Honda tops Consumer Reports 2009 Automaker Report Cards... again
In what may be the least surprising news you read all day, Consumer Reports has released its annual 2009 Auto Issue that contains Automaker Report Cards. These report cards compile all of CR's road test data and predicted reliability ratings for all vehicles in its database, and Japanese automakers have again earned top rankings just as they have for as long as we can recall.Honda, Subaru and Toyota came out on top after all the scores were tallied, with every single Subaru model earning a Recommended rating from CR. Honda was the brand that fared the absolute best in predicted reliability, with just its Element small SUV barely failing to make the grade as a Recommended nameplate. Toyota also fared very well in reliability testing, as we've come to expect from the world's largest automaker. European automakers managed to get a shout out for offering unmatched performance, comfort and safety along with incremental increases in overall vehicle reliability.
American automakers got their own separate report cards, which you can see by clicking here. Of the Detroit-based manufacturers, Ford came out victorious with its Flex and F-150 earning top ratings and many of the rest of its models scoring well. General Motors managed to sneak eight vehicles on the Recommended list: the new Pontiac G8, Cadillac CTS and Chevy Malibu, along with the Corvette and each of the Lambda-based CUVs. Chrysler pulled up the rear again this year among all automakers without a single vehicle earning a positive score from CR.
[Source: Consumer Reports]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)
Jake B 4:34PM (2/26/2009)
Chrysler needs to go ahead and show us their updated dumpster-mobiles so we can maybe stop thinking they will go bankrupt.
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Huntersrun 4:54PM (2/26/2009)
I don't believe a word consumer reports says. They are bought off by the auto manufactures. If it won't do what they want the will just fake it.
As far as Chrylser..they still make the best cars in the US. Not only are they dependable they are also the best looking. JakeB get you head out of your a@#.
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Seminole 5:11PM (2/26/2009)
I want some of what you are on.
Consumer Reports actually does a very good job of testing the reliability of the cars and other aspects of them. Autoblog went and spent a day with them awhile back (http://www.autoblog.com/2008/01/06/video-autoblog-goes-behind-the-scenes-at-consumer-reports/), and the video shows that CR does very thorough testing. Sorry your rolling Rubbermade containers don't do well.
Bob-omb 5:11PM (2/26/2009)
Bought off by the auto manufacturers? Yeah, because it allows all of those ads that forces them to be polite and complimentary to practically every car they test.
Oh wait, that's Motor Trend, Car & Driver, Road & Track...
Andrew 5:17PM (2/26/2009)
chrysler is arguably the worst of the big3, and they most certainly have the least interesting product portfolio. name 1 segment where chrysler is remotely close to the top?
small sedan? nope
medium sedan? nope
large sedan? the 300 is ok, but the G8 is much better
truck? new Ram, maybe
SUV? the durango/aspen is hideous
jeep might be the only thing chrysler has that's unique, and many would argue they've watered the jeep brand down with all of the new models (compass, patriot, commander, etc.)
gerrrg 5:39PM (2/26/2009)
Damn, that was the funniest post yet.
Mobius_1 6:23PM (2/26/2009)
CR actually have to buy their own cars to do testing, and they are probably the ones I would trust to test the reliability, quality, refinement etc of a car. However, they cannot (nor, for that matter, can anybody else) measure "soul" and "passion", which is the primary criticism of them from auto enthusiasts.
tekd 12:51PM (2/27/2009)
I can't believe I'd ever see this level of...Chrysler fanboyism? This makes Apple fanboyism seem charming.
KeatMP 4:42PM (2/26/2009)
I hate consumer reports.
That is all.
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Kitko 4:58PM (2/26/2009)
I'm with you.
I expect my Mercedes to break down 5 times a year but it does so only 3 times. Hey, I'm a satisfied customer and my car is reliable.
I expect my Mazda not to break at all but, alas, a twit in Michigan messed up the door assembly, and the car (Mazda6) got recalled. I'm a sad customer because my car broke down.
So much for asking consumers/customers. The only meaningful reliability report are made by the German TUV, they actually work with technical data from 7 million cars annually.
jjmcubed 5:42PM (2/26/2009)
They don't ask you if you "think" it is reliable... They ask how many times it broke down and for what reason.
They don't have advertising in their magazines.
They rely on people like you and me to just answer some basic questions. It isn't brain surgery. Do you really think that the people that buy one brand over another report less or more breakdowns? It boggles my mind that people comment blindly when they have no clue what they are talking about.
Sea Urchin 7:41PM (2/26/2009)
@Jimcubet
Look barking at CR is the favorite pasttime of all Detroit groupies. These are the same people who claim that Detroit makes better cars than Japanese, never mind that 2 of 3 are effectively in Ch 7.
Torrent 9:51PM (2/26/2009)
Consumer Reports is more useless than Clay Aiken in a whorehouse.
I'm done. I have more, but this is not the time or the place.
Noz 11:39PM (2/26/2009)
Please continue...I'm sure we'd all love to hear your reasoning.
Randy 10:51AM (2/27/2009)
I'd take the word of an Import Fan Boy quicker than I would Consumer Reports! That magazine both sucks and sucks!
Yeah, twice! ;)
JimM 4:54PM (2/26/2009)
Having had several Hondas over the years, and one currently, I can attest to the fact that they generally hold up very well over time.
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Brn 2:22PM (2/27/2009)
I can say the same about Ford. Our individual experiences don't mean much.
P B 4:54PM (2/26/2009)
The Chevrolet Avalanche is the best pickup truck of the year?
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why not the LS2LS7? 4:56PM (2/26/2009)
Honda does great on reliability. They don't have any DI engines or dual-clutch gearboxes, they don't implement technology until they have it pretty ironed out. That's how you build a long-term reputation for quality.
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Vik 5:08PM (2/26/2009)
Yeah like their "ironed out" transmissions in the Accord, CL, TL, Odyssey, and Pilot? They really ironed those out before releasing them, and they didn't try any new technology before it had been tested, did they? (read: non-planetary-gearset trannies connected to a lot of power = breakage, denial, then finally recall with reman / bandaid fix / reduced resale). Nice job, Honda!