The top 10 least complained about models are dominated by seven import brands. Surprisingly, two Kia models, Forte and Soul, are ranked in the top two positions. These two models are a testament to how far the brand has come since its introduction in the U.S. and its days of massive quality issues. Both the Forte and Soul have received recognition for being high quality compact vehicles.
Top 10 Models with the Lowest Safety Complaint Rates*
| Rank | Manufacturer | Complaints per 10k Cars Sold |
| 1 | Kia Forte | 3.5 |
| 2 | Kia Soul | 6.5 |
| 3 | Chevrolet Silverado 1500 | 6.5 |
| 4 | GMC Sierra 1500 | 8.6 |
| 5 | Nissan Sentra | 9.3 |
| 6 | Ford F-150 | 9.3 |
| 7 | Subaru Forester | 9.4 |
| 8 | Lexus RX | 10.6 |
| 9 | Toyota 4Runner | 10.8 |
| 10 | Nissan Rogue | 11.1 |
| Average for All Vehicles | 26.8 | |
Brands with the Highest and Lowest Complaint Rates
At the brand level, those logging the most safety complaints are more varied. Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep, which all have vehicles in the Top 10 Models with the Highest Complaint Rates - all rank high on this list.
Interestingly, Tesla ranks third at the brand level. Even though it’s only a year old, the Tesla Model X actually has the highest complaint rate of all the models we studied that are currently in production, at 27.9 complaints per 1,000 cars. Eighteen percent of the Model X's complaints involve vehicle speed control. And while its very high rate of complaints drags down the brand's average, the Model S also had a high rate of safety complaints at 42.2 complaints per 10,000 cars. Thirty one percent of all complaints reported by Model S owners are about suspension problems.
The top ten brands with the lowest safety complaint rates are all import brands, with Ram being the lone domestic. "This seems to be largely driven by the fact that pickup trucks overall have far fewer complaints as a category, and Ram is a truck-only brand"
Top 10 Brands with the Lowest Safety Complaint Rates
| Rank | Brand | Complaints per 10k Cars Sold |
| 1 | Porsche | 11.1 |
| 2 | Subaru | 14.1 |
| 3 | Lexus | 14.2 |
| 4 | Land Rover | 15.2 |
| 5 | Volvo | 15.3 |
| 6 | Kia | 15.6 |
| 7 | Acura | 16.0 |
| 8 | Honda | 16.9 |
| 9 | Ram | 17.1 |
| 10 | Mitsubishi | 17.7 |
| Average for All Vehicles | 26.8 | |
