Consumer Reports Names Best Used Cars for Every Budget

CR identifies "Good Choices" and "Used Cars to Avoid" to help guide used-car buying decisions

YONKERS, N.Y., Feb. 28, 2008; Finding a reliable car for a reasonable price may seem difficult, but consumers willing to consider buying a used car may be in luck. Consumer Reports' latest survey results reveal that there are hundreds of used-car models that provide good reliability. Many can also be safe, fuel-efficient, and affordable. The report, featured in the magazine's 2008 April Auto Issue, identifies the best and worst used vehicles for the last 10 model years, 1998 through 2007.

Vehicles featured in Consumer Reports' "Good Choices" and "Used Cars to Avoid" lists include all models that showed above- or below-average overall reliability, respectively, in CR's 2007 Annual Car Reliability Survey, which drew responses on about 1.3 million vehicles. CR has found that improved reliability has made used cars more appealing. Another added bonus when buying a used vehicle is that the impact of depreciation, which is the biggest expense associated with buying a new car, is reduced. In addition, insurance rates tend to be less expensive.

The "Good Choices" list is categorized by price and features a variety of used vehicles from various manufacturers that are available for less than $4,000 to $30,000 and up. For consumers on a budget, CR found 30 cars that can be purchased for under $4,000 including the 1998 Acura CL and the 1999 Buick LeSabre.

Consumer Reports' "Best of the Best" vehicles list, which is derived from "Good Choices", includes vehicles that have performed well in CR's road tests and have had several years of better-than-average reliability according to survey respondents. Models from Acura, BMW, Buick, Honda, Infiniti, Lexus, Lincoln, Mazda, Nissan, Pontiac, Porsche, Scion, Subaru, Toyota, and Volvo appear on the "Best of the Best" list.

Vehicles that have had multiple years of much worse than average reliability earned a spot on the "Worst of the Worst" list. Models from Buick, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, GMC, Jeep, Kia, Land Rover, Lincoln, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Oldsmobile, Pontiac, Saturn, and Volkswagen consistently had more problems than other models overall.

If fuel economy is another major consideration when buying a used car, Consumer Reports has identified affordable and reliable vehicles that returned some of the best results in its real-world fuel-economy tests from under $10,000 and from $10,000 to $20,000. There is also a list of reliable cars that have performed well in CR's tests and in independent crash tests that are suited for teenagers.

For a full list of "Good Choices" and "Used Cars to Avoid", check out the full report in Consumer Reports' Annual April Auto Issue which goes on sale March 4 and is available wherever magazines are sold. Free highlights from the April Auto issue will be available at www.ConsumerReports.org.

Consumer Reports is one of the most trusted sources for information and advice on consumer products and services. It conducts the most comprehensive auto-test program of any U.S. publication or Web site; the magazine's auto experts have decades of experience in driving, testing, and reporting on cars. To subscribe to Consumer Reports, call 1-800-234-1645. Information and articles from the magazine can be accessed online at www.ConsumerReports.org.

APRIL 2008