As others have said, most transmissions these days are electronic, and shift when a computer tells them to, not via a mechanical linkage as in the old days.
But even if they were mechanical, console shifter linkages were always more reliable than a column linkage.
So don't worry about reliability. Instead, think about whether you want a console, and if you have a console, do you want some of it to be occupied by a shift lever. Or would you rather have space there for cup holders, cell phone well, storage, a middle seat, etc. I like console shifters, but I also like storage and the more the better. So it is something you have to compromise on.
