Reliability findings

Gas-saving models lead in reliability

Fuel-efficient vehicles are a very reliable segment of the automotive market overall. And European cars, which have trailed the domestic models for about five years, are showing signs of improvement.

Those are the top findings of our 2008 Car Reliability Survey, based on our subscribers' experiences with 1.4 million vehicles. Respondents reported on any serious problems they had with their vehicles in 17 trouble spots during the previous 12 months, which allows us to provide predicted-reliability Ratings for new cars. We include only models for which we have 100 or more responses.

According to the survey, nine hybrid models for which we have sufficient data earned above-average predicted-reliability Ratings. Most of those hybrids are from Japanese automakers. We also found that conventional gas-sippers such as the Honda Fit, Scion xD, Smart ForTwo, and Toyota Yaris had few problems.

Some European automakers, particularly Mercedes-Benz, had sunk to the bottom of our predicted-reliability Ratings in recent years. But the new results show signs of a comeback.

Six Mercedes-Benz models, including the redesigned C-Class sedan, the sporty SL, and the ML350 SUV, have improved to average reliability. As a result, they are now recommended (see What's Up and What's Down).


Ford leads the domestics

Ford's three brands-Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury-continue to pull away from the rest of the Detroit automakers. Almost all Ford models are now average or better, with the exception of some that are truck-based. Excluding those, Ford's reliability is now on par with good Japanese automakers.

General Motors is a mixed bag. Among the bright spots is the redesigned Chevrolet Malibu; in its first year, the four-cylinder version is better than average and the V6 is average. The Buick Lucerne with a V8 and the Pontiac G6 with a four-cylinder are above average, and the Chevrolet Avalanche has improved to average.

But a quarter of GM models are still well below average in reliability. Some that didn't fare well are fairly new designs that did well in our testing, such as the Cadillac CTS and the Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia, and Saturn Outlook SUV triplets. Chrysler trails the pack. Almost two-thirds of its products rate below average for reliability. The redesigned 2008 Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan minivans earned low scores, as did the Chrysler Sebring V6 and Dodge Avenger sedans and the Jeep Liberty SUV. The Sebring Convertible has the worst score: 283 percent worse than average. The only above-average models are the Dodge Caliber hatchback and Jeep Patriot SUV.


Toyota bounces back

Last year we called out three Toyota models that had slipped to below average: the Camry V6, Tundra V8 4WD, and the Lexus GS AWD. Toyota seems to have rectified some of the problems-all 42 of the Toyota, Lexus, and Scion models in our survey scored average or better. While the three models noted above scored merely average, most models got above-average Ratings. Almost all models from Honda and its Acura luxury division received above-average scores. In addition, Subarus for which we have sufficient data scored average or better in reliability.

Nissan showed striking improvements, with the perennially troublesome Armada SUV, Titan pickup, and Infiniti QX56 SUV finally gaining average reliability. The new Nissan Rogue and Infiniti EX SUVs have started out above average, which is a good sign, and the Altima Hybrid sedan is well above average.

The two closely related South Korean nameplates, Hyundai and Kia, rank right up there with the better Japanese makers. Most of their models scored average or better, with only the Hyundai Entourage and Kia Sedona minivans receiving below-average scores.


Europe rebounds

While Mercedes-Benz has improved in reliability, none of its models scored above average and a third are still below average. Audi continues to improve, with two-thirds of its lineup scoring average or better. Its sister brand, Volkswagen, has several models rating average or better in our survey, but the Passat sedan, Touareg SUV, and Eos convertible have not done well. BMW has also shown progress in recent years, with most versions of the 3 Series and some 5 Series models being average or better. The 6 Series improved to above average.

Volvo has continued the upward march as well. Of the nine Volvos for which we have sufficient data, only the redesigned XC70 wagon rated below average in reliability. Land Rover continued to fare poorly, with all four of its SUVs, including the new LR2, scoring well below average.


A consumer-driven Rating

Our reliability data are based on a subscriber survey and are not derived from Consumer Reports' vehicle testing. From the survey, we derive a reliability history for 10 model years as well as our forecast of how 2009 models will probably hold up. This predicted-reliability Rating is based on a model's overall reliability for the newest three model years, provided the 2009 version hasn't significantly changed. If a model was new or redesigned in that time frame, we might use just one or two years of data. In rare instances, we make a prediction for a redesigned model if the manufacturer's and model's histories are outstanding.

FOR SUBSCRIBERS: Complete new-vehicle reliability Ratings by car type. See our analysis and findings of how automakers from around the globe fare. Find out the 10 year reliability history across 17 trouble spots in our model overview pages.