Anyone who wants to buy a new car will have to consider several aspects that will suit their needs in the long term. The resources that can provide that specific information are as varied and diversified as Internet pages. Several sites offer quotes and reviews, but one of the most trusted is Consumer Report, a widely recognized magazine that publishes reviews and compares products and services. The automobile issue is a dominant deciding factor when looking for a reliable automobile, and is consulted by approximately 30 to 40 percent of North American auto buyers.
Over the years, customers have grown accustomed to the favorable reviews regarding Asian cars. The aspect considered here is that of reliability, which refers to the performance of the car over time, over several years, its ability to incorporate safety, constant performance, fuel economy and luxury at a good price. . Especially Japanese automakers bring, year after year, the highest evaluation results with cars like Toyota, Honda and Hyundai. Of the 33 models, 23 were from Japanese manufacturers on Consumer Reports’ list, published in early March 2008. But there is also good news for American models like Ford that have shown remarkable improvements in recent years, in a wish to diminish the considerable Asian dominance in the market.
In 2004, the best-selling car in the United States was the Honda Accord, rated the best family sedan. Asian cars have become almost synonymous with reliability, with 12 problems found per 100 vehicles, while American automakers had 18, followed by Europeans with 20. Toyota and Honda almost made up the top 10 category, while on the most satisfactory list, 21 out of 33 were Japanese manufacturers.
In the past two years, Ford has managed to improve predicted reliability, although it still lags far behind Asian automakers. The Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan sedans have scored slightly higher than the Honda Accord V6 and Toyota Camry V6, but Japanese automakers have countered the 2006 model Hyundai Azera. To get a clearer view of Asian success on the reliability scale, it is useful to know that 39 of the 47 are Japanese vehicles. At the opposite end of the ranking are the German Mercedes-Benz cars – CLS, E-Class Sedan, SL, CLK, SLK (V6), M-Class, R-Class and 2006 S-Class.
In 2008, Subaru also made the list of America’s Most Reliable Cars.
Once again, Hyundai topped the Consumer Report list with the Elantra SE as the best small sedan and the Santa Fe as the midsize SUV. Toyota was also a winner with the Sienna, Prius and RAV4 for the most reliable small SUVs, but reports show the manufacturer is scoring below average with the V6Camry and Tundra V8 pickup. That’s why Consumer Report will no longer recommend them just because of Toyota’s impressive track record in reliability. Most of the complaints are related to breakages, automatic transmission, and unpleasant noises. Still, the magazine suggests that the Camry Hybrid is a good option. The Honda Accord has been given the first place with best electronics, engine or switchgear, followed by Lexus.