Best and Worst New Cars
Not all cars are created equal, and we have the data to prove it. Of course, numbers can tell a variety of tales and we understand every consumer has different priorities. To that end, we have compiled a series of best and worst car lists to highlight performance in a wide variety of categories. The lists linked below can be an excellent tool for filtering down your purchase considerations or for stocking up on vehicular trivia.
Overall test scores are based on more than 50 individual Consumer Reports tests and evaluations, and are presented on a 100-point scale.
Learn more about how Consumer Reports tests cars.
Best Overall
10 Top Picks of 2017: Best Cars of the Year
The best new cars of 2017 are outstanding all-around performers—shown to be reliable, safe, and satisfying. That means they have scored high in our stringent track tests and extensive owner surveys. They have won our admiration, and we recommend them with confidence.
Best Cars in Our Tests
Each vehicle is put through a battery of tests at our track to determine its performance, and some models stand out while others do not. Our best and worst cars list highlights the overall top scorers in our ratings and those at the bottom of the list.
Highest-Scoring American Vehicles
There are many ways to view the Consumer Reports ratings to find the highest-rated vehicle in a given category or price range. But we get many questions from journalists and our readers regarding the best current American-branded vehicles. To answer that query, we sorted vehicles into 13 key categories.
Best New Cars Under $30,000
Cars are becoming increasingly expensive to buy and own, with the average price for a new car hovering around $34,000. The good news is that there are top-performing cars available for less than $30,000—the amount for the average new-car loan.
Best All-Wheel-Drive Cars
When winter’s wrath hits hard, a car with all-wheel drive is your best bet to help navigate the roads safely. You can find AWD in a variety of vehicle categories. See which one is right for you.
Best & Worst Three-Row Vehicles
The main appeal of three-row vehicles is their ability to carry up to eight people and cargo, as well. They’re great for carpooling and carrying all types of gear. The list includes minivans and SUVs; although larger SUVs provide both better access and more cargo space, minivans have a better third-row seat for children, as well as adults.
Fuel Economy
The Most Fuel-Efficient Cars
Fuel economy is an important factor to consider when buying a new car, even when gas prices are down—they won't stay that way forever.
The Most Fuel-Efficient SUVs
SUVs are very versatile vehicles for transporting passengers and cargo, and now you don't have to sacrifice fuel economy to get the space you want. Many SUVs now have fuel economy on par with large sedans.
Best & Worst Fuel Economy
With high gas prices and a tight economy, drivers need to find relief at the pump. If you’re buying a new car, a fuel-efficient model can save you hundreds of dollars per year over a gas guzzler.
Performance
Best & Worst Acceleration
How fast a vehicle will accelerate is not something that should be of concern only to driving enthusiasts. Being able to merge safely with fast-moving traffic is important regardless of how or what you drive.
Best Safety Performance
A vehicle with good braking and emergency handling can help you avoid an accident. Typically smaller, sportier vehicles perform well in these tests, and larger trucks tend to be slower to maneuver.
Owner Satisfaction & Reliability
Car Reliability
This year’s survey saw the rise of luxury brands, a mixed bag for Japanese brands, and some reliability stumbles by stalwarts.
Car Brands Reliability
We saw a significant shuffling of car brands as we scrutinized this year’s data. Our brand-level rankings are based on an average predicted-reliability score across each brand’s model line. We also tracked whether each brand’s rank went up or down since our 2015 survey.
10 Most Reliable Cars
Purchasing a car is a long-term investment, with the expectation that the car will provide dependable transportation for the long haul. But as our surveys show, not all cars can fulfill that promise.
10 Least Reliable Cars
Our comprehensive annual auto reliability survey shows that some buyers will be taking their brand-new car back to the dealer’s service department sooner and more often than other car buyers will.
Owner Satisfaction: Cars That Owners Love and Hate
Our exclusive survey reveals the cars, SUVs, and trucks that deliver performance and pleasure for the long haul.
7 Cars Owners Regret Buying
Sometimes the new-car honeymoon period is short-lived, according to responses on the over 300,000 vehicles in our Annual Owner Satisfaction Survey.
Car Brands Ranked by Owner Satisfaction
Survey gives insight into the carmakers people love and the ones they are less thrilled with.
Best for Tall and Short Drivers
Cars are not one-size-fits-all. Some are especially versatile and are rated very highly by both tall and short testers, but several models serve neither tall nor short drivers well. It's important to find a car that fits your body and is comfortable.
More from Consumer Reports:
Top pick tires for 2016
Best used cars for $25,000 and less
7 best mattresses for couples
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