Prius Tops Consumer Report's Value List

The 2009 Toyota Prius Touring edition offers the best new car value, says Consumer Reports magazine.

The magazine, known for its annual ranking of top vehicles, says it added a "best car value" rating as consumers are looking for the best deals on a new car in a troubled economy.

The ranking takes into account the total cost of ownership over five years, weighing fuel costs, maintenance and repairs, insurance costs, depreciation, financing rates and taxes against the purchase price of the vehicle.

The April edition of the magazine, which focuses on cars, will be available Tuesday. Consumer Reports also announced the issue has a "Models to Look For" list which features a variety of used vehicles that have above-average reliability in a range of prices. The magazine found 19 cars that can be purchased for $6,000 or less including the 1999 Acura CL and the 2003 Buick Century.

The issue also features a list of "Used Cars to Avoid" and the "Worst of the Worst," which names vehicles with multiple years of much-worse-than average reliability, including models from: Audi, BMW, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, GMC, Jeep, Kia, Land Rover, Mazda, Oldsmobile, Pontiac, Porsche, Saturn, Volkswagen and Volvo.

The magazine reports that the best bet for reliable used cars remain from Asian manufacturers, like Honda and Toyota. Though domestic cars are getting better, they still trail the Japanese models. European models are also improving, but the older ones tend to be among the most problematic.