Consumer Reports Releases Reliability Ratings

Ford’s reliability ratings jumped significantly, making it by far the most reliable American automaker, according to Consumer Reports, which released its ratings today. Those ratings can be found in the magazine’s December issue. With the exception of a few of its trucks, Consumer Reports says Ford’s reliability is equal to that of the best Japanese automakers.

Besides Ford’s success, the highest ratings went to traditional winners, including Honda, Toyota and Nissan. Last year, Toyota received below-average ratings for the V-6 Camry and Tundra, but now all 42 Toyota, Scion and Lexus models had average or above-average ratings. After many years of trouble, Nissan’s Titan and Armada and Infiniti’s QX56 improved their ratings, which jumped up to average this year. Hyundai and Kia also ranked with the better Japanese makers, with Kia jumping 12 spots in overall rankings in one year.

European automakers also increased reliability. Mercedes-Benz has improved, though a third of its cars remain below average. Volkswagen remains at the bottom, but it’s improving. Volvo has continued to improve, with eight out of nine Volvo models now ranking average or above average. That makes it one of the most reliable European makes.

GM’s reliability remains a mixed bag. While the Chevrolet Malibu is now recommended, vehicles like the Buick Enclave, Cadillac CTS and GMC Acadia received below-average reliability ratings. More than two-thirds of Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge vehicles were labeled unreliable, with the Chrysler Sebring convertible rated as the most unreliable new car in the survey.

Consumer Reports Reliability Report (Consumer Reports)