2010 Annual Auto Reliability Survey: Best and worst vehicles by brand

When it comes to vehicle reliability, there are brands that are at the top of the list and those at the bottom, but each manufacturer have vehicles that are winners and losers in our annual reliability survey.

In our new car predicted reliability, some manufacturers have a large gap between the most and least reliable vehicles and others have a portfolio of models with similar reliability. When looking at reliability data, it's best to look at individual models and not make assumptions based on brand perceptions. In addition, just because a vehicle scored well in our reliability survey doesn't mean it is a good vehicle to buy.

Some models are considered reliable, but don't do well in our testing. One example of that is the Toyota Yaris, which scored the highest in reliability for Toyota, but scores too low in our testing to be recommended. Alternatively, the BMW 135i scores very high in our tests, but its reliability i has been far below average, so we cannot recommend it. It was also the least reliable BMW for predicted reliability in our survey.

There are also disparities within brands. Some have very good reliability within its models across the board. Scion, Toyota, Honda, Acura, Infiniti, Hyundai, and Volvo do not have any models that have below average reliability. Others like BMW and Mercedes-Benz have some that score very high and others that are well below average.

Below is a list of the best and worst vehicles by brand based on predicted reliability. Models with an * are based on data of one model year only.

The main take away from this information is don't judge a book by its cover. Avoid assumptions and do your research before you buy your next vehicle. It takes just a few minutes to browse the model overview pages, or use the interactive new car selector tool, which sorts and filters by the parameters that matter most to you.

Either path will reveal Consumer Reports recommended models that did well in our road tests, score average or better in reliability, and performs at least adequately if included in government or insurance industry safety tests.

For more details on our 2010 Annual Auto Survey including the full list of most and least reliable new cars by vehicle type, see our reliability report. Also, check out our guide to car reliability for more details on new and used car reliability as well as owner satisfaction.

—Liza Barth