Reliability is just one consideration when buying a car

Dear Car Talk: Are Volvos actually reliable cars like Acura, Lexus, or even Genesis?

Thank you for considering my question! — Erick

Dear Erick: There are three things every Volvo owner believes.

1. Volvos are very reliable.

2. Volvos are cheap to repair and maintain.

3. My Volvo is the only exception to No. 1 and No. 2.

Volvos are not really known for their reliability. They’re known for their durability and for their emphasis on safety. And increasingly, they’re known for luxury or certainly near luxury.

My wife has had several Volvo wagons, and she loves them because they’re safe, comfortable, and meet her needs. She often carries our dogs around and she doesn’t want to drive a truck or an SUV. And we’re both comforted by the car’s safety record and crash test results. But is it notably reliable? Not compared to Toyota, Lexus, Honda, and Acura.

Consumer Reports does a lot of research on the repair and reliability experience of owners of all types of cars. If you look at their most recent rankings, Lexus, Toyota, Honda and Acura make up four of the five most reliable brands. Mini (surprisingly to me) came in number three last year. Genesis is around the middle of the pack. And Volvo is in the bottom quintile, at No. 25 out of 30 brands.

So, while all cars have gotten more reliable over the years, I think, objectively, you’d have to say that Volvos are not “reliable like Acura and Lexus.” But for some people, reliability isn’t the only thing that matters. Some people buy for style, some for fun or performance, some for safety and some for prestige. My late brother bought cars based on their price per pound.

And obviously, there are plenty of people buying Volvos because of the attributes they do offer. But if reliability is of utmost importance to you, Erick, the statistics suggest that your Volvo will also be an exception to rules 1 and 2.

Have a question about cars? Write to Ray in care of King Features, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803, or email by visiting the Car Talk website at www.cartalk.com.

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