Top Cars, Minus A Few
It's the list many car shoppers check before heading out the showroom: Consumer Reports magazine's annual rundown of vehicles it recommends.
The Early Show spotlights five of the top picks Tuesday, and the director of the magazine's auto testing facility, David Champion, is on hand to fill viewers in on each of them.
This year's release has a surprising development to go with it: Several of the picks were yanked from the list, in light of new side-impact crash test results from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
One of the dropped models, the Ford Focus, was on the top picks list. The models tossed from the recommended list include the Honda Element, Hyundai Elantra, Suzuki Grand Vitara and the Suzuki XL-7.
Champion said the report was quite surprising. The most vulnerable group was small sedans.
"We had not been using the test up to this point. Basically, we have been pushing side bags for a long time."
However, he says side air bags are not a quick fix: "Side air bags that were fitted on the Kia Spectra did not prevent it from getting a poor score. You also need a strong body structure."
He pointed out that, when the Toyota Corolla and Chevy Cobalt were first tested, neither was fitted with the optional side air bags. Later, at Chevrolet and Toyota's request, the cars were tested with side air bags, and their rating was raised from poor to acceptable.
The new issue of Consumer Reports also has results of its annual reliability survey, which shows U.S. manufacturers making more reliable vehicles, but Asian companies still ahead of all others.
Champion says domestic manufacturers are inching closer to the Japanese in terms of reliability, while "European cars had more problems last year than they did the year before, so they have reduced their reliability. They don't seem to be able to get their electric systems and power equipment systems sorted out and it's causing a big problem."
Consumer Reports has been testing and reviewing cars since 1936. The first special auto issue was published in 1953, and it became an annual publication after that.
Consumer Reports is the only auto-testing magazine that doesn't accept advertising. The cars it tests are bought from dealerships anonymously by the magazine, so it can be in a position to be completely objective. Last year, Consumer Reports spent $1.3 million on test vehicles.
The magazine has a full-time staff of auto engineers and a 327-acre auto test facility in East Haddam, Conn. More than 45 tests are performed on each vehicle. In addition to being "pushed to its limit" at the Consumer Reports track, each vehicle is driven 6,000 to 8,000 miles in normal, everyday conditions.
Every year, Consumer Reports sends a survey to its subscribers and posts it on its Web site. They report serious problems they have experienced with their cars, vans, SUVs, or trucks during the previous 12 months. The survey covers 17 different areas, ranging from the engine and transmission to body hardware and electrical systems.
The survey results in the April 2005 issue are based on reliability data received on a record 810,000 privately owned vehicles, the magazine says.
Tune in to The Early Show Tuesday to see several of the top picks, and learn more about the side-impact crash tests and the magazine's reliability ratings.
The vehicles shown on The Early Show Tuesday are:
Subaru Forester, top small SUV, approximately $22,000
Champion says it's an excellent small SUV and its light off-road capabilities are surprisingly good. "It's not a boulder crawler," he notes, but he says most SUV owners don't drive off-road. "It does well in snowing conditions, and it's nice and easy to drive, like a good-sized sedan. It has a lot of interior space."
Honda Odyssey, top minivan, approximately $30,000
This one was redesigned for 2005 and "eclipses what a minivan should be," Champion reports. "In performance and agility, it's leading, and it really feels like the sports car of minivans. You also get a beautifully crafted interior and great versatility." The third row is split, so half can be up and the other half down. It carries 12 people.
Subaru WRX STI, most fun-to-drive four-door sedan, approximately $32,000
"It's a fun car to drive," Champion says. "It has beautiful steering, and it's one of those real great driver cars that comes in a four-door sedan. It's not a two-seater sports car, it's a five-seater sports car."
Lexus RX330, best mid-sized SUV, approximately $44,000
"It's a wonderful package that blends a smooth responsive engine and transmission, secure handling, and a very comfortable ride that is quiet and refined," says Champion. "The interior sort of has luxury car appointments."
Honda Accord Hybrid, best family sedan, approximately $30,000
This is one of the few new top picks on the list. Champion calls it "most remarkable." He says this car shows that hybrids have gone mainstream. This is a family sedan. He says it accelerates faster than standard Accords and will give you two more miles per gallon. It has low emissions, to boot. He says you don't have to compromise with this hybrid. Five people can ride in it.