Each year Consumer Reports predicts the reliability of vehicle models based on the reported performance over the preceding 3 years, or fewer years if data are limited, as they are for newer models such as the Ford Fusion. The best small cars, family cars, upscale/luxury cars, minivan, small SUVs, midsize SUVs, Luxury SUVs, and pickup trucks by CR's predicted infrequency of serious problems is given below.
In the small car category, Honda and Toyota vehicles dominate. The five best small cars of 2011 are:
Toyota Yaris, a sedan or 2-door or 4-door hatchback
Honda Fit, a 4-door hatchback
Toyota Motor Corporation's Scion xD, a 4-door hatchbackHonda Civic Coupe
Honda Civic Sedan.
For comparison, last year's 2010 Auto Reliability Grade Point Averages (GPAs) of these models for model years 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009 are:
Toyota Yaris Hatchback: a perfect 4.00
Honda Fit: 4.00
Scion xD: 4.00
Honda Civic Coupe: N/A
Honda Civic Sedan: 3.50.
In the category of family cars, Ford Motor Company captures first and second place for 2011 predicted reliability. The two are:
Ford Fusion Hybrid
Ford Fusion with a V6 engine and front-wheel drive.
The 2010 Auto Reliability GPAs of these models are:
Ford Fusion Hybrid: 4.00 (based on only a one-year data history)
Ford Fusion with a V6 and fwd: 3.75.
In the category of upscale/luxury cars, Honda and Toyota account for all four in the list. These are:
Honda Motor Company's Acura RL,
Honda's Acura TL
Toyota's Lexus IS 250 Sedan with rear-wheel drive
Toyota's Lexus ES.
The year earlier GPAs are:
Acura RL: 2.67
Acura TL: 3.25
Lexus IS 250 with rwd: 2.50
Lexus ES: 3.50.
Two of the above are very modest.
Not making this year's upscale/luxury car list are Ford's Lincoln MKZ and its 4-cylinder Mercury Milan, both of which had 2010 GPAs of a perfect 4.00 last year.
In the category of larger wagons and minivans, the best is the V6, front-wheel-drive Toyota Sienna. The 2010 Reliability GPA of the front-wheel-drive Sienna for the 4 recent years is a more modest 3.00.
The 5 best small SUVs are:
Honda CR-V
Toyota RAV4 with a V6 engine
Mitsubishi Outlander
Toyota RAV4 with a 4-cylinder engine
Subaru Forester with a non-turbo engine.
The 2010 GPAs of these best for the 4 most recent model years are:
Honda CR-V: 3.75
Toyota RAV4 with a V6: 3.40
Mitsubishi Outlander: 3.00
Toyota RAV4 with a 4-cylinder: 3.75
Subaru Forester with a non-turbo engine: 4.00.
The 4-cylinder RAV4 and the Honda CR-V have outstanding 10-year mean GPAs of 3.88 and 3.63, respectively.
The 5 best midsize SUVs are:
Toyota FJ Cruiser
Toyota Highlander with a 4-cylinder engine
Toyota Highlander with a V6 engine
Hyundai Santa Fe with a V6 engine
Nissan Pathfinder.
The 2010 GPAs of these best for the 4 most recent model years are:
Toyota FJ Cruiser: 4.00
Toyota Highlander with a 4-cylinder engine: N/A
Toyota Highlander with a V6 engine: 3.75
Hyundai Santa Fe with a V6 engine: 2.75
Nissan Pathfinder: 1.67.
The V6 Toyota Highlander has an outstanding 10-year mean GPA of 3.94. The Pathfinder's jump to best from a very mediocre 2010 GPA suggests thin data making an accurate rating difficult.
The 3 best upscale/luxury SUVs are:
Toyota's Lexus LX
Honda's Acura RDX
Honda's Acura MDX.
The 2010 GPAs of these best for the 4 most recent model years are:
Toyota's Lexus LX: 3.67
Honda's Acura RDX: 3.33
Honda's Acura MDX: 3.50.
The Lexus LX has an excellent mean 10-year GPA of 3.79 for 2010; the MDX's is a more modest 3.31.
The 5 best pickup trucks are:
Toyota Tundra with a V6 engine
Honda Ridgeline
Nissan Frontier with 2-wheel drive
Ford Ranger with 2-wheel drive
Toyota Tundra with a V8 engine and 4-wheel drive.
The Ridgeline has a notable recent GPA of 3.75.
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