Late to the party but I used to work in the Auto industry.
The brands I trust in order: Toyota, Honda, Volkswagen, Mazda, Subaru.
That’s the whole list. Brands outside this list tend to produce dogshit cars, IMHO.
Brands on the list are known for being fairly reliable and easy to maintain. Buy the lowest trim options for the least amount of tech if that’s your prerogative.
A buddy of mine has a PHD in Cajun Fusion. Turns out, harnessing the power of the sun is only slightly more complex than a good gumbo. Who knew?