Honda Fit is best used car, says Consumer Reports

Yonkers, New York – The Honda Fit remains the best overall value among used vehicles, according to Consumer Reports. The Fit was not only the best value among small cars, but was tops among some 200 different vehicles analyzed.

“A low price doesn’t necessarily make a car a good value,” said Rik Paul, automotive editor at Consumer Reports. “A cheap vehicle can wind up costing you more money over time, or can be disappointing down the road. We think real value is what you get for your money.”

Consumer Reports used performance, reliability and ownership cost data to calculate value scores for the vehicles, which ranged from small cars to luxury sedans. Scores were calculated based on the five-year owner cost for each vehicle, along with the magazine’s road test score and predicted reliability. The five-year owner cost includes depreciation, fuel costs, insurance premiums, interest on financing, maintenance and repairs, and sales tax, with depreciation being the largest owner-cost factor. A car has a better value rating if it performs well in road tests and reliability ratings, and if it costs less to own over time.

Overwhelmingly, the best values were from Japanese automakers, including most of the top models in each category. Of the 48 “best values” in the list, 34 are from Japanese brands, along with six European (mostly from Volkswagen), five from American ones (mostly Ford), and three from South Korean brands.

Overall, the report found that small cars and family sedans provide the best value. In the small-car category, most vehicles scored at least twice as high as the average model, and higher than any other model in Consumer Reports’ analysis. The magazine gave the best value score to the Honda Fit, and the worst to the Chevrolet Cruze 1LT, but said that the Cruze still ranked close to the overall average for value among all vehicles.

The four-cylinder Nissan Altima led the family sedan category, followed by the four-cylinder Kia Optima, Subaru Legacy, Ford Fusion Hybrid and four-cylinder Honda Accord. As with small cars, the lowest-rated sedans still have value scores that are slightly better than average.

Larger and luxury vehicles were among the worst values overall, with large or luxury sedans and SUVs usually scoring at only about 70 per cent of the average. The best large and midsize SUVs tended to earn about the same value score as the lowest-ranked family sedans. The top-scoring upscale sedan, the Lexus ES 350, did earn a value score almost 1.5 times the average, but its cost per mile was a relatively high US77 cents, with a five-year owner cost that was $11,000 more than the Altima, which dropped its value score slightly below the Nissan. The worst-value upscale and luxury sedan was the Jaguar XJL.

The report found that wagons and small SUVs tend to provide better value than larger SUVs or minivans. Among wagons, the Volkswagen Jetta TDI with manual transmission was the top scorer, offering almost 70 per cent more value than the average car, while the Mazda5 and Subaru Outback had scores almost 1.5 times that of average value.

The top small SUVs were even better values than wagons, with the base four-cylinder Toyota RAV4 taking the top spot, and the Jeep Liberty Sport the “worst value” spot. The RAV4 had a score 84 per cent better than average, followed by the Subaru Forester at 70 per cent. Midsize SUVs are less of a bargain because of their higher purchase price and fuel costs. Among luxury SUVs, only the BMW X3, Acura RDX, Acura MDX, Infiniti EX, and Lexus RX gasoline and hybrid models had above-average value scores. The best-value midsize SUV was the V6 Toyota Highlander Limited, while the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sahara had the worst value.

Minivans generally get better fuel economy than most midsize or large SUVs and have more space than all but the largest SUVs, and they cost less, but as a class, their sub-par reliability drags them down, the magazine said. The front-wheel drive Toyota Sienna, with the category’s highest reliability rating, is still only rated at “average” reliability.

The report found that hybrids can be relatively good values due to their combination of fuel economy, low depreciation and above-average reliability. As a class, hybrids have an overall value at least 1.5 times the average model, and on average cost about 65 cents per mile to drive over the first five years.

The full report is available in the magazine’s February issue.

Source;
http://www.autos.ca/general-news/honda-fit-is-best-used-car-says-consumer-reports

Consumer Reports' 2011 Annual Car Reliability Survey: Ford drops, Chrysler rises, Scion leads

To continue the list from Ford....

Dodge (8) up
GMC (13) down
Mini (6) up
Buick (5) down
Cadillac (5) down
Audi (7) even
Porsche (2) down
Jaguar (2) not available


In recent years Ford has been a model of American reliability, competing well against Japanese makes that have dominated for decades. But three of its new models are blemishing that record.
The new Ford Explorer, Fiesta, and Focus all had below-average reliability in their first year. As a result, Ford’s overall reliability rank among 28 major car makes slipped from the 10th to the 20th spot this year—the biggest drop for any major nameplate in Consumer Reports' 2011 Annual Auto Survey.

Ford’s drop can also be attributed to problems with new technologies: the new MyFord Touch infotainment system and the new automated-manual transmission used in the Fiesta and Focus. On the bright side, the Ford Fusion Hybrid sedan remained outstanding, and other Fusion versions were above average.

While Ford’s star has fallen, Chrysler’s has risen. Jeep has moved up seven spots to 13, becoming the most reliable domestic brand, and all its models for which Consumer Reports has sufficient data scored average in predicted reliability. Chrysler and Dodge moved up 12 and three spots in ranking, respectively.

Chrysler had better results with its new models, including the freshened Chrysler 200 (formerly Sebring) sedan and the redesigned Dodge Durango and Jeep Grand Cherokee SUVs. The Chrysler brand moved up in Consumer Reports survey, but its rank is based on just two models: the 200, which was well above average, and the freshened Town & Country minivan, which tanked. The remaining model, the 300, is too new for Consumer Reports to have sufficient data.
Reliability methodologyFindings are based on responses on 1.3 million vehicles owned or leased by subscribers to Consumer Reports or ConsumerReports.org. Conducted by Consumer Reports’ National Survey Research Center, the survey covers model years 2002 to 2011.

Consumer Reports’ expert team of statisticians and automotive engineers used the survey data to predict reliability of new 2012 models. Predicted reliability is Consumer Reports’ forecast of how well models currently on sale are likely to hold up. To calculate predicted-reliability ratings, CR averages the overall reliability scores (used car verdicts) for the most recent three model years, provided that the model remained unchanged in that period and also didn’t substantially change for 2012. If a model was new or redesigned in the past couple of years, one or two years’ data may be used, or if that’s all that’s available. On rare occasions, Consumer Reports makes predictions for a newly redesigned model, but only if previous versions had outstanding reliability.

Fortunes change for the Big ThreeEven with Chrysler’s improvement, Detroit models still have reliability problems. Of the 97 domestic models and versions for which Consumer Reports has sufficient data, 62 (64 percent) rated average or better in CR’s new-car reliability ratings, leaving 35 as below average.

General Motors has stumbled after edging up last year. The Buick and Cadillac brands, in particular, appear to have taken a step backward; Chevrolet held steady and GMC dropped one spot. The new Buick Regal and Chevrolet Cruze were below par in reliability.

Asian brands roll onJapanese brands continue to dominate Consumer Reports survey’s upper echelons and took the top nine spots. They were led by Scion, Lexus, Acura, Mazda, Honda, and Toyota. Of the 91 Japanese models for which Consumer Reports has sufficient data, 87 (96 percent) were rated average or better in predicted reliability; 24 Japanese models earned the highest rating.

The biggest improvement was from Mazda, which moved up eight spots from last year. All its models were rated above average. Scion remains the top brand in Consumer Reports’ survey, but only two models of its three, the xB and xD, had sufficient data to be included. Lexus, with 11 models included, rebounded seven places from last year.

Mixed results from EuropeEuropean models continue to be a blend of reliable and not so reliable vehicles. Overall, European vehicles’ reliability is slightly below that of domestic models. Of the 58 European models for which Consumer Reports has sufficient data, 37 (64 percent) scored average or better in predicted reliability.

Among European brands, Volvo ranked the highest at 10th overall. It was helped by the redesigned S60, which was above average in its first year. Volkswagen was able to hold on to 16th place in the ranking; seven of its 11 models scored average or better.

Mercedes-Benz and BMW improved, but results were inconsistent for their various models. BMW’s redesigned X3 SUV did well, for example, but the redesigned 5 Series sedan was well below average. Mercedes’ compact GLK SUV improved, but its flagship S-Class luxury sedan fell to below average.

Reliability, recommendations, and further insightsConsumer Reports Annual Auto Survey Ratings are unrelated to vehicle road-test results, but are a key factor in determining whether or not Consumer Reports recommends a car. CR only recommends models that have performed well in tests conducted at its 327-acre Auto Test Center in Connecticut, and that have average or better predicted reliability based on its annual survey. In addition, vehicles must perform at least adequately in government or insurance-industry crash and rollover tests, if tested, in order to be Recommended by Consumer Reports.

Full reliability history charts and predicted-reliability ratings on hundreds of 2012 models, plus a list of what’s up and what’s down, best and worst models, and a comparison chart of brands can be found online in our Reliability special section, in the December issue of the magazine, and in the upcoming Consumer Reports Cars publication, Best & Worst New Cars for 2012, on sale November 15, 2011.

Source;
http://news.consumerreports.org/cars/2011/10/consumer-reports-2011-annual-car-reliability-survey-ford-drops-chrysler-rises-scion-leads.html