A lot depends on model and year. I bough a 2004 Chevy Venture, as the drivetrain (3.4 l) seemed solid, and I could get parts for it.
It was a mistake.
The drivetrain is fine, but the electrical is filled with gremlins. GM, if you are going to make a car with squirrelly electrical systems:
1. DON’T bury your stupid sidepost battery under a screwed in two-inch-diameter cross bar and second fuse box.
2. Don’t install Day Time Running Lights that cannot be turned off, so that the battery drains all the faster when the alternator is not recharging it.
Love my Lexus, hate my husband’s Volvo.
My 2000 Pontiac version of the Venture (Montana) did not even last 100,000 miles. In spite of rigid dealer service and maintenance.
I’ve never heard of daytime running lights that don’t shut off when the car shuts off. Also, all the ones I’ve seen can be shut off manually anyway.
“Don’t install Day Time Running Lights that cannot be turned off,”
That’s a pet peeve of mine. I don’t think we can escape that stupidity with any newer vehicle. Another one is the engine shutting off when coming to a full stop, which our 2018 F150 does.
Another is the starter cannot be stopped by releasing the ignition key. If the engine won’t start, the damn thing keeps working until it times out or the battery goes dead.
Now my idea of the most reliable car brands are any GM vehicle made between 1995 and 2001. Up here where we live they are all over the place. We own a 1997 Silverado and it is a sweetheart to drive. None of the stupid bells and whistles mandated on modern vehicles. And it is dependable. Parts are cheap and can be found anywhere. The ride is so much more comfortable than our 2018 F150 or 2015 Outback.