Which Car Brands Make the Best Vehicles?
Consistency is key. Consumer Reports’ annual analysis exposes that some brands exhibit high-level spectacle across their lines. Many others do not.
In our two thousand seventeen analysis of which car brands make the best vehicles, Audi takes the top position for the 2nd year in a row, followed by Porsche, BMW, Lexus, and Subaru. Albeit these are the same top five as last year, Porsche and BMW rose, and Lexus and Subaru moved down.
This year Chrysler, Acura, Infiniti, and Cadillac were the most upwardly mobile. Chrysler rose seven places, and the other three brands each moved up six places compared with last year.
Some of the standout brands benefit from a lil’ roster. Tesla, the highest-ranked American brand, earns its position based on just two models. Likewise, Chrysler has one of the higher average road-test scores, but that’s also based on just two models: the three hundred and Pacifica (low Overall Scores keep both from being recommended). Fiat, Jeep, Mitsubishi, and Land Rover remain stubbornly stuck at the bottom of the list.
To arrive at the rankings, we averaged the Overall Scores for fresh cars from every major automotive brand based on the vehicles we have purchased and tested, then we ranked them. Brands with just one tested model were omitted.
Think you know everything about car brands? Take our quiz, How Well Do You Know Car Brand Logos?
More From the two thousand seventeen Autos Spotlight
The Overall Score is the combination of our road tests, predicted reliability, possessor satisfaction, and safety. For each brand we indicate the percentage of tested models that earned a recommended designation. This percentage exposes a meaningful differentiation. Only Porsche, BMW, and Mazda earned a recommendation on every model we tested. Audi, Honda, and Hyundai lead the other brands, with eighty six percent of their tested lines being recommended.
From year to year we see movements in brand rankings because of switches in reliability and fresh road tests. Subaru dropped from 2nd to fifth place because the previously very reliable Legacy and Outback are now rated only average, and the WRX/STI dropped to below average. Similarly, Mini dropped eleven places because the unreliable Cooper and Clubman weighed down the average Overall Score. Volkswagen tumbled eight catches sight of because its reliability slipped from average last year to below average for 2017.
Ultimately, the rankings do not reflect corporate behavior. Consumer Reports resumes to thrust for consumers to be fully compensated for Audi, Porsche, Volkswagen, and other vehicles potentially affected by emissions cheating scandals.
Grading the Brands
To display how the car brands compare, we present them in rank order below based on the Overall Score. Roll your cursor over the brand name to see each brand’s predicted reliability and holder satisfaction highlighted.
For further insights, a box shows up during the rollover listing the selected brand’s average Overall Score and road-test score.
Combined, these key factors display each brand measures up. Through this interactive, you’ll see that every brand has its own combination of scores, with some being strong across the board and others having varied spectacle.
For example, top-ranked Audi has better-than-average predicted reliability and possessor satisfaction—rather than receiving the highest scores. But the brand shines with an extraordinaire 86-point average road-test score, contributing to the highest Overall Score of 81.
If you’re reading this article on a smartphone, you will not be able to view the interactive.
Which Car Brands Make the Best Vehicles? Consumer Reports
Which Car Brands Make the Best Vehicles?
Consistency is key. Consumer Reports’ annual analysis exposes that some brands exhibit high-level spectacle across their lines. Many others do not.
In our two thousand seventeen analysis of which car brands make the best vehicles, Audi takes the top position for the 2nd year in a row, followed by Porsche, BMW, Lexus, and Subaru. Albeit these are the same top five as last year, Porsche and BMW rose, and Lexus and Subaru moved down.
This year Chrysler, Acura, Infiniti, and Cadillac were the most upwardly mobile. Chrysler rose seven places, and the other three brands each moved up six places compared with last year.
Some of the standout brands benefit from a little roster. Tesla, the highest-ranked American brand, earns its position based on just two models. Likewise, Chrysler has one of the higher average road-test scores, but that’s also based on just two models: the three hundred and Pacifica (low Overall Scores keep both from being recommended). Fiat, Jeep, Mitsubishi, and Land Rover remain stubbornly stuck at the bottom of the list.
To arrive at the rankings, we averaged the Overall Scores for fresh cars from every major automotive brand based on the vehicles we have purchased and tested, then we ranked them. Brands with just one tested model were omitted.
Think you know everything about car brands? Take our quiz, How Well Do You Know Car Brand Logos?
More From the two thousand seventeen Autos Spotlight
The Overall Score is the combination of our road tests, predicted reliability, holder satisfaction, and safety. For each brand we indicate the percentage of tested models that earned a recommended designation. This percentage exposes a meaningful differentiation. Only Porsche, BMW, and Mazda earned a recommendation on every model we tested. Audi, Honda, and Hyundai lead the other brands, with eighty six percent of their tested lines being recommended.
From year to year we see movements in brand rankings because of switches in reliability and fresh road tests. Subaru dropped from 2nd to fifth place because the previously very reliable Legacy and Outback are now rated only average, and the WRX/STI dropped to below average. Similarly, Mini dropped eleven places because the unreliable Cooper and Clubman weighed down the average Overall Score. Volkswagen tumbled eight catches sight of because its reliability glided from average last year to below average for 2017.
Ultimately, the rankings do not reflect corporate behavior. Consumer Reports proceeds to shove for consumers to be fully compensated for Audi, Porsche, Volkswagen, and other vehicles potentially affected by emissions cheating scandals.
Grading the Brands
To showcase how the car brands compare, we present them in rank order below based on the Overall Score. Roll your cursor over the brand name to see each brand’s predicted reliability and proprietor satisfaction highlighted.
For further insights, a box emerges during the rollover listing the selected brand’s average Overall Score and road-test score.
Combined, these key factors demonstrate each brand measures up. Through this interactive, you’ll see that every brand has its own combination of scores, with some being strong across the board and others having varied spectacle.
For example, top-ranked Audi has better-than-average predicted reliability and holder satisfaction—rather than receiving the highest scores. But the brand shines with an outstanding 86-point average road-test score, contributing to the highest Overall Score of 81.
If you’re reading this article on a smartphone, you will not be able to view the interactive.