The best car in terms of reliability that I ever had was a Lexus GS300 S1, 2nd place a Jag XKR (X150 model), 3rd place a Lexus LS400. Then: Subaru Forester, Subaru Forester ...
Anything from VW is meh.
1st - 2018 BMW i3s zero faults in 3 years. Only completely trouble free car I've ever owned.
Lowest total cost of ownership -- 2005 Vauxhall (Opel) Combo van. It needed occasional repairs but parts were cheap.
Most durable *not the same as reliable* - 2010 Landrover Defender 110 and 1990 BMW 535i. I sold the BMW when we moved to the UK in 2007. At 230,000 miles it still had the original engine, transmission, drive shafts (even the half shafts at the back), starter, alternator -- nearly all of the original interior was present and working. The 110 needed minor work all the time but it never broke down and showed no signs of wearing out.
The old BMWs were built to last. The new ones are set to die at 180k km or after 13 years whichever comes first.
Most VWs don't make it that far.
Mercs ? 75% of all Mercs we had were trash.
A brand new 220CDI estate (station wagon for the muricans) broke down 8 times in 5 months (or 25kkm). The MB branch office in mayence told me that as a steenkin C class customer I should be glad that they were fixing it under warranty ...
The SL 500 that we had spend 3 months of the 5 that we had it at the dealership undergoing repairs.
The A class lost its springs, injectors, inlet manifold, and funneled the exhausts into the passenger cabin.
Only the old W124 300CE actually performed up to specs.
German cars ? Not if I can help it.