from: http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2009-02-26-prius-best-value_N.htm
Also,
From: http://blogs.consumerreports.org/cars/subaru/
Consumer Reports automaker report cards
By Chris Woodyard, USA TODAY
Chrysler and General Motors (GM) took the bottom two spots, respectively, in Consumer Reports magazine's new automaker for reliability, even as the pair seek billions more in federal loans to stay afloat.
The third of Detroit's Big 3 automakers, Ford Motor, fared better at fourth from the bottom, also beating Suzuki.
First place went to Honda (HMC) for the third-consecutive year, followed by Subaru, Toyota (TM) and Mazda. Next came a tie by Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Volkswagen and BMW, among the 15 makers rated. They were followed by Hyundai, Volvo and Mitsubishi.
The rankings are based on a combination of the magazine's cumulative tests on automakers' models and predicted reliability based on readers' responses on their 1.4 million cars. It is a widely watched measure in the auto industry because of the non-profit's reputation for independence.
"Chrysler is a sad story," says David Champion, the magazine's auto testing chief. "The new models have missed the mark in terms of our testing and consumer appeal."
While GM received critical acclaim for its Buick Acadia crossover and Cadillac CTS sedan, only the Chevy Malibu sedan achieved better-than-average reliability in the ratings, Champion said.
While a Honda Accord may lack pizazz, it's so reliable, "It will save you money in the long run," Champion said.
Chrysler issued a statement saying that it has reduced its warranty claims by 30%, so that it expects to see an improvement in the rankings next year.
GM has lots of older models in the lineup that bring down the results, spokeswoman Janine Fruehan says. The magazine recognized improved quality in some of GM's new vehicles, "but we have work to do on the reliability front," Fruehan says.
In December, GM and Chrysler were granted a total of $17.4 billion in federal loans to keep operating through the recession. GM is seeking another $16.6 billion in loans, while Chrysler wants another $5 billion.
Also,
From: http://blogs.consumerreports.org/cars/subaru/
Consumer Reports automaker report cards
For the third consecutive year, Honda has earned class leader status for building the best all-around vehicles for American drivers, according to the Automaker Report Cards published in Consumer Reports’ Annual Auto Issue. At the opposite end of the annual ranking is Chrysler, which fared
even worse than last year. The company’s poor performing products and sinking reliability results have kept all Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep badged vehicles off CR’s Recommended list.
With an overall score of 78 out of 100 points, Honda was followed closely by Subaru (75), and Toyota (74) in the overall score. Subaru is also the only automaker with 100% of its tested vehicles Recommended, although it has a relatively small model lineup. Mazda (73), came in 4th, followed by Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Volkswagen, and BMW, all tied at 72.
While the top four overall scores belong to Japanese automakers, a Japanese nameplate is no guarantee that every car in a model range will be a reliable and good performer. For example, the Honda Element and Toyota Yaris scored too low in Consumer Reports’ tests to be recommended. Conversely, despite overall scores of 63 and 57 respectively, that placed Ford and GM toward the bottom of the results, new models like the Ford Flex, F-150, Chevrolet Malibu, and Cadillac CTS have done well in CR’s tests and rank near the top of their classes in its ratings.
