The Least-Satisfying Japanese Car Brand To Drive, According To Consumer Reports' Rankings

In the car world, perception is everything. How someone feels about a vehicle can be just as important as its reliability ratings. Sometimes, looks don't even matter. Just ask the Jalopnik readers who still love these ugly cars. These beliefs can be hard to put into specifics, but the number crunchers at Consumer Reports (CR) try their best each year with the group's annual car owner satisfaction ratings.

The latest ratings prove that dependability and satisfaction don't go hand in hand. Rivian came out on top, with 85% of surveyed owners saying they'd buy again from the same brand. That contrasts sharply with how the EV startup did in CR's recent new car reliability assessment: dead last. At the same time, this dependability study is a ranking where Japanese brands usually do quite well. Toyota, Subaru, and Lexus, for example, sit at the top. These same companies also have high levels of ownership satisfaction.

But then we come to the topsy-turvy universe of Nissan. It ranked sixth in new car reliability by CR (just ahead of Acura), but it isn't so fortunate in the eyes and minds of owners. As one of Japan's largest automakers, Nissan ranked 23rd out of the 26 car companies reviewed by CR for owner satisfaction. Numerous other brands from the Land of the Rising Sun did better: Subaru (3rd), Lexus (7th), Toyota (8th), Honda (9th), Acura (19th), and Mazda (22nd). Due to minimal data, two other Japanese brands — Mitsubishi and Infiniti — weren't scored for owner satisfaction.

Nissan's placement not only makes it the lowest-ranking Japanese brand for owner satisfaction, but it also puts the brand among the worst of the 26 companies in the index. Only Audi, Volkswagen, and Jeep had lower ratings. The timing isn't ideal as Nissan deals with big trouble in the U.S., due to market-share losses and an underperforming lineup. In the CR survey, 53% of Nissan owners said they'd stay loyal to the brand for a future purchase.

However, Nissan isn't quite alone in consumer sentiment standings, as Mazda's position is just one notch above Nissan's. That translates into a 55% buy-again rating for Mazda owners. Acura owners said they'd return to the same brand 59% of the time. The other Japanese marques advanced into better territory, with buy-again ratings of 64% to 69%. Subaru sits atop this range.

CR can't point a finger at a precise reason for the disparity between reliability and owner happiness, especially with Nissan. The organization raises the possibility that owners are more concerned with dependability and cost than looks and features. CR also notes that unreliable cars may have high owner satisfaction ratings because new-car warranties cover repairs.

From a pure numbers perspective, over half (53%) of Nissan owners would buy another car from the same company. Yet, an almost equal share (47%) would rather shop elsewhere. The CR survey results don't get into the specifics of this dissatisfaction, but we can explore some possibilities. This starts with expectations about whether Japan makes the most reliable cars. While no brand is perfect, Japanese automakers consistently rank high in CR and J.D. Power quality and reliability studies.

Consumers may perceive Nissan to be similar to Toyota, Honda, and Subaru. All these brands may get painted with the same dependability brush in consumers' minds, but reality says otherwise. A CarEdge study found that the average Nissan costs almost $7,400 to maintain over 10 years, compared to roughly $5,500 for a Toyota. Exploring other CarEdge data shows that a 10-year-old Nissan Altima has a 17% chance of needing a repair, while CarEdge places the odds for a similarly aged Toyota Camry at 12.3%.

Deserved or not, continuously variable transmissions (CVTs) are often part of the conversation about Nissan reliability. Nissan CVTs, particularly those from the early 2000s, are notoriously problematic. In subsequent years, the company reworked these transmissions to be more reliable, but the effects of CVT problems may linger with owners of older Nissans.