They compare the data collected from the survey with their own findings on the track.Īdditionally, in order to test transmissions, engineers drive vehicles through miles of city and country roads and high-speed interstates. Engineers look at how well cars accelerate, brake and ride, and they also check up on safety, fuel economy, comfort and cargo volume. Once they're on the track, the cars are driven through various courses that include straight tracks, skid pads, rock hills for off-roading and sharp turns to test for handling. To maintain their goal of subjectivity, Consumers Union, the owner of Consumer Reports, purchases the cars for testing. They run a series of 50 performance tests to check against the data from the 1.4 million subscribers from whom they've collected data. This 'reliability data' is updated annually.Īfter survey results are tabulated, engineers then test the vehicles on the Consumer Reports Test Track. Subscribers also are told not to report issues that are due to normal wear and tear, like issues related to batteries or brake pads, unless they failed much earlier than expected.

Although subscribers also may report problems covered under warranty, they may not report damages or items under recall. They're told to categorize problems by level of severity according to cost, safety, failure or time without a vehicle. The survey asks subscribers to report any problems they've had with their vehicles during the past 12 months.

On the next page, we'll take a look at how Consumer Reports compiles data to come up with the rankings. This section of the report gives more weight to major problems, since they're more costly to repair.

The 'used car verdict' offers you a model's reliability in the major trouble spots.

The Consumer Reports Automotive Ratings also can help you determine whether to purchase a particular used vehicle. This helps to give a more complete picture of the car's performance throughout the life of the model.Ĭonsumer Reports Automotive Ratings also gives a 'projected reliability,' which shows how well a new model is likely to perform based on owners' experience with the model over the past three years. Starting in 2006, the Consumer Reports survey began rating 10 model years for cars in other words, it rates a particular model of car from the time when it's brand new to when that same model car is 10 years old. Power's survey based on the first 90 days of ownership and its Vehicle Dependability studies which track 3-year-old vehicles, the Consumer Reports survey asks for subscribers' opinions about their cars over the course of the last 12 months.

Car reliability ratings