Consumer Reports Auto Report Cards for 2007

CR finds Volkswagen and Audi lead the pack when it comes to overall test performance, but Honda, Subaru, and Toyota are best when it comes to reliability

YONKERS, NY ­ Volkswagen and Audi build the cars that perform best on average in Consumer Reports' tests, followed by Honda, BMW and Mercedes-Benz, Mazda and Nissan. But Honda, Subaru, and Toyota are best when it comes to reliability, as judged by CR's latest Annual Car Reliability Survey.

Those are among the findings in a special report in Consumer Reports' Annual April Auto Issue that looks at the question of which companies make the best cars.

To shed light on why some automakers are thriving while others are spinning their wheels, Consumer Reports examined its own internal data to mine the highs and lows for 17 major carmakers. CR analyzed how vehicles performed in its battery of more than 50 road tests, coupled with reliability histories based on more than 1.3 million vehicles, representing 250 models.

The story includes report cards showing at a glance how the major manufacturers fare in Consumer Reports' testing and in its reliability surveys. Each one lists an average test score for each automaker's tested models, and the percentage of CR-tested vehicles that are recommended by the organization. Consumer Reports only recommends vehicles that have performed well in its tests, have at least average predicted reliability based on CR's annual reliability survey of its own subscribers, and performed at least adequately if crash-tested or included in a government rollover test. The report cards also list common highs and lows for each company's vehicles.

Consumer Reports concluded that no carmaker does everything right.
Volkswagen, for example, builds vehicles that perform very well in CR's testing regimen with an average test score of 81 but vary in reliability‹with only 45 percent of tested vehicles being recommended.
Toyota, on the other hand, has a less-than-stellar average test score of 70‹but 85 percent of its tested vehicles are recommended, due in part to the company's consistently high reliability.

The Japanese Myth

In addition, CR's data shows that just because a car is Japanese doesn't mean that it's a great car. Honda and Toyota are lauded for their reliability and have built a number of high-rated models, including seven of Consumer Reports' Top Picks for 2007. But not all Japanese cars excel in reliability. Other Japanese makers, such as Nissan, Mazda, and Mitsubishi have struggled to build high-quality cars consistently.

Nissan's lineup, on average, actually scores above Toyota's in CR's tests,
75 vs. 70. Nissan also produces several of the most reliable cars in Consumer Reports' latest reliability survey, including Infiniti sedans. But three Nissans‹the Armada, Titan, and Infiniti QX56‹were among the models with the most reliability problems in the survey; all three are made in the same plant in Canton, Miss. Ford vehicles, in comparison, have slightly better reliability in the CR survey than cars from Nissan.

Like GM, Toyota has a large lineup, increasing the challenge of producing consistently excellent vehicles. Eight other automakers had higher average test scores, leaving Toyota just mid-pack in this respect. While tested Toyota vehicles are very reliable and most have good fuel economy, they typically lacked agility in CR's testing.

The analysis also showed that U.S. automakers build some good models. But many vehicles are mediocre, and even the best se APRIL 2007 © Consumers Union 2007. The material above is intended for legitimate news entities only; it may not be used for commercial or promotional purposes.

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