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By
CR's Predicted Short-Term Reliability for Model Year 2006, Toyota and Honda
Dominate Best, GM and Ford Dominate Worst
Auto on Info December 2005
By CR's Predicted Short-Term Reliability for Model Year 2006, Toyota and Honda Dominate Best, GM and Ford Dominate Worst
By James B. Bleeker
Annually, Consumer Reports accords each motor vehicle model sold in the U.S., for which there are sufficient data to do so, a predicted short-term reliability. The predicted short-term reliability is expressed in five categories: highest reliability, second-highest reliability, average reliability, second-lowest reliability, and lowest reliability. The last is the pits.
The following table provides a breakdown by manufacturer of those 2006 models accorded the highest predicted short-term reliability. For comparison, the table provides a similar breakdown for model years 2005 and 2001.
Manufacturer Breakdown of the Best of Model Year 2006, 2005, and 2001, by Consumer Reports Predicted Short-Term Reliability Manufacturer 2006 2005 2001 Toyota Motor Corporation 52.1% 59.3% 36.4% Honda Motor Company 21.7% 18.5% 31.8% Subaru Division of Fuji Heavy Industries, Ltd. 8.7% 3.7% 0% Nissan Motor Company 8.7% 0% 22.7% DaimlerChrysler AG 0% 0% 0% Ford Motor Company 4.4% 0% 0% General Motors Corporation 0% 3.7% 0% Other 4.4% 14.8% 9.1% Note: One rebadge (a product engineered by one company and sold by another) was excluded from the computation for model year 2001. Sources: "Reviews of the 2006 Models," Consumer Reports Best Buys for 2006 Buying Guide, pp. 154-176, "Reviews of the 2005 Models," Consumer Reports All New 2005 Buying Guide, pp. 160-180, "Previews of the 2001 Models," Consumer Reports Buying Guide 2001, pp. 146-163 The following table provides a breakdown by manufacturer of those models accorded the lowest predicted short-term reliability.
Manufacturer Breakdown of the Worst of Model Year 2006, 2005, and 2001, by Consumer Reports Predicted Short-Term Reliability Manufacturer 2006 2005 2001 General Motors Corporation 31.6% 27.6% 61.9% Ford Motor Company 23.7% 24.1% 14.3% DaimlerChrysler AG 13.2% 13.8% 23.8% Volkswagen AG 10.5% 3.5% 0% Nissan Motor Company 10.5% 6.9% 0% Subaru Division of Fuji Heavy Industries, Ltd. 0% 0% 0% Honda Motor Company 0% 0% 0% Toyota Motor Corporation 0% 0% 0% Other 10.5% 24.1% 0% Sources: "Reviews of the 2006 Models," Consumer Reports Best Buys for 2006 Buying Guide, pp. 154-176, "Reviews of the 2005 Models," Consumer Reports All New 2005 Buying Guide, pp. 160-180, "Previews of the 2001 Models," Consumer Reports Buying Guide 2001, pp. 146-163 The above percentages include the U.S.-sold models from the European divisions of the listed manufacturers.
Nissan Motor Company's increased share of the worst reflect problems at its new North American manufacturing facility, which may or may not be transitory.
General Motors Corporation's reduced share of the worst reflect, in part, enhanced readership of Consumer Reports, which provides increased data for lower volume foreign models. Note the increased share of the worst by both Volkswagen and Other.
General Motors' products have historically dilapidated more quickly (see "Speediest Dilapidations: General Motors Accounts for 16 of the 20 Worst," Auto on Info, August 2005), so its share of the worst may grow as the model year ages. It will be useful and interesting to compare its current percentage of the predicted worst of 2006 with its actual percentage of the worst of 2006 when the vehicles are 7-to-8 years of age.
Toyota Motor Corporation's 2006 models that are accorded CR's highest predicted short-term reliability appear below.
2006 Models by Toyota Motor Corporation That Are Accorded CR's Highest Predicted Reliability The Lexus GS300/GS430 sedan The Lexus LS430 sedan The Lexus RX400h hybrid sport-utility vehicle The Lexus SC430 convertible The Toyota Camry sedan The Toyota Corolla sedan The Toyota Echo small sedan The Toyota Highlander midsize sport-utility vehicle The Toyota Land Cruiser large sport-utility vehicle The Toyota Matrix wagon The Toyota Prius hybrid 4-door hatchback The Toyota Tundra pickup truck Toyota Motor Corporation's 2006 models that are (1) accorded CR's highest predicted short-term reliability, (2) recommended for purchase by CR, and (3) assessed as performing "especially well" in both IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) crash tests and at least one government crash test are listed below.
2006 Models by Toyota Motor Corporation That Are (1) Accorded CR's Highest Predicted Reliability, (2) Recommended by CR, and (3) Assessed as Performing Especially Well in Crash Tests The Toyota Camry The Toyota Corolla CR's 2006 Buying Guide notes the following: For both the Camry and the Corolla, the curtain air bags are optional. Without them, the Camry and the Corolla rated Poor on IIHS' side crash test. Consequently, this option is likely best taken by the safety-conscious, and is specifically recommended for the Camry.1 The Toyota Corolla is a 39-year legend. See Milestones in Automotive Quality. Also see, "Legendary Corolla Is Only Gasoline-Powered Vehicle to Make Top Ten Fuel Efficiency List," Auto on Info, November 2005, and "Site Manager Replaces Corolla Transmission: 1984 Torque Converter Expires at 478,943 Miles," Auto on Info, June 2005.
Honda Motor Company's 2006 models that are accorded CR's highest predicted short-term reliability appear below.
2006 Models by Honda Motor Company That Are Accorded CR's Highest Predicted Reliability The Honda Accord conventional and hybrid sedan The Honda CR-V sport-utility vehicle The Honda Element sport-utility vehicle The Honda Ridgeline pickup truck The Honda S2000 convertible Honda Motor Company's 2006 models that are (1) accorded CR's highest predicted short-term reliability, (2) recommended for purchase by CR, and (3) assessed as performing "especially well" in both IIHS crash tests and at least one government crash test are listed below.
2006 Models by Honda Motor Company That Are (1) Accorded CR's Highest Predicted Reliability, (2) Recommended by CR, and (3) Assessed as Performing Especially Well in Crash Tests The Honda Accord The Honda CR-V Subaru's 2006 models that are accorded CR's highest predicted short-term reliability appear below.
2006 Models by the Subaru Division of Fuji Heavy Industries, Ltd. That Are Accorded CR's Highest Predicted Reliability The Subaru Forester sport-utility vehicle The Subaru Impreza sedan and wagon Subaru's 2006 model that is (1) accorded CR's highest predicted short-term reliability, (2) recommended for purchase by CR, and (3) assessed as performing "especially well" in both IIHS crash tests and at least one government crash test is listed below.
2006 Model by Subaru That Is (1) Accorded CR's Highest Predicted Reliability, (2) Recommended by CR, and (3) Assessed as Performing Especially Well in Crash Tests The Subaru Forester General Motors Corporation's 2006 models receiving the lowest predicted short-term reliability appear in the following table.
2006 Models by General Motors Corporation That Were Accorded CR's Lowest Predicted Reliability GM's Buick Terraza minivan GM's Cadillac SRX sport-utility vehicle GM's Chevrolet Cobalt coupe and sedan GM's Chevrolet Colorado pickup truck GM's Chevrolet Corvette 2-door hatchback and convertible GM's Chevrolet Uplander minivan GM's GMC Canyon pickup truck GM's Hummer H2 sport-utility vehicle GM's Pontiac Montana SV6 minivan GM's Saab 9-3 GM's Saturn Relay minivan GM's Saturn Vue sport-utility vehicle For a GM product, being new is no handicap to being worst.
Ford Motor Company's 2006 models receiving the lowest predicted short-term reliability appear in the following table.
2006 Models by Ford Motor Company That Were Accorded CR's Lowest Predicted Reliability Ford's Ford Expedition sport-utility vehicle Ford's Ford Freestyle wagon Ford's Jaguar S-Type sedan Ford's Land Rover LR3 sport-utility vehicle Ford's Land Rover Range Rover sport-utility vehicle Ford's Lincoln LS sedan Ford's Lincoln Navigator sport-utility vehicle Ford's Volvo V50 wagon Ford's Volvo XC90 sport-utility vehicle Ford's imports appear as bad as, or worse than, its natives.
DaimlerChrysler AG's 2006 models receiving the lowest predicted short-term reliability appear in the following table.
2006 Models by DaimlerChrysler AG That Were Accorded CR's Lowest Predicted Reliability Chrysler's Chrysler 300 sedan Chrysler's Jeep Grand Cherokee sport-utility vehicle MB's Mercedes-Benz CLK convertible and coupe MB's Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedan and wagon MB's Mercedes-Benz S-Class sedan It is unfortunate that the Benz, once a legend of reliability, now occupies such levels.
With regard to the Chrysler 300, Consumer Reports observes, "The claustrophobic cabin and limited outward visibility are distractions."2 It will be interesting to see whether such are so distractive or inhibiting as to spawn a wave of lawsuits.
1 "Reviews of the 2006 Models," Consumer Reports Best Buys for 2006 Buying Guide, p. 174
2 "Reviews of the 2006 Models," Consumer Reports Best Buys for 2006 Buying Guide, p. 158
Sources for Consumer Reports' predicted short-term reliabilities: "Reviews of the 2006 Models," Consumer Reports Best Buys for 2006 Buying Guide, pp. 154-176, "Reviews of the 2005 Models," Consumer Reports All New 2005 Buying Guide, pp. 160-180, " Previews of the 2001 Models," Consumer Reports Buying Guide 2001, pp. 146-163
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