivers. This helps reduce the risk of breakdowns and accidents.
Reliability and Fuel Economy
The words reliable vehicle and fuel-efficient go hand-in-hand. Although fuel consumption doesn’t directly impact your vehicle’s reliability, if your vehicle guzzles petrol, it increases the likelihood of you or your drivers being stranded because of fuel issues or having to refuel frequently.
Whether you are planning to buy a new car or add vehicles to your fleet, focusing on fuel efficiency can also mean better vehicle reliability.
Lowering fuel costs: Choose more fuel-efficient vehicles to improve your fleet’s fuel economy. This will increase your vehicle’s reliability because you can go further with less petrol. You can also reduce your business’s fuel expenditures.
Enhancing productivity: Fuel-efficient vehicles can travel further on a single tank, but you can also improve your fleet’s fuel efficiency through route optimisation. Route optimisation helps you ensure your drivers carry out deliveries or tasks in the most efficient way possible.
Fuel directly impacts your company’s expenses and can also significantly affect the reliability of your vehicle.
Vehicle reliability also involves security. For example, some car brands have made the list of the most reliable car brands and the list of the most stolen vehicles in South Africa. So, how reliable is your car if it is also targeted by car thieves?
What about security?
Knowing your vehicle is reliable is one thing, but knowing your vehicle is secure is another.
With the rise in vehicle thefts in South Africa and the significant increase in vehicle costs, it’s become very important for everyone to protect their vehicles.
We’ve designed hundreds of products and features over the years to help you and your loved ones and your business protect your vehicles.
Cartrack’s vehicle security products
Different car brands have attractive and reliable in-built security and safety features, such as car alarm systems, safety hazard lights, seatbelts, and open-door warnings. Reliability goes hand in hand with security, but sometimes, you need to add additional vehicle security products to ensure your car is returned to you if it is stolen or your family or drivers are safe and assisted in an emergency.
Here are a few of our products for your safety and security:
- GPS live vehicle tracking
Don’t underestimate the power of a simple GPS car tracker. Our tracking system not only helps you see the live location of your vehicle but also enables us to rapidly recover your vehicle in the event it is stolen. What’s more, this system also provides you with vehicle diagnostics that help you know how your car is being driven, the vehicle’s condition, and previous activity.
- CarWatch
This anti-theft feature is activated with one touch from the Cartrack app. It is an early warning system that alerts Cartrack if your parked vehicle moves without your knowledge. Cartrack notifies you and sends its recovery team if necessary.
- Crash detection
Our smart device can detect a crash or accident using AI and G-force technology. Cartrack is alerted in the event of a car accident, allowing them to send emergency help to your exact location.
- Protector
This feature is also available through the app and provides you with access to emergency ambulance, medical, roadside, and legal assistance at the touch of a button. In an emergency, Cartrack can send help directly to you, no matter where you are, ensuring you are always safe when it matters most.
- Geofencing
Protect your vehicles and assets by marking virtual boundaries around no-go zones or high-risk areas and receiving real-time alerts when your vehicles enter and exit these zones. This helps you prevent hijacking and vehicle and cargo theft.
Are you more interested in the Cartrack security features that are available to businesses? Have a look at this case study from one of our satisfied customers.
Case Study for Businesses: Diraro Group
Leading logistics companies like Diraro Group must pay attention to their fleet’s vehicle reliability to better deliver the quality and service they promise businesses and other customers. Diraro Group transports bulk supplies and commodities across South Africa and beyond its borders with a fleet of over 120 high-load capacity vehicles.
Their biggest challenge when approaching Cartrack was the lack of visibility over all their fleet vehicles. They needed a telematics system that would help them monitor, manage, and control their fleet more accurately. Their fleet transports valuable commodities, so they also wanted to see exactly how drivers used their vehicles and get live footage to help reduce incident rates and give their drivers more security.
Cartrack assisted Diraro Group with driver monitoring solutions that provide them with insights on the frequency of driver speeding, harsh braking, abnormal periods of idling, fuel consumption, kilometres travelled, and details on their fleet vehicle’s exact location.
Diraro Group also used our advanced AI-powered and live-streaming camera solutions to boost their fleet’s security. This camera provides live streaming so fleet managers can monitor their drivers’ trips live with visuals, audio, and access to remote footage retrieval for fleet managers after events. The AI cameras use facial recognition to monitor drivers in-cabin and give an audible alert to drivers when they detect dangerous driving, such as fatigue, distraction, or drowsy driving.
The camera system makes it possible for Diraro to take the guesswork out of their fleet management and any driver incidents. They can take every trip with their drivers and use driver footage for driver training and coaching or in the event of an accident liability dispute.
The Group HSE Manager, Loue Reikert, said this about Cartrack:
“ When you have actual live footage, it takes the guesswork out of an incident. Our incident rate has decreased with the awareness that we have access to footage”.
Security is crucial for fleet-based companies, and there are plenty of ways for businesses to improve not only their fleet vehicles’ security but also their reliability. Here are a few helpful examples:
- Invest in your fleet’s fuel economy by acquiring economic vehicles, including more fuel-efficient heavy-duty trucks.
- Prioritise fleet maintenance, which can save you a fortune in the long run.
- Integrate Cartrack’s fleet management software to manage and maximise your vehicle utilisation.
- Improve your driver’s performance with training to stop harsh driving that wears out your vehicles and increase the vehicle lifetime of your fleet.
By implementing some of these strategies, logistics companies can enhance their fleet vehicle reliability by reducing the number of vehicle breakdowns and improving their overall fleet operations and performance.
Get the best protection for the most reliable brands with Cartrack Nigeria
Cars can be geared up with even more security features that help you ensure your family or business vehicles are protected.
For more information on the Cartrack products and features, contact us here.
Quick answers to top FAQs about car reliability
Which car has the highest security?
It comes as no surprise that larger bakkies and off-road vehicles are regarded as the most secure vehicles in South Africa.
Which car brand is best for safety?
Some car brands just step safety and security up a notch by offering more than the standard security features like alarms and central locking systems.
What vehicle brand has the highest safety rating?
The #SaferCarsforAfrica crash test results for 2024 revealed that this car is the safest. Although we wish we could name-drop here, here is a hint instead: it rhymes with “zahindra XUV300”.
What is the safest and most reliable car brand?
Here’s a clue: it’s the car brand your grandfather and father would recommend; in fact, every generation of men would recommend this brand. If that’s not a good clue, it starts with a T and ends with an A.
