When it comes to cars, two brands get the most buzz on social media for their reliability: Toyota and Honda. But unlike politics, car buying isn’t a two-party system. Precision Auto Repair (@precisionautorepairma), a mechanic shop in West Springfield, Massachusetts, recently polled its staff on a pressing question for savvy consumers.
“Toyota and Honda are both well-known for their reliability… but who comes after that?” the shop wrote in the caption of a video posted earlier in the month.
The video has more than 152,000 views and almost 3,500 likes.
The first three experts at the shop picked Mazdas for the bronze medal. The final mechanic polled broke away from the pack and chose Mitsubishi.
Viewers took to the comment section to sing the praises of Mazda, too.
“Mazda is so underrated and forgotten,” one commenter wrote. Another viewer replied, “it’s not. been looking for a CX5 them bois HOLD that value. people know.” And someone else chimed in, “I just wish they were able to sell like Toyota and Honda. By the numbers, Mazda is a tiny player.”
“Mazda is better than modern Honda,” someone commented. A fellow viewer countered, “I’m a master tech for both. That’s so untrue although Mazda is pretty good they’re not touching Honda yet.”
“Mazda girlies rise,” a comment read.
“I had a Mazda for 13 years I can confirm,” one person wrote.
“Thank you for validating my recent new Mazda purchase! I was a staunch Toyota girly, but they don’t have any inventory, so Mazda it is!” another comment read.
“I’ve seen some Mazdas take terrible abuse and neglect and still run,” a viewer offered.
“Been driving Mazdas exclusively since 1999,” one loyal fan commented.
“I’m on my 5th CX-9 … but Mazda has been so reliable!!! I ran a few over 100,000…only oil and tire changes,” another devotee testified.
“I have a Mazda cx-5. We’ve had it for years and it’s never given us a second of problems,” a viewer commented.
Just as in the shop’s video, the Mitsubishi lovers were in the minority.
“I had a Mitsubishi Mirage for 5 years. Never had an issue with it ever. Got totaled in an accident. I still miss [that] car,” a voice in the TikTok wilderness commented.
“I still drive my 2004 Mitsubishi Endeavor. Never had an issue,” another viewer chimed in.
Still, there were Mazda detractors and people whose loyalties fell elsewhere.
“I must have had a lemon? Because my Mazda was awful,” one comment read.
“Subaru is better than all of them!!” someone commented.
“Nissan has to beat Mazda,” another person wrote.
@precisionautorepairma Toyota and Honda are both well-known for their reliability… but who comes after that? 3 votes to 1 for Mazda from our team. What's the most reliable car you've driven?
♬ original sound – Precision Auto Repair
In an email interview with the Daily Dot, Precision Auto Repair President Matt Rivest said that the shop’s experts base their opinions on numbers and frequency.
“Honda and Toyota are two of the most popular car brands in the country and despite that, the issues that we generally see with them are minimal in nature and fall more into the category of ‘wear and tear’ items,” he said.
Rivest told the Dot that Mazdas might be a step below the big two in popularity, but they also face mostly wear-and-tear issues.
“We don’t see a lot of catastrophic failures with these vehicles like some other manufacturers,” he said. “There’s no particular model; they all seem to be pretty reliable.”
The Daily Dot reached out to Mazda and Mitsubishi via email.
Consumer Reports ranked the reliability of different auto manufacturers in November, and its results stacked up differently. Lexus, Toyota, and Mini claimed the top three slots. Honda came in at No. 5, while Mazda landed at No. 7. Subaru, a commenter fave, slotted in at No. 6. Consumer Reports did not have sufficient data to rank Mitsubishi, according to the outlet.
In its study, Consumer Reports highlighted the Mazda 3, Mazda CX-30, Mazda CX-5, Mazda CX-50, and Mazda MX-5 Miata as reliable models.
But as Rivest reminded the Dot, a car is only as good to you as you are to the car.
”Keeping up with maintenance schedules that the manufacturer sets out is extremely important and the best way to ensure your vehicle lasts for years to come. Keep up with oil changes and the services recommended by the manufacturer,” he said.
Earlier in the month, another TikTok mechanic posted a viral video about the three most reliable cars he’s ever worked on. And wouldn’t you know it—it came down to two Toyotas and a Honda.
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