For decades, one of the most common pieces of car-buying advice went something like this: never buy the first year of a new model. Let somebody else find the bugs. Let the manufacturer work the kinks out. It was advice rooted in hard experience, and for a long time, it made sense.
But like a lot of old car-buying wisdom, that rule hasn’t aged as well as people think.
Today’s vehicles are developed, tested, simulated, and tortured in ways that simply didn’t exist 20 or 30 years ago. Automakers now run millions of miles of virtual testing before a single prototype ever hits the road. They test in extreme heat, extreme cold, altitude, dust, salt spray, and conditions most of us would never put a car through. By the time a new or redesigned vehicle shows up at your local dealership, it’s already lived a very hard life.
That doesn’t mean every first-year vehicle is perfect. It does mean the blanket advice to “always wait” deserves a second look.
In many cases, buying the first model year of a redesign actually comes with some real advantages.
For one, first-year models often get the most attention from the manufacturer. Engineers are watching closely. Software updates are frequent. Customer feedback is taken seriously because the company wants the launch to succeed. If there’s an issue, it tends to be identified and addressed quickly, often under warranty and sometimes through recalls that cost the owner nothing but a service visit.
Second, first-year buyers often benefit from the newest technology and safety systems right away. Waiting two or three years doesn’t always mean a more refined vehicle; sometimes it just means paying more for features that were new and exciting when the model launched.
Lastly, with the Internet, word spreads quickly and a new vehicle getting off to a bad start will be headlines for all the automotive rags that have nothing else to report. Automakers understand this and never want to see that happen.
There’s also the reality that many redesigns today aren’t “all-new” in the way they once were. Automakers increasingly reuse proven engines, transmissions, and platforms, even when the body and interior are completely fresh. That reduces risk significantly. A vehicle may look brand-new, but underneath it’s built on components that have already been on the road for years. Toyota is famous for this.
Where buyers do need to be more cautious is when a first-year model introduces something truly new. All-new powertrains, brand-new transmissions, or first-time technology can still bring growing pains. That doesn’t mean you should automatically walk away, but it does mean you should ask better questions. Is this engine already used elsewhere in the lineup? Is this transmission shared with other models? Has this hybrid or electric system been in service before and for how long?
Another smart move is to look at how the manufacturer handled previous launches. Some automakers have earned a reputation for conservative, well-tested rollouts. Others tend to push the envelope faster. Knowing that history matters.
It’s also important to separate annoyance issues from real reliability problems like you read in surveys, like Consumer Reports. Early software glitches, infotainment quirks, or minor trim issues are very different from drivetrain failures. The former is usually fixed quickly and quietly. The latter are rare today, but when they happen, they tend to show up in patterns you can research.
And let’s talk about warranties because they’re your safety net. New vehicles come with comprehensive coverage, and in some cases powertrain warranties that stretch five, ten, or even more years. If something does go wrong, you’re not alone — and you’re not paying out of pocket.
So, should you buy the first year of a redesign?
In most cases, yes — if you like the vehicle, understand what’s actually new about it, and buy from a Car Pro dealer that will stand behind you after the sale. The old advice came from an era when testing was limited and fixes were slow. Today’s cars are smarter, more durable, and far more thoroughly vetted before they ever reach a showroom.
The better advice now isn’t “never buy the first year.” It’s “buy informed.” Ask questions. Do your homework. And don’t let outdated rules scare you away from a vehicle that may be exactly what you’re looking for.