Consumer Reports 2009 Annual Car Reliability Survey – Who's up and who's down

Ford has secured its position as the only Detroit automaker with world-class reliability, according to Consumer Reports' 2009 Annual Car Reliability Survey. About 90 percent (46 of 51) of Ford, Mercury, and Lincoln products were found to have average or better reliability. The results now available online in the car types pages, new car selector, and on the model overview pages—all available to online subscribers.
 
Ford's sustained production of vehicles that are as dependable—or better than—some of the industry's best dispels the notion that only Japanese manufacturers make reliable cars. Other than the Toyota Prius, the reliability of the four-cylinder Fusion and Milan ranks higher than that of any other family sedan. Both of those Ford Motor Company products continue to beat the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry, while the upscale Lincoln MKZ tops its rivals, the Acura TL and Lexus ES.
 
The findings are based on responses on 1.4 million vehicles owned or leased by subscribers to Consumer Reports or its Web site—the biggest response in the Annual Auto Survey's history. Consumer Reports' expert team of statisticians and automotive engineers used the survey data to predict reliability of new 2010 models. Predicted reliability is CR's forecast of how well models currently on sale are likely to hold up. 
 
Other key findings:

The Lin­coln division has had mixed results: some models score below their Ford equivalents. All-wheel-drive versions of the Lincoln MKS, MKX, and MKZ are below average.
 
The least reliable vehicle, the Volk­swagen Touareg, is 27 times more likely to have a problem than the most reliable car, the Honda Insight.
 
Twenty of 37 small cars have above-average predicted-reliabil­ity including the Honda Fit, Scion xD and Volkswagen Golf.
 
Even good brands falter. Among the least reliable vehicles in their respective classes are the all-wheel-drive Lexus GS, the Nissan Versa sedan, and the Subaru Impreza WRX. The Lexus GS AWD is the only Toyota mod­el with below average reliability.
 
Some newer GM products are bright spots. Overall 20 of the 48 GM models Consumer Reports surveyed have aver­age reliability scores. (GM has a number of strong contenders either just released or in the pipeline, but they are too new for CR to have reliability data on them.)
 
More than one-third of Chrysler products are much worse than average, including its new car-based SUV, the Dodge Journey. Last year, Consumers Reports couldn't Recom­mend any of its products either because of mediocre performance, poor reliability scores, or both. However, this year CR can rec­ommend: the four-wheel-drive ver­sion of the redesigned Dodge Ram 1500 pickup.
 
Of the 48 models with top reliability scores, 36 are Asian—Toyota ac­counts for 18; Honda, eight; Nissan, four; and Hyundai/Kia and Subaru, three each.

With only a few exceptions, Japanese vehicles are consistently good. All Honda and Acura products have average or above average reliability.

Hyundai and Kia continue to make reliable cars. The Hyundai Elantra and Tucson, and the Kia Sportage get top marks. Only Kia's Sedona minivan and Sorento SUV score below average.

European brands continue to improve. Mercedes-Benz has significantly rebound­ed, with most models average or better. Scores from rival BMW are more mixed.

Volkswagen and Audi are also staging a nice reliability recovery. The Volkswagen Rabbit (Golf) and the new CC earn top scores.

Porsche has one serious hic­cup this year: The Boxster drops to below average, which strikes it from Consumer Reports Recom­mended list. But the Cayenne SUV im­proved to average.

Full reliability history charts and predicted-reliability ratings on hundreds of 2010 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 the Guide to Reliability, in the December issue of Consumer Reports, and in the latest Consumer Reports Cars publication, Best & Worst for 2010 on sale November 17, 2009, everywhere magazines are sold.