FaultScore

Volkswagen Rabbit vs Lexus RX330

Both cars' complete complaint records, side by side.

Read the totals carefully. NHTSA publishes no sales figures, so the car that sold more collects more complaints regardless of quality. The rows worth weighing are the proportions — the share of complaints that involved harm, and which part dominates.

Measure Volkswagen Rabbit Lexus RX330
Complaints on file 267 659
Model years covered 1980–2009 2004–2011
Worst model year 2009 2004
Best model year 2006 2006
Crashes reported 19 81
Fires reported 20 4
Injuries reported 10 36
Deaths reported 1 5
Most complained-about part Brakes Transmission & Drivetrain
Share of complaints involving harm 18.7% 19.1%

Volkswagen Rabbit by year

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks

Brakes 60 22.5%
Engine & Cooling 19 7.1%
Airbags 18 6.7%
Fuel & Propulsion 18 6.7%
Transmission & Drivetrain 17 6.4%
Steering 17 6.4%

Lexus RX330 by year

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks