For the second year in a row, Consumer Reports has named Honda the automaker selling the best vehicles in the United States, 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 was listed. Consumer Reports also named top cars according to vehicle segment, including:
Green Car: Toyota Prius
Small Sedan: Hyundai Elantra
Family Sedan: Honda Accord
Fun Car: Mazda MX-5 Miata
Small SUV: Toyota RAV4
Pickup: Chevy Silverado Crew Cab
The magazine also lists the best and worst used autos from the past 10 years. Of the 65 "Best" used-car buys, only four are domestics. On the "Worst" list, 24 of the 34 models named are from US automakers.
In its annual auto issue, the magazine 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, 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.
How does a consumer figure those costs? Easy - by using a new owner cost estimate in the April issue of Consumer Reports. Or you can look up a five-year cost estimate on anything your heart desires Cars.com.
