Staying Fit
Courtesy: Subaru
Consumer Reports just dropped its annual list of top 10 cars, SUVs and light trucks. And like last year, its top picks are dominated by models that include electric power. Six of the chart-toppers are hybrid or plug-in hybrid models; one fully electric model made the cut.
The choices are categorized by size and type of vehicle — including small cars and pickup trucks as well as hybrid and electric vehicles (EVs).
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Car buyers will also find four different power trains: standard gas-only cars, like the Mazda3; hybrid vehicle (combining gas and electric power), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs); and one fully electric model, the Tesla Model Y.
How do they choose?
Each year, Consumer Reports (CR) combs through its testing and reviews, owner satisfaction surveys, and predicted reliability assessments (based on owner complaints) to create the list.
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The product evaluation nonprofit also considers a vehicle's safety ratings — based on crash-test data from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). CR has also increasingly focused on the safety technology manufacturers are deploying with their vehicles — including advanced driver assistance systems with automatic emergency braking (which can include braking for pedestrians as well as braking on highways), blind-spot warnings (to prevent collisions) and rear cross-traffic alerts (that warn drivers as they are backing up of approaching vehicles).
Why aren't there any big pickups or brawny SUVs in CR's top 10? "When it comes to the big pickup trucks, many of them aren't that reliable or don't do that well in our tests," said Jake Fisher, senior director of auto testing for CR. "It's really about highlighting better choices," he said; for example, "cars with complex displays or controls do poorly in our tests."
Some may question the inclusion this year of the Tesla Y given all the recall issues surrounding the company's driver assistance software last year. Fisher says that CR has pointed out that the Tesla Autopilot system doesn't do enough to keep drivers engaged and that they deducted points for that shortcoming. Fisher also acknowledged that Hyundai's all-electric Ioniq 6 turned in test scores better than the Tesla Y, "but the reason we chose the Tesla was the infrastructure," he said. Drivers are more likely to find public charging stations for Teslas and make an easier connection.
Any repeats from last year?
Just three models made CR's 2024 list from last year: the Subaru Forester SUV, the Toyota Camry Hybrid sedan, and the Ford Maverick / Maverick Hybrid pickup truck.
The Forester continues to be something of an oldie but a goodie, with solid ergonomics at a great price. Toyota's Camry is better than its gas-only counterpart in this Hybrid incarnation, delivering smoother performance, and CR appreciated the small Ford Maverick Hybrid pickup truck's quieter ride.
Affordability, reliability front and center
One of the most notable things about the CR list is that the cars are generally affordable — a ranking for the rest of us. It’s more about affordability, safety and reliability than flash and speed.
"This is the one list where it's everything: reliability, safety, and performance," explains Fisher. "It's not about how a minivan does on a race-track."
While the average price paid for a new car at the end of 2023 was over $48,000, according to CR, more than half of the models in the top 10 here start at under $30,000.
To go along with that practical theme, also included are EPA mileage ratings and safety ratings from the NHTSA. Just note that the numbers quoted below represent the best for that particular model (so if you choose an all-wheel drive version or one with a larger engine you can expect to take a hit on fuel economy).
Compact SUV
Courtesy: Subaru
Subaru Forester
- Price: $27,095 to $37,395
- EPA mpg: 29 combined city/highway
- NHTSA Safety Rating: 5 Stars
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