Is Jeep as reliable as Toyota?
Toyota comes out ahead: Jeep 3.58 vs Toyota 0.94 NHTSA owner complaints per 1,000 vehicles sold (model years 2015–2022). Jeep owners filed 3.8× as many complaints per vehicle sold as Toyota owners.
By CarWhere Research · Updated November 2026 · Method
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA per 1,000 vehicles sold (model years 2015–2022; published U.S. sales). Not a survey, not Consumer Reports' method, and not repair frequency.
Jeep vs Toyota at a glance
| Jeep | Toyota | |
|---|---|---|
| Complaints per 1,000 sold | 3.58 | 0.94 |
| Serious-safety complaints per 1,000 | 0.21 | 0.10 |
| Rank of 19 brands | #18 | #2 |
| Models covered | 6 | 12 |
| Vehicles sold (rated model years) | 6,129,034 | 15,629,831 |
| Owner complaints | 21,964 | 14,637 |
| Share of brand U.S. sales covered | 90.6% | 96.2% |
| Top complaint areas | Powertrain / transmission 27% · Electrical system 24.2% · Engine 22.2% | Powertrain / transmission 16% · Engine 14.6% · Electrical system 13.9% |
| Recall campaigns (vehicles covered) | 181 (7.3 million) | 198 (15.8 million) |
Model years 2015–2022. Lower is better. Serious-safety complaints are those where the owner reported a crash, a fire or at least one injury. Recall campaigns are NHTSA campaigns filed January 2016 to September 2026; vehicles covered counts a vehicle once per campaign.
What drives the numbers
- Jeep's count is driven most by 2018 Wrangler complaints about steering and suspension (1,829, 8.3% of Jeep's complaints). Other models with rates above Jeep's overall 3.58: Cherokee (5.82).
- Toyota's count is driven most by 2019–2020 RAV4 complaints about engine and fuel / propulsion (1,563, 10.7% of Toyota's complaints). Other models with rates above Toyota's overall 0.94: Highlander (1.46), Venza (2.00), Tundra (1.06).
Jeep vs Toyota complaints per 1,000 sold, by model year
Newer model years have had less time on the road, so their counts are still growing. Compare the two lines within a year, not one year against another.
| Model year | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jeep | 5.07 | 3.58 | 3.18 | 4.94 | 3.71 | 2.49 | 2.85 | 2.15 |
| Toyota | 0.86 | 0.79 | 0.79 | 1.03 | 1.28 | 1.04 | 0.95 | 0.74 |
What Jeep and Toyota owners complain about
Share of each brand's NHTSA complaints naming the area (a complaint can name more than one).
Jeep
- Powertrain / transmission27% · 5,930
- Electrical system24.2% · 5,316
- Engine22.2% · 4,876
- Steering15.2% · 3,343
- Brakes7.5% · 1,638
- Suspension5.6% · 1,235
Toyota
- Powertrain / transmission16% · 2,340
- Engine14.6% · 2,143
- Electrical system13.9% · 2,028
- Fuel / propulsion11.9% · 1,744
- Brakes11.8% · 1,725
- Air bags9.6% · 1,404
Model matchups
Each brand's best-selling model in the classes both sell, on the same per-1,000-sold measure.
Compact SUVs: Jeep Cherokee vs Toyota RAV4
The Toyota RAV4 has fewer complaints per vehicle sold: Jeep Cherokee 5.82 vs Toyota RAV4 1.10 complaints per 1,000 sold. The Cherokee's most-cited area is powertrain / transmission (50.4%); the RAV4's is electrical system (21.5%).
5.82 complaints per 1,000 sold
- Basis:
- 7,498 complaints / 1,287,698 sold, MY 2015–2022 NHTSA
- Better years:
- 2020–2022
- Years to avoid:
- 2014, 2015, 2019
- Top complaint areas:
- Powertrain / transmission 50.4% · Engine 22.4% · Electrical system 20.9%
1.10 complaints per 1,000 sold
- Basis:
- 3,483 complaints / 3,155,248 sold, MY 2015–2022 NHTSA
- Better years:
- None flagged
- Years to avoid:
- 2008, 2019–2021, 2023, 2024
- Top complaint areas:
- Electrical system 21.5% · Engine 17.8% · Fuel / propulsion 13.6%
Midsize SUVs: Jeep Grand Cherokee vs Toyota 4Runner
The Toyota 4Runner has fewer complaints per vehicle sold: Jeep Grand Cherokee 2.51 vs Toyota 4Runner 0.44 complaints per 1,000 sold. The Grand Cherokee's most-cited area is electrical system (25.1%); the 4Runner's is steering (13%).
2.51 complaints per 1,000 sold
- Basis:
- 4,523 complaints / 1,804,810 sold, MY 2015–2022 NHTSA
- Better years:
- 2009, 2010
- Years to avoid:
- 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2021–2024
- Top complaint areas:
- Electrical system 25.1% · Engine 18.4% · Powertrain / transmission 18.2%
0.44 complaints per 1,000 sold
- Basis:
- 438 complaints / 1,003,611 sold, MY 2015–2022 NHTSA
- Better years:
- 2020
- Years to avoid:
- 2011, 2018, 2019, 2025
- Top complaint areas:
- Steering 13% · Air bags 12.6% · Electrical system 12.3%
Midsize pickups: Jeep Gladiator vs Toyota Tacoma
The Toyota Tacoma has fewer complaints per vehicle sold: Jeep Gladiator 3.16 vs Toyota Tacoma 0.75 complaints per 1,000 sold. The Gladiator's most-cited area is steering (34.9%); the Tacoma's is powertrain / transmission (24.1%).
3.16 complaints per 1,000 sold
- Basis:
- 900 complaints / 285,146 sold, MY 2019–2022 NHTSA
- Better years:
- None flagged
- Years to avoid:
- 2020, 2021
- Top complaint areas:
- Steering 34.9% · Electrical system 29% · Powertrain / transmission 16.4%
0.75 complaints per 1,000 sold
- Basis:
- 1,330 complaints / 1,770,925 sold, MY 2015–2022 NHTSA
- Better years:
- 2021
- Years to avoid:
- 2008, 2009, 2012, 2016–2019, 2024
- Top complaint areas:
- Powertrain / transmission 24.1% · Fuel / propulsion 16.8% · Brakes 14.9%
How these numbers are calculated
complaints per 1,000 sold = NHTSA owner complaints filed for model years 2015–2022 ÷ U.S. vehicles sold in calendar years 2015–2022 × 1,000
Complaints come from NHTSA's public owner-complaint database (NHTSA data), counted once per complaint and matched across NHTSA's trim and body-style names. Vehicles sold are published U.S. calendar-year sales per nameplate. Model years with fewer than 5,000 sold are too few to rate and are left out. A brand gets a score only when its covered models number at least 3 and make up at least 70% of its U.S. sales; rates under 10% apart are called close.
This is the federal complaint rate, not an owner survey or repair-frequency figure. Consumer Reports publishes a survey-based ranking that measures something different. Full method and brand ranking.
Questions
Is Jeep as reliable as Toyota?
Toyota comes out ahead: Jeep 3.58 vs Toyota 0.94 NHTSA owner complaints per 1,000 vehicles sold (model years 2015–2022). Jeep owners filed 3.8× as many complaints per vehicle sold as Toyota owners.
Which has more serious complaints, Jeep or Toyota?
Counting only complaints that report a crash, fire or injury, Jeep logs 0.21 per 1,000 sold and Toyota 0.10. Those are 6% of Jeep's complaints and 11% of Toyota's.
Where do Jeep and Toyota rank overall?
Jeep ranks #18 and Toyota #2 of the 19 brands with enough sales data, ranked by NHTSA complaints per 1,000 sold for model years 2015–2022.
What do Jeep and Toyota owners complain about most?
Jeep: powertrain / transmission (27%), electrical system (24.2%), engine (22.2%). Toyota: powertrain / transmission (16%), engine (14.6%), electrical system (13.9%). Shares are of each brand's complaints for model years 2015–2022; one complaint can name more than one area.
Which has more recalls, Jeep or Toyota?
From January 2016 to September 2026, NHTSA lists 181 Jeep recall campaigns covering 7,292,001 vehicles and 198 Toyota campaigns covering 15,819,237. Vehicles covered counts each vehicle once per campaign, so one car in three recalls counts three times. Recalls are fixes the maker files, a different signal from owner complaints.
Is the Jeep Cherokee more reliable than the Toyota RAV4?
The Toyota RAV4 has fewer complaints per vehicle sold: Jeep Cherokee 5.82 vs Toyota RAV4 1.10 complaints per 1,000 sold. Based on 1,287,698 and 3,155,248 vehicles sold. Years to avoid on the Cherokee: 2014, 2015, 2019. Years to avoid on the RAV4: 2008, 2019–2021, 2023, 2024.
Is the Jeep Grand Cherokee more reliable than the Toyota 4Runner?
The Toyota 4Runner has fewer complaints per vehicle sold: Jeep Grand Cherokee 2.51 vs Toyota 4Runner 0.44 complaints per 1,000 sold. Based on 1,804,810 and 1,003,611 vehicles sold. Years to avoid on the Grand Cherokee: 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2021–2024. Years to avoid on the 4Runner: 2011, 2018, 2019, 2025.