3 minute read

If you’ve been driving vehicles for many years, you might feel like you have a good idea of what makes a car reliable. However, have you ever tried to articulate that? If you try, you may find that describing what makes a car the most reliable might be more difficult than you originally thought.

 Before you head to the nearest dealership to look at a new Mitsubishi for sale, or some other option that appeals to you, consider the following three features of modern cars that most people would agree make them the most reliable.

Technology Packages

Let’s say you’re thinking about what car to potentially buy. You have identified reliability as the factor you care about the most.

If so, then looking at the vehicle’s technology and features make the most sense as you’re starting the process of narrowing down some potential options. For instance, you may know that many modern cars have advanced diagnostic systems. These can detect potential problems before they become more serious.

It’s hard to overemphasize how much this matters. If you have a vehicle that can instantly tell when there’s something wrong with it, that can save you from a costly breakdown.

Cars with well-designed electronic components are often among the most reliable models as well.

The Quality of the Materials

The quality of the materials that handle the car’s most important functions also goes a long way toward determining how well it will perform in the long run. The parts should be durable and strong. In particular, you will want to look at how the bearings, timing belt, and pistons are made.

You’ll also want to go with a car make and model where you know the manufacturer subjected it to the most rigorous testing. You can often find this information online if you look for it.

You also want a vehicle that has the most essential parts shielded from harm. If a car’s vital components are adequately guarded from the elements, heat, and the movement of other vehicle parts, it’s likely that’s a model that will endure.

The Condition of the Engine and Powertrain

The condition of the vehicle’s engine and powertrain, though, are arguably the aspects of the car that you’ll want to pay the most attention to when you’re narrowing down which one to buy. A reliable car engine often has a simple yet robust design.

This usually means that it has fewer moving parts. With a car’s engine, simplicity is what you’re generally looking for, not complexity. A naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine, for example, is often present in the most dependable of vehicles.

You’ll also want to look at the engine components and make sure they all look like they’re made of the finest materials. Forged steel crankshafts, for instance, have long been a go-to in the automotive market for car brands that value longevity in their vehicles.

These three aspects should all be on your radar if reliability is foremost in your mind when you’re going car shopping.