Honda Still on Top in U.S., Says Consumer Reports

For the second year in a row, Consumer Reports has named Honda the automaker selling the best vehicles in the U.S., based on factors ranging from reliability to vehicle comfort.

Toyota and Subaru ranked second and third, followed by BMW, Mazda, Nissan and Volkswagen. No domestic nameplate appeared on the list.

Consumer Reports also named top cars according to vehicle segment, including:

• Green Car: Toyota Prius

• Small Sedan: Hyundai Elantra

• Family Sedan: Honda Accord

• Upscale Sedan: Infiniti G35

• Luxury Sedan: Lexus LS 460L

• Fun Car: Mazda MX-5 Miata

• Small SUV: Toyota RAV4

• Midsize SUV: Hyundai Santa Fe

• Minivan: Toyota Sienna

• Pickup: Chevy Silverado Crew Cab (the only domestic listed)

Rather than just focus on new vehicles, the magazine also lists its picks for best and worst buys among used vehicles from the past 10 years. Of the 65 “Best” used-car buys, only four are domestics — all cars. It’s the “Worst” used-car list where the domestics finally dominate: 24 of the 34 models named are from U.S. automakers, and all but one, the Pontiac G6, are SUVs or vans. And yes, the Pontiac Aztek is on the list of no-nos.

In its annual auto issue, Consumer Reports warns that it’s not what a new car costs to buy, it’s what it costs to own that counts most.

The publication says a car with a low sticker price can cost more than one with a higher sticker price when you calculate how much it will cost to own the vehicle over five years, including depreciation, fuel, interest on the loan, insurance, maintenance, repairs and sales tax.

Factoring in those costs over five years of ownership, for example, while the Mitsubishi Lancer might cost $5,000 less to buy than a Mini Cooper, it costs about $3,000 more to own over five years, according to Consumer Reports.

How does a consumer figure those costs over five years? Easy — by using a new owner cost estimate that just happens to be found in the April issue of Consumer Reports. Probably just a coincidence, don’t you think? In a bit of shameless self-promotion, we can make it even easier: You can look up a five-year cost estimate on anything your heart desires right on Cars.com.

Consumer Reports’ auto issue comes out March 4.