Lexus Runs To Head Of The Class In Latest Consumer Report Card Rankings - Audi Highest Non-Japanese Brand

Lexus' models are rarely sporty, but the brand's overall score of 79 was earned on a foundation of plush and very reliable vehicles. Consumer Reports currently Recommends 100-percent of the Lexus vehicles it has tested.

"That is quite a feat for a brand whose cars are brimming with technology including impressive hybrid drivetrains and complicated infotainment systems," said Jake Fisher , director of automotive testing for Consumer Reports.

For 2013, Consumer Reports took a different approach than in previous years for its annual brand report cards story. CR graded each automaker's individual brands rather than calculating a single score for all the brands under one carmaker. For example, Toyota, Lexus, and Scion models were each scored separately this year instead of being incorporated into one overall score for Toyota. The same was true for Honda, Ford, Nissan, General Motors, Chrysler and other large manufacturers that market several brands.

Just off Lexus' pace are Subaru and Mazda, with dead-heat report-card scores of 76. Consumer Reports notes that both brands build solid cars with good handling, fuel economy, and versatility at relatively affordable prices. Subaru scores points for the sportiness of some models, including the new BRZ sports car. Testers found the BRZ great fun to drive, and its ratings improved the brand's overall score.

Mazda models are among the most reliable cars. Most deliver a good blend of practicality, sportiness, and efficiency. The company also moved forward with the sporty new CX-5 SUV and its line of fuel-efficient Skyactiv engines. Consumer Reports currently Recommends 89 percent of the Mazda models it has tested.

Overall, eight of the top 10 scores were earned by Japanese brands. Toyota and Acura brands round out the top five with a report card score of 74. Honda and Toyota's scores have been buoyed by the significant strides the automakers made with their respective redesigns of the Accord and Camry. Both handle better than their predecessors and get impressive fuel economy. For 2013, Honda delivered a solid, speedy refresh of the Civic that put it back on Consumer Reports Recommended list after the unimpressive 2012 redesign had fallen off. Honda and Acura ranked closely, with Acura achieving a higher test score. Honda is still dragged down by the low scoring Insight and CR-Z.

Nissan brought up the rear among Japanese brands, weighed down by its low scoring and unreliable large trucks and SUVs, but still managed to land midpack among all automakers. The redesigned four-cylinder Altima delivered impressive fuel economy, though it wasn't as engaging to drive as the previous model. The company's luxury Infiniti brand placed four slots higher, thanks to its excellent G and M sports sedans, although the G is due to be replaced this summer.

European inconsistency

European brands ended up scattered across the middle of the spectrum, distinguished from each other more by reliability than test score. Audi and Mercedes-Benz were the only non-Japanese nameplates to crack the top 10. They were ranked 8^th and 10^th, respectively. Audi separated itself from the pack as the only European brand to achieve very good reliability overall along with an excellent average road-test score.

Mercedes-Benz wasn't far behind Audi and was tied with Acura for having the highest average road-test score. Volkswagen lost ground with some redesigned sedans that didn't score as well as their peers. Several of its niche models, such as the Touareg SUV and the New Beetle, have well-below-average reliability.

Mini had the worst overall score of any European brand, placing 20^th among the 26 brands. Only nonturbocharged Minis deliver average or better reliability. Recent Volvos, such as the S60 and XC60, are competitive and reliable, but the brand is saddled with older models.

Detroit's struggles

General Motors is revamping its lineup and building several promising models, but some of its brands still anchor the bottom of Consumer Reports Brand Report Cards. Cadillac scored three places ahead of Chevrolet and GMC, based largely on the strength of the CTS.  Cadillac's small and midsized models perform well and their reliability is average. Some of its newer designs are hurt by complicated CUE controls. Buick, with subpar reliability, lagged farther behind, just ahead of Ford and Chrysler.

Ford's and Lincoln's overall scores have been dragged down by various issues. The MyFord Touch and MyLincoln Touch control interfaces are very difficult to use, and electronic problems in those systems have affected Ford's reliability scores. Ford vehicles' road-test scores have also been handicapped by some models' unrefined dual-clutch automated manual transmissions and a new lineup of EcoBoost turbocharged engines that don't deliver the performance and fuel economy of some competitors' larger engines.

"That's unfortunate because many of Ford's new models ride and handle as well as European luxury cars costing much more. And Ford's latest hybrids, the Fusion Hybrid and C-Max, are impressive," Fisher said. 

None of Chrysler's brands fared well. The only Dodge Consumer Reports recommends is the Durango SUV. Although the new Dart is an improvement over the car it replaced, it still lags behind the best compact sedans. Jeep doesn't fare much better; the only model that is CR Recommended is the V6 Grand Cherokee. The unreliable Wrangler joins the clumsy Compass and Patriot in weighing down the brand. The Chrysler brand is saddled with many older, uncompetitive models. Only the V6 Chrysler 300 scored well and is reliable. Overall, Consumer Reports Recommends fewer than half of the domestic models the organization has tested, and most of them come from Chevrolet and GMC.

Consumer Reports calculates each brand's overall score using an equally weighted composite of the road-test and reliability scores for each of its tested models. Reliability scores are based on information that CR's subscribers provided during the organization's Annual Auto Survey. For a brand to be included, Consumer Reports must have test results and reliability data for at least three models. That's why CR's 2013 rankings do not include Fiat, Jaguar, Land Rover, Mitsubishi, Porsche, Ram, or  Smart:

Fijian - 2/26/2013 2:07:20 PM

-1 Boost

So Recalls are not counted right. They are actually not a problem with the car but then what is it actually. You can have the highest recall and come out ALWAYS as the most trouble free brand. Most engine problems like Engine sludge leading to engine failure too.I really love the system.

USNA1999 - 2/26/2013 2:13:42 PM

-1 Boost

That is why CONSUMER REPORTS is a JOKE!

USNA1999 - 2/26/2013 2:09:51 PM

+1 Boost

"Reliability scores are based on information that CR's subscribers provided during the organization's Annual Auto Survey". No wonder I have never seen one of these surveys. So the sample is based on people that belief in CR's garbage? What a joke!
Good for LEXUS for being in top! AUDI in the top 10? That is good news!

AlleVier - 2/27/2013 2:21:28 PM

+4 Boost

If the results are different, then they don't "mirror" anything. The warranty-claims survey you reference is an equally non-random sample; it's the warranty claims for ONE particular provider of AFTERMARKET or extended warranties in ONE country. It does not measure the reliability of vehicles not under warranty by that company nor those without extended warranties. More important is that may not be an accurate measure of future claims on recent production models.

The particular problem with CR's subscriber-based survey is that if a brand's reliability changes for the better, it'll take a while (if ever) to be reported because it's likely that those who buy counter to CR's recommendation are not CR subscribers. Furthermore, if the gap between least reliable and most reliable shrinks, CR would not likely acknowledge it since they benefit from readers believing that the reliability differences are significant, otherwise they would cease to exist.

USNA1999 - 2/27/2013 4:47:32 PM

+3 Boost

AlleVier don't bother explaining this to these guys. They will never understand, that is why they based their purchases on a magazine survey. LoL! They must also take their investment advice from Jim Cramer.

enthusiastx11 - 2/26/2013 4:59:19 PM

-2 Boost

consumer reports reviewing cars is pretty hysterical. let's see, i'll decide which toaster to buy, which vacuum really sweeps things up and then i'll ask the same people to tell me which car i should buy. moving on....

lexworld - 2/26/2013 7:43:53 PM

-4 Boost

...It's real simple guys, Go find out for yourselves and see the Celebrities who are buying Toyotas and Lexuses these days. Even the rich and famous know top notch when they research'em. JD Powers, Consumer R, Kelley Blue etc, will all keep coming up with the same results time and time again. TOYOTA AND LEXUS PRODUCTS ARE THE BEST OF THE BEST!

USNA1999 - 2/26/2013 8:17:25 PM

-2 Boost

lexword really? Celebrities with Toyotas and Lexuses? Except for the usual tree huggers with their PRIUS, very few drive them when compared to MB, BMW, PORCHES and so on. Just look at the videos on MTV and tell me how many TOYOTAS/LEXUS you see.
I guess very few people care about the results from JD Powers, Consumer R, Kelley Blue etc surveys then, since all these brands (not even in their top 10s) continue to sell at record levels. I wonder why? I guess just relying on "reliability" for sales isn't doing much these days.

MrEE - 2/27/2013 8:56:19 AM

+3 Boost

CR survey gets sufficient results across the models they report on otherwise they indicate insufficient data. You will find the results are consistence with many from JD Powers or just observe the vehicles on the road going back 20 years. I find people that buy Toyota and Honda are more critical of even small issues. There is no better source of unbiased and complete auto reviews.

Fijian - 2/27/2013 4:06:27 PM

+1 Boost

They PROJECT Reliability. When a new Domestic car or truck comes out they say it is PROJECTED to be UNRELIABLE. If a Japanese company makes a NEW model even though they do not have data they will say it will be reliable based on PROJECTED DATA.How Sad.

USNA1999 - 2/27/2013 4:44:48 PM

0 Boost

I couldn't have said it any better. You are way smarter than the average CR reader (whoever they are).

USNA1999 - 2/27/2013 4:48:57 PM

+1 Boost

The above comment was meant for Fijian.

USNA1999 - 2/27/2013 6:10:31 PM

+1 Boost

sportbike why don't you take these ones into account? I will just post 3 but I could keep going since you don't think they are that important to affect a vehicle's reliability. Make sure read the "INJURIES" also.

1. DEC 2012 The recall announced Wednesday affects older-model vehicles sold mainly in the United States. They were big sellers with families because of their ample space and reputation for quality. Problems with the ignition switches have plagued Honda for years. It has recalled nearly 2.3 million vehicles for the problem since 2003.

Here are details of the latest recall:

MODELS AFFECTED: 347,000 Honda Odyssey minivans and 277,000 Pilot SUVs from the 2003 and 2004 model years. Also 247,000 Acura MDX SUVs from the 2003 through 2006 period. All have automatic transmissions. More than 807,000 were sold in the U.S.

THE PROBLEM: The mechanism that locks the key in the ignition while the vehicles are in gear can wear out. When that happens, drivers of the vans and SUVs are able to remove keys without shifting into park. Some have left the vehicles, which have rolled off unexpectedly while in gear. The U.S. safety regulators began investigating the problem in October after owners filed 43 complaints with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Owners reported 16 crashes due to the problem.

INJURIES: Two people were hurt in the crashes, according to NHTSA's database. In the most serious case, the driver reported a broken leg after being run over by a 2003 Odyssey. The driver parked the van in a sloped driveway and after leaving the Honda, the van started to roll backward. The driver tripped while trying to stop the van. "I had an open fracture of my fibula (lower leg bone) and crush injuries on my shin area," the driver reported. NHTSA does not identify drivers who file complaints.
2. JUNE 2012 Honda is conducting a voluntary safety recall of certain 2012 Civic compact cars over concerns about potentially faulty driveshafts.
A notice on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) site lists the potential number of affected vehicles at 50,190. Documentation from Honda (PDF) indicates that approximately up to 8.4 percent of the vehicles in the recall may contain the condition.

The problem

The NHTSA bulletin says that during assembly of certain 2012 Civics, the process required to seat the driver’s side driveshaft and set the retaining clip was not completed. As a result, the driveshaft may separate.

If separation occurs, the engine will no longer be able to propel the vehicle in any gear and the vehicle may roll away if the parking gear has not been set when the gear selector was placed in Park position. This situation increases the risk of vehicle crash and injury.
3. OCT 2012 Honda said roughly 572,000 Accord V6's from model years 2003-2007 are covered under the recall. The power steering hoses in these cars are at risk of leaking, creating smoke and potentially sparking engine fires, accord

MrEE - 2/27/2013 7:52:06 PM

+1 Boost

The thing with recalls are they generally are problems experienced by very few and when issues are fixed for free people are not bothered. Only becomes an issue with excessive recalls..

CR subscribers like the public in general will overlook reliability ratings or reputation for many reasons including marketing, styling preferences, brand loyalty, incentives, and many don't keep their vehicles past the warranty. I myself learned my lesson after one GM purchase.

Fijian - 2/28/2013 2:37:25 PM

+2 Boost

People bitch about small GM problems like trims not attached well. However just google engine sludge. You will see there are thousand of Toyota owners with engines failing. Some were recalled while others not. One of my co-workers had to have the engine replaced at 70k in andn older Camry and even though he changed the oil on time did not have receipts. He had to put a new engine in a an older car that is worth about 2k. What suprises me is he bought a new Hibrid Camry which cost him 38k loaded (due to fuel savings). What savings when he will need a new battery which costs thousands.

mkaresh - 3/1/2013 5:17:26 PM

+1 Boost

CR probably considered only the three most recent model years. Based on the data we receive at TrueDelta, the Germans have been doing better during the first two or three years of ownership. The challenge remains years five and up, after the original warranty ends.