For me it’s Toyota all day long, my whole family drives them! I have the sienna, my wife has a highlander, parents have corolla, Camry, inlaws have my old favorite in a RAV4, for the money it’s a no brainer, check all the boxes: reliable, good resale value, fuel efficient, nothing could stop my 05 RAV4 I mean nothing! Thanks gang for all that you do.
Toyota builds their vehicles for the common person. Not everyone cares about 0-60 times, turbo engines or fancy tech. The majority of people want to get from point A to B in a reliable, safe and comfortable vehicle. Thats what Toyota does best. People hate but every year Toyota is on top of many consumers lists and for a reason.
If you're in the market for a Pick-Up truck and you consider the top pick here, the F150, you may consider the V8 as your engine of choice. You sacrifice a little bit of fuel economy yes, but the V8 is a much more reliable platform and according to EPA the fuel economy is not bad at all:- Crew cab 4x4 18/24 MPG (city/highway)Surveys across Ford technicians have shown, that they'd choose the V8 for that reason over the ecoboost, because the ecoboost platform seems to have reliabilty issues. Greetings from Canada.
New Honda Accord gives off a German feel with Japanese pricing and predicted reliability that's gonna be a super home run. I think the Subaru Accent will be the car larger "Subaru" families have been waiting for. If the Volvo XC 60 will be a success if it can pull off reliability. The xc 40 is too expensive for a small car, Americans don't appreciate that. I think the VW arteon will be successful. Seems to be a very nice car. The Ford edge is a nice update The Audi a4 has about everything going for it. If Audi can convince consumers it will be reliable. The Mercedes CLS is a beautiful car. And if I had the money I would buy one. The new Buick regal and tour x wagon. I think will be great cars. Keeping a close eye on the 1500 truck sector. The New diesel engines is what consumers have been asking for. Mitsubishi is in trouble, they need a vehicle to pull them out of the mess they have and it's not gonna be that eclipse crossover. It's like the direct descendant of a Pontiac Aztek. Not a recipe for success Mazda will continue it's trek to a more upscale feel. The CX 5 and facelifted 6 are going to be great success stories The new Kia Rio is a wonderful redesign and will most likely do well But I'm just some guy off the internet so my opinion probably doesn't mean much
Hazen Grass Honda Accord turbo? N/A engine is still reliable than turbo engines. I wonder if people consider or know how much to replace a turbo? Turbo last 90k to 120k if your lucky and it will cost upwards 3k minimum.
All these driver assist tech and turbos are gunna cost more than the car after 60k and Subaru needs to get real transmissions in their cars not cvt junk and get their tuning right on their cars and really look into more aluminium if they really want to hold up in rust belt states
Hmm... I think literally every other reviewer I've seen chose the 2018 Accord over the Camry. What influenced you all to choose the Camry over the Accord?
There's no way I'd buy the ancient Sienna over Pacifica or Odyssey, even if I have to sacrifice some reliability. But that's just me. Also, while the Corolla is an excellent car, it's the LAST car you want to buy if you give an once about driving or not looking like the 10 other Corollas at the stoplight. I agree 100% about the Forester though.
Please CR, when you talk about adaptive cruise control (as part of frontal pre-collision avoidance systems), could you please talk about a couple of distinguishing features in these systems (1 - lowest engagement speed, and 2 - speed range that adaptive cruise control operates within)? For background, I have a one mile stretch of 25 mph road I travel back and forth on regularly. I also suffer from significant nerve pain in my right foot, which is aggravated the more I must switch between gas & brake. Because there are two schools on this road, a lot of switching is regularly required. Read on to learn my frustrations. 1 - Lowest engagement speed. For some apparently arbitrary reason, the 2017 Toyota Corolla & 2018 Camry (the 1st year these models included TSS-P) will not let you engage cruise until 28 MPH. For a couple decades, all my cars with regular cruise could be engaged at 25 MPH. To add insult to injury, the speed limit was recently lowered to 15 MPH. While maybe I would consider going 28 mph in a 25 mph zone, with a 15 mph speed limit, 28 mph is completely unacceptable. Toyota is going in the wrong direction. Mazda on the other hand is doing it right - I recently test drove a CX-5 and I was able to set cruise for 15 MPH. If the CX-5 would offer the turbo-4 that the 2019 Mazda 6 has, I’d probably buy one that same day. 2- Speed range that adaptive cruise control operates within. Talk about confusing names for safety systems, I assumed (until my test drive in a 2017 Corolla) that any car that claims to have adaptive cruise control would be able to function at highway speeds all the way down to 0 MPH (rush-hour traffic). But I am wrong! In 2015 I bought a Subaru Outback with EyeSight, and as you know, adaptive cruise operates between 0 mph up to highway speeds. Additionally, the system can hold at 0 mph indefinitely. So then, imagine my surprise when I was helping my brother with a purchase of a mid-size SUV. I guided him to the newly redesigned Toyota Highlander, who’s brochure appears to describe the same safety features as my Outback. My brother bought the Highlander, and it's a very nice SUV. But the dynamic cruise does not function below about 28 MPH. What's up with that? The vehicle has an electronic parking brake (EPB) (as does our 2017 Corolla) which from what I can tell determines whether the vehicle can hold itself stopped. For example, the Subaru Forester can't do this because it lacks an EPB (but at least it will bring you to a stop). I find it strange that Toyota chooses to hamstring its most expensive SUV (Highlander) when the Prius (since 2015/16), Camry (2018), and C-HR (2018) can go down to 0 MPH and hold indefinitely like the Outback. Even Toyota’s top-of-the-line Avalon disengages at 28 MPH (although it appears the 2019 Avalon will remedy this from what I can tell). Having just watched your Talking Cars episode about your trip to the SAE, I share your frustration completely. Like you, I get that fancy trade names will likely remain, but I think every manufacturer should be required to use the same terminology somewhere (the Monroney would be a good place to start). And it should include my two pieces of information as well. Had I purchased a Highlander and then discovered the limitation of the adaptive cruise, I would have been livid and made every attempt to return the vehicle, including if necessary suing for false/misleading advertising (I of course would have tested this capability, but I’m not sure everyone would). Another thing I noticed on two different 2018 Camry’s was that the EPB made very audible noise when engaging - did you guys observe this when testing your Camry(s)? In closing, can you shed any light on why Toyota chooses to cripple most of its models? It isn’t as simple as whether the vehicle has an EPB - I’m convinced it’s nothing more than an intentional software (firmware) limitation. It’s not like they want to further test their most capable system by installing it only on low-volume vehicles - they put it in the Prius and Camry, two of their best-selling cars I assume. One last thing - I wish all vehicles were as solidly reliable as the Outback’s EyeSight system. I have just two minor complaints with it; 1) it overly aggressively applies brakes if someone in front of you turns right onto a side street. I assume this is out of an abundance of caution, and 2) if it rains too hard, EyeSight will shut down because it can’t see well enough. This makes sense, but that’s a time you would most want to have EyeSight working! Subaru should integrate a radar unit into EyeSight for redundancy. I would very much like to know the pros & cons of camera-based versus radar-based systems. Thank you if anyone made it this far in my comment.
Unfortunately the increased complexity of the new cars will result in higher maintenance costs. If the 7" infotainment screen dies after the warrantee ends - $1500 plus labour at least. All these so called safety features require sensors and computers to run them. This is not good news for the used car market - these cars will be worth less because a service analysis will reveal expensive problems and customers will stay away.
I've driven most cars in the compact class, and at least personally the Corolla stood out as being a car as an appliance. I understand the logic behind it but it is waaaay down my list of compact cars I'd even consider. The interior and driving experience and lack of android auto makes it feel like its out of the early 2000s compared to other cars in the class
Do you test seat comfort for different size people? I am a big guy & tall, I found the Foresters seats to be horrible, so bad in fact that my back hurt after the test drive.
I respect Consumer Reports. But as someone that had an Acura RL, which I bought brand new... had it for 11 years... only required brake pads, oil changes, and was all around the best car I've ever owned (it was handed down to a family member), I respectfully disagree with anyone that says that a Chevrolet Impala is of the same caliber and quality. Knowledgeable car owners know that an Impala... will NEVER give you the reliability of an Acura RL. When an Impala matches the RL's reliability, I'll buy it!
It's funny to read comments by people who like a particular brand more than the ones CR picks, and then suggest that CR doesn't know what they are talking about. Somehow, are we supposed to believe that the person making a comment on TH-cam knows more? Or has a better way of knowing? Or has access to the same resources to make a valid argument?
How can you recommend the BMW X3 if there is no reliability ratings? Seems flawed because if next year it does poor in reliability it no longer makes the list?
I'm not a big fan of the new 2018 Camry exterior especially that horrible front end. But since you put it in your best picks list, I rented one for the weekend. I was pleasantly surprised how well it drove. However the new Accord looks better outside as well as inside. It felt more nimble and sportier than the new Camry, when I test drove it. Why did you pick the Camry over the Accord?
TheLifetraveler1 You mentioned how well it drove. That's the reason why Camry is very popular. Not many people care about looks. The majority want a comfortable, spacious, safe, and reliable car. That's what the Camry does best.
The stinger is not a compact sedan its a sportback so most likely its competing with the A5 sportback for the 4 cylinder engine and the S5 for the V6 engine
I totally agree with you how can these other websites and magazines only write the newest car that comes out and not even talk about a little older model that might be a better car
Interesting list this year. I have heard these panels say they prefer driving the runners-up (like the Honda Odyssey and Mazda CX-5) over this year's top picks (like the Toyota Sienna and the Subaru Forrester). Do you think you will weigh driving enjoyment more in future top picks?
These panels don't care about reliability though, family care about the driving experience which it doesn't matter when you have a car sitting at the dealership... CR is giving you long term information,
Impala? How about the Impala reliability? I don’t understand that recommendation at all. The Cadenza is near luxury compared to the Impala. Really losing respect for these segments.
There are lot of Toyota’s there. Nuf said. People perceived reliability over trump actual reliability and value. Just by sitting in Camry vs accord, the material of accord almost one class above, yet buying Camry for perceived reliability is just what CR recommends
I received the April issue of CR Best & Worst and I'm wondering why CR did not include or mention the Audi A4 allroad in the "car ratings" or "car profiles"? I drive this wagon daily and it drives far better then any of wagons they chose to write about. Shame on Consumer Reports for not including the allroad in there wagon section.
Yes all the new cars are better than the old ones, but what about longevity? Like 200k+ The new cars are going to become as useful as a 5 year old iPhone in 5 years.
Looking at the April issue of CR, Subaru Impreza got Much Better Than Average in 14 Categories, Better Than Average in 1 Category, Average in 1 Category, and Much Worse Than Average in 1 Category (in-car electronics) and somehow this averages out to Worse Than Average reliability? Clearly appears that CR gives greater weight to electronics than anything else for this to average out this way. Also, nowhere in the magazine does it make mention that last March Subaru recalled 2017 models built through February to update software and address the concerns. Since implementing this fix, reports of such problems (in other media) have dropped substantially.
Those of you who are screaming about biases, buy a subscription please. You'll get it then. Few of these vehicles are to my test, but I get why they picked them. Jeez.
NOBODY is going to go from a Highlander, to a lexus RX350L lol not if they care about that 3rd row lol.. im die-hard toyota/lex fan but they pulled the Rx350L out of their A** lmaoo
Might be a dumb question, but where exactly do you submit a video question on the website? I’ve been looking for way longer than I should and can’t seem to find it…
jimmelay71 lol and thank God for that crap buddy lol that minivan pulled them out of that ditch they were sleeping in LOL and the sad part is it only has average reliability lmaoo
To be fair, average is a huge accomplishment for Chrysler. I suspect it will be one of those blips anyway and once the car starts to age it will drop as usual.
My 2015 GMC Canyon is totally wonderful and I speak highly enough of satisfaction with service department, buying experience and vehicle. 73,000 miles on it and just had my first major part failure of the e-brake totaling a whopping 183 dollars to fix. Could not be more happy with my purchase.
Will you guys talk about how a car with just direct injection cars are starting to all misfire and cause more emissions due to the carbon build up at around 30k to 60k miles and the dealer puts the cleaning expenses on the consumer right when the warrenty runs out really shady business
You can thank Honda for those crap CVTs that they dumbed down the car with, although they have a 10 speed, that transmission like any transmission 8+ gears, it's doing to much soul-searching to find a good gear most likely.. Honda got a little lazy with that interior to where the infotainment screen is stuck on there like the Mazda/Mercedes, don't get me wrong I'm a diehard Toyota/Lexus fan but 2013 to 2014 Camry was trash and I would've preferred a accord For those two years but now it's a different animal
I had the same reaction. I love the new accord. But in terms of reliability I guess the Toyota and especially the Camry have a strong reliability record. Honda’s reliability is only average recently - disappointingly they’re not as good as they used to be. I would still pick the accord over the Camry.
Keye T Honda's have been making the best, reliable CVTs. no problems at all, except for the 2015 CRV vibration issues (which they fixed). the new CVTs are not droney either. the Accord also offers a manual which the Camry doesn't
I don't think most would agree. In fact I own one and from other reviews, it's the best cvt out there. It doesn't carry on like other manufacturers. Interior is nicer than others in segment and it corners wonderfully. No longer a noisy car either.
Have you owned a Mazda? I have a 15 Mazda6 picked up in 14 brand new. 3 years in about 100k kilometres. Things are breaking apart. Love the handling of the Mazda.. but reliability wise not so.
How in the world did a corolla beat out the civic? I've had a 2017 touring model for almost a year and a half and it's been amazing. Gets what Honda promises for efficiency and I've beat older bmw's (330) and couple other unknown 3 series models (v6s) beat Lincoln mkz (265 hp car) and even took a 2 3.5 liter f150 eco boosts..dodge ram with the hemi...ALL WITH A 1.5 LITER TURBO 4 CYL CAR!! and still getting 40 mpg on the highway...now that's a top pick . Not to say I don't appreciate your work.. I really like C.R overall
Who will make the first all electric truck? Being as most trucks (not all) are go to work vehicles, electric range should be sufficient. Also, tons of torque.
At this point Nissan should just leave America, no one would even give a s**t And my first car was a 2000 Maxima that I loved, Infiniti can but Nissan is useless here
Come on CR, The Sienna would have been Decent 10 Years ago in the Minivan segment but today, it’s just not completely a Good Minivan. Put the Pacifica, put the Odyssey on the list, this are real Minivans. They Shame the Sienna. Also the Sienna was updated for 2018, so why don’t you just put the 2018 Sienna image on the styling. Also the Sienna is the most expensive Minivan on the market and yet it does not come with Cooled seats AT ALL. Pacifica and Odyssey have cooled seats. Sienna is just Behind the times.
my Sienna is a piece of junk since I purchased it . had to be completely repainted the first year . problems with steering column at 40,000 miles , seats stuck in second row and can't remove , broken seat belts , broken glove compartment , broken arm rest , broken visor , rusting bolts on tailgate , rear windows don't seal properly , lots of cheap plastic materials and cheap carpet . Engine. transmission A/
I love this show; I've been watching since the first episode (I miss Tom!). I really appreciate all the great work you guys do and all the work that it takes to put this show out once a week now. But, does Jake really need a tall glass of yellow liquid while filming this? That glass is so visually distracting. A coffee mug is a simple solution. This likely sounds petty, but visuals are important.
A Subaru Forester, and a Toyota Corolla??? Yuk! If you want all-electric, Bolt is a good choice. Get it now, and not in Tesla time. Toyota Camry ain't bad at all.
Lot of these cars have turbo and direct injection. Two unproven technology that have issues. Oil dilution on crv and civic 1.5 liter, just as an example....
I think sometimes CR will base the predicted reliability on a previous car's ratings. But I think you're right, they used to not recommend a car in its first year.
And safety, they put so much emphasis on automatic braking and the like... I've been driving for 22 years incident free because I'm a very engaged driver, and I don't need a bunch of nanny equipment like a distracted teenager on her cell might. I want to know how the steering wheel feels if its numb or communicative at the limit, I want to know if its neutral or has heavy understeer, I want to basically know if the vehicle is FUN in its primary functionality and not just that it gets from point A to point B. Besides, there are so many of us now thanks to new telecommunication technology that work from home offices. I only drive 3K miles a year, so I could really care less about fuel economy and care a lot more about throttle response and oomph.
GBraidi78 You must have missed the 6 Episodes straight. where they bashed the IS250 💁🏽♂️ they don't even mention that ES 350, as if that car doesn't exist anymore They didn't bring up the LS at all in the past few episodes, Toyota may be but they sure ain't showing lexus no love They pretty much called the RX 350 L pointless which I honestly agree LOL and I'm a diehard Toyota/Lexus fan and I think the RX 350L is a waste
Hay guys ! 👋🏻 I understand Audi’s are good .. but for how long before they and their other German counterparts become an endless money 💰pit !???? And ... Are you guys being really honest when commenting on all those vehicles with simple direct injection systems ....????? I DON’T THINK 🤔 SO .....!!!
Shopping Asian cars, probably not focused on superficials, that's good cuz half of them look like hell. (trivial) Some excellent Asian choices....over the decades they raised the entire global automotive expectations for value and reliability, their admittance to the US arguably saved Detroit from itself around 1980-ish too. They don't make'm like they used to, every decade is better than the prior. A lil' history lesson kids! :D ((The competition makes my BMWs better. HA!))
Dialysisforever the Hyundai will start falling apart at 100-120K while the Camry can triple that mileage and run strong. All that power will burn out the Hyundai. They make weak transmissions
I don't think so. They mention the CRV - they don't prefer it. Reading online their website, they give reasons as to why they prefer the Forrester over the CRV. You may not agree, but that is what they evaluated. Old people? Good luck proving that one.
Blake Swan CRV reliability may not have been as well, And don't get me wrong I'm diehard Toyota/Lex fan but I think the CRV is a bit better than the RAV4 personally So I'm assuming it was either that or the transmission that threw it off because Honda has been pretty weird with the CVT and 9 speed's
you first pointed out CR's picks are heavy influenced by their readers. then you said CR is bias towards Toyota... even thought they picked the Forester for that category... that make sense...
Probably more than 90% of buyers are not looking for a fun to drive car, just look at the top sales, not a single sporty car there. Its not just old people, its everyone who buys a car for its purpose: to get to you destination safely and comfortably, which is exactly what Toyota and some of the other manafacturers on this list do well.
Toyota Corolla? REALLY CR? The car is one of the oldest and ugliest in the segment, it has horrible performance too. No wonder a lot of people dont take you serious anymore, you need younger blood in your staff.
Subaru Forester is a horrible car ... very spongy feel on the road, boderline dangerous. sloppy suspension and horrible road feel, Issues with Sirius saying they are a family company so if you stop the car on a Sirius explicit channel then restart the car it defaults to channel 2, who are they to tell me what I have to listen to when I start up my car. They told me it was in case I had children in my car... well I'm fully capable of making a channel decision without them overriding my radio. Got rid of it after 10 months.
Agreed. Forester burns oil, has a cheap interior, is very noisy, and has atrocious seats. Not sure why people like Subarus at all. They're horrible cars
The head gasket issue is well in the past. Furthermore, here's a tip (also for owners of turbo cars): before you start driving and then before you turn the car off, let the engine run for at least 30 seconds. One Subaru tech told me that was a way to prolong the head gasket's life. But as I said, the latest models don't seem to suffer from it. Also, not all the earlier models did either, though the ones that were better (the turbos and the 6-cylinder) sold in lesser quantities.
Yeah but probably not that soon, because people are affraid of the reliability of risk, Because it will likely be expensive and this isn't something you can take anywhere to get repaired, not to mention that EV's are a bit more expensive and the range anxiety is still an issue
2020 my ass. lol. These electric car fanboys are such dreamers. The Prius has been in the market for 20 years and Toyota barely sells any in comparison to their stalwart models.
Yep I am with you, I like having a project car and what not but when it comes to my daily I come and check CR for possible daily. If you are looking for a place to compare sports cars go to motor trend.
One of their picks has consistently been one of the the best-selling sedans in the world since the 1970s, so I think they're pretty well right in line with what the car-buying public wants.
lol, the average car buyer views cars as appliances as well, and they generally want one that works most of the time--hence why Toyota and Honda are top brands and are actually semi-aspirational at the lower end of the market. Other makes at that end sell largely based on being more affordable than Toyota/Honda, not because people generally want one. Enthusiasts are not the "average."
For me it’s Toyota all day long, my whole family drives them! I have the sienna, my wife has a highlander, parents have corolla, Camry, inlaws have my old favorite in a RAV4, for the money it’s a no brainer, check all the boxes: reliable, good resale value, fuel efficient, nothing could stop my 05 RAV4 I mean nothing! Thanks gang for all that you do.
Toyota builds their vehicles for the common person. Not everyone cares about 0-60 times, turbo engines or fancy tech. The majority of people want to get from point A to B in a reliable, safe and comfortable vehicle. Thats what Toyota does best. People hate but every year Toyota is on top of many consumers lists and for a reason.
If you're in the market for a Pick-Up truck and you consider the top pick here, the F150, you may consider the V8 as your engine of choice. You sacrifice a little bit of fuel economy yes, but the V8 is a much more reliable platform and according to EPA the fuel economy is not bad at all:- Crew cab 4x4 18/24 MPG (city/highway)Surveys across Ford technicians have shown, that they'd choose the V8 for that reason over the ecoboost, because the ecoboost platform seems to have reliabilty issues. Greetings from Canada.
New Honda Accord gives off a German feel with Japanese pricing and predicted reliability that's gonna be a super home run.
I think the Subaru Accent will be the car larger "Subaru" families have been waiting for.
If the Volvo XC 60 will be a success if it can pull off reliability. The xc 40 is too expensive for a small car, Americans don't appreciate that.
I think the VW arteon will be successful. Seems to be a very nice car.
The Ford edge is a nice update
The Audi a4 has about everything going for it. If Audi can convince consumers it will be reliable.
The Mercedes CLS is a beautiful car. And if I had the money I would buy one.
The new Buick regal and tour x wagon. I think will be great cars.
Keeping a close eye on the 1500 truck sector. The New diesel engines is what consumers have been asking for.
Mitsubishi is in trouble, they need a vehicle to pull them out of the mess they have and it's not gonna be that eclipse crossover. It's like the direct descendant of a Pontiac Aztek. Not a recipe for success
Mazda will continue it's trek to a more upscale feel. The CX 5 and facelifted 6 are going to be great success stories
The new Kia Rio is a wonderful redesign and will most likely do well
But I'm just some guy off the internet so my opinion probably doesn't mean much
Hazen Grass Honda Accord turbo? N/A engine is still reliable than turbo engines. I wonder if people consider or know how much to replace a turbo? Turbo last 90k to 120k if your lucky and it will cost upwards 3k minimum.
All these driver assist tech and turbos are gunna cost more than the car after 60k and Subaru needs to get real transmissions in their cars not cvt junk and get their tuning right on their cars and really look into more aluminium if they really want to hold up in rust belt states
Since when CVTs are seen as reliable transmissions?
Toyota knows how to make a quality car. The company just keeps getting better and better with reliability.
Hmm... I think literally every other reviewer I've seen chose the 2018 Accord over the Camry. What influenced you all to choose the Camry over the Accord?
Test drive them both like I did, then you get it imo
There's no way I'd buy the ancient Sienna over Pacifica or Odyssey, even if I have to sacrifice some reliability. But that's just me. Also, while the Corolla is an excellent car, it's the LAST car you want to buy if you give an once about driving or not looking like the 10 other Corollas at the stoplight. I agree 100% about the Forester though.
Just say you don’t like Toyota no matter what.
Please CR, when you talk about adaptive cruise control (as part of frontal pre-collision avoidance systems), could you please talk about a couple of distinguishing features in these systems (1 - lowest engagement speed, and 2 - speed range that adaptive cruise control operates within)? For background, I have a one mile stretch of 25 mph road I travel back and forth on regularly. I also suffer from significant nerve pain in my right foot, which is aggravated the more I must switch between gas & brake. Because there are two schools on this road, a lot of switching is regularly required. Read on to learn my frustrations.
1 - Lowest engagement speed. For some apparently arbitrary reason, the 2017 Toyota Corolla & 2018 Camry (the 1st year these models included TSS-P) will not let you engage cruise until 28 MPH. For a couple decades, all my cars with regular cruise could be engaged at 25 MPH. To add insult to injury, the speed limit was recently lowered to 15 MPH. While maybe I would consider going 28 mph in a 25 mph zone, with a 15 mph speed limit, 28 mph is completely unacceptable. Toyota is going in the wrong direction. Mazda on the other hand is doing it right - I recently test drove a CX-5 and I was able to set cruise for 15 MPH. If the CX-5 would offer the turbo-4 that the 2019 Mazda 6 has, I’d probably buy one that same day.
2- Speed range that adaptive cruise control operates within. Talk about confusing names for safety systems, I assumed (until my test drive in a 2017 Corolla) that any car that claims to have adaptive cruise control would be able to function at highway speeds all the way down to 0 MPH (rush-hour traffic). But I am wrong! In 2015 I bought a Subaru Outback with EyeSight, and as you know, adaptive cruise operates between 0 mph up to highway speeds. Additionally, the system can hold at 0 mph indefinitely. So then, imagine my surprise when I was helping my brother with a purchase of a mid-size SUV. I guided him to the newly redesigned Toyota Highlander, who’s brochure appears to describe the same safety features as my Outback. My brother bought the Highlander, and it's a very nice SUV. But the dynamic cruise does not function below about 28 MPH. What's up with that? The vehicle has an electronic parking brake (EPB) (as does our 2017 Corolla) which from what I can tell determines whether the vehicle can hold itself stopped.
For example, the Subaru Forester can't do this because it lacks an EPB (but at least it will bring you to a stop). I find it strange that Toyota chooses to hamstring its most expensive SUV (Highlander) when the Prius (since 2015/16), Camry (2018), and C-HR (2018) can go down to 0 MPH and hold indefinitely like the Outback. Even Toyota’s top-of-the-line Avalon disengages at 28 MPH (although it appears the 2019 Avalon will remedy this from what I can tell).
Having just watched your Talking Cars episode about your trip to the SAE, I share your frustration completely. Like you, I get that fancy trade names will likely remain, but I think every manufacturer should be required to use the same terminology somewhere (the Monroney would be a good place to start). And it should include my two pieces of information as well. Had I purchased a Highlander and then discovered the limitation of the adaptive cruise, I would have been livid and made every attempt to return the vehicle, including if necessary suing for false/misleading advertising (I of course would have tested this capability, but I’m not sure everyone would). Another thing I noticed on two different 2018 Camry’s was that the EPB made very audible noise when engaging - did you guys observe this when testing your Camry(s)?
In closing, can you shed any light on why Toyota chooses to cripple most of its models? It isn’t as simple as whether the vehicle has an EPB - I’m convinced it’s nothing more than an intentional software (firmware) limitation. It’s not like they want to further test their most capable system by installing it only on low-volume vehicles - they put it in the Prius and Camry, two of their best-selling cars I assume. One last thing - I wish all vehicles were as solidly reliable as the Outback’s EyeSight system. I have just two minor complaints with it; 1) it overly aggressively applies brakes if someone in front of you turns right onto a side street. I assume this is out of an abundance of caution, and 2) if it rains too hard, EyeSight will shut down because it can’t see well enough. This makes sense, but that’s a time you would most want to have EyeSight working! Subaru should integrate a radar unit into EyeSight for redundancy. I would very much like to know the pros & cons of camera-based versus radar-based systems. Thank you if anyone made it this far in my comment.
Unfortunately the increased complexity of the new cars will result in higher maintenance costs. If the 7" infotainment screen dies after the warrantee ends - $1500 plus labour at least. All these so called safety features require sensors and computers to run them. This is not good news for the used car market - these cars will be worth less because a service analysis will reveal expensive problems and customers will stay away.
I've driven most cars in the compact class, and at least personally the Corolla stood out as being a car as an appliance. I understand the logic behind it but it is waaaay down my list of compact cars I'd even consider. The interior and driving experience and lack of android auto makes it feel like its out of the early 2000s compared to other cars in the class
Brian Cox toyota accomplished its goal then
Yes, and it will be a working appliance for a long time. I'd prersoally rather have a Elantra or a Mazda 3
I agree 100% and don’t forgot they build cheap Volkswagen Jetta is build better I have a 2012 zero problem With 105,000 miles
Yup, same here. New civic ain't bad either.
Do you test seat comfort for different size people? I am a big guy & tall, I found the Foresters seats to be horrible, so bad in fact that my back hurt after the test drive.
Thanks for the Info! Really interested in Towing Capability of SUV's ~ Going RV'ing!
I respect Consumer Reports. But as someone that had an Acura RL, which I bought brand new... had it for 11 years... only required brake pads, oil changes, and was all around the best car I've ever owned (it was handed down to a family member), I respectfully disagree with anyone that says that a Chevrolet Impala is of the same caliber and quality. Knowledgeable car owners know that an Impala... will NEVER give you the reliability of an Acura RL. When an Impala matches the RL's reliability, I'll buy it!
It's funny to read comments by people who like a particular brand more than the ones CR picks, and then suggest that CR doesn't know what they are talking about. Somehow, are we supposed to believe that the person making a comment on TH-cam knows more? Or has a better way of knowing? Or has access to the same resources to make a valid argument?
How can you recommend the BMW X3 if there is no reliability ratings? Seems flawed because if next year it does poor in reliability it no longer makes the list?
I'm not a big fan of the new 2018 Camry exterior especially that horrible front end. But since you put it in your best picks list, I rented one for the weekend. I was pleasantly surprised how well it drove. However the new Accord looks better outside as well as inside. It felt more nimble and sportier than the new Camry, when I test drove it. Why did you pick the Camry over the Accord?
TheLifetraveler1 You mentioned how well it drove. That's the reason why Camry is very popular. Not many people care about looks. The majority want a comfortable, spacious, safe, and reliable car. That's what the Camry does best.
Curious to see if the Kia Stinger will take the place of the Audi A4 next year, or if it won't qualify as a luxury car.
Sam S its more audi A6/A7 rather than A4 competition
The stinger is not a compact sedan its a sportback so most likely its competing with the A5 sportback for the 4 cylinder engine and the S5 for the V6 engine
Possibly. Question still stands... I am curious.
The Stinger is hard to categorize. But it's definitely a nice vehicle. I doubt it could topple the A4 though.
Sam S The Genesis G70 is more of a luxury car. The Stinger is almost more of a 4 door Mustang
I totally agree with you how can these other websites and magazines only write the newest car that comes out and not even talk about a little older model that might be a better car
Interesting list this year. I have heard these panels say they prefer driving the runners-up (like the Honda Odyssey and Mazda CX-5) over this year's top picks (like the Toyota Sienna and the Subaru Forrester). Do you think you will weigh driving enjoyment more in future top picks?
I love the question but I think I already know the answer. They rely heavily on the objective.
These panels don't care about reliability though, family care about the driving experience which it doesn't matter when you have a car sitting at the dealership... CR is giving you long term information,
Impala? How about the Impala reliability? I don’t understand that recommendation at all. The Cadenza is near luxury compared to the Impala.
Really losing respect for these segments.
Everyone is singing praise for the new XC60, interesting you went with the X3 instead. Any particular reason?
I love these 3 😍😍😍😍
There are lot of Toyota’s there. Nuf said. People perceived reliability over trump actual reliability and value. Just by sitting in Camry vs accord, the material of accord almost one class above, yet buying Camry for perceived reliability is just what CR recommends
I received the April issue of CR Best & Worst and I'm wondering why CR did not include or mention the Audi A4 allroad in the "car ratings" or "car profiles"? I drive this wagon daily and it drives far better then any of wagons they chose to write about. Shame on Consumer Reports for not including the allroad in there wagon section.
Yes all the new cars are better than the old ones, but what about longevity? Like 200k+ The new cars are going to become as useful as a 5 year old iPhone in 5 years.
Looking at the April issue of CR, Subaru Impreza got Much Better Than Average in 14 Categories, Better Than Average in 1 Category, Average in 1 Category, and Much Worse Than Average in 1 Category (in-car electronics) and somehow this averages out to Worse Than Average reliability? Clearly appears that CR gives greater weight to electronics than anything else for this to average out this way.
Also, nowhere in the magazine does it make mention that last March Subaru recalled 2017 models built through February to update software and address the concerns. Since implementing this fix, reports of such problems (in other media) have dropped substantially.
Sweet Jesus! Gabe smiled!
Those of you who are screaming about biases, buy a subscription please. You'll get it then. Few of these vehicles are to my test, but I get why they picked them. Jeez.
NOBODY is going to go from a Highlander, to a lexus RX350L lol not if they care about that 3rd row lol.. im die-hard toyota/lex fan but they pulled the Rx350L out of their A** lmaoo
Might be a dumb question, but where exactly do you submit a video question on the website? I’ve been looking for way longer than I should and can’t seem to find it…
MrRicearonie consumerreports.org/talkingcars
Chrysler was most improved? It's because they only have 2 vehicles.
jimmelay71 lol and thank God for that crap buddy lol that minivan pulled them out of that ditch they were sleeping in LOL and the sad part is it only has average reliability lmaoo
To be fair, average is a huge accomplishment for Chrysler. I suspect it will be one of those blips anyway and once the car starts to age it will drop as usual.
Yup, they dumped that Chrysler 200 POS.
My 2015 GMC Canyon is totally wonderful and I speak highly enough of satisfaction with service department, buying experience and vehicle. 73,000 miles on it and just had my first major part failure of the e-brake totaling a whopping 183 dollars to fix.
Could not be more happy with my purchase.
Will you guys talk about how a car with just direct injection cars are starting to all misfire and cause more emissions due to the carbon build up at around 30k to 60k miles and the dealer puts the cleaning expenses on the consumer right when the warrenty runs out really shady business
Toyota Camry over Honda Accord...? Hello?
Nick Rio Hondas weak automatic transmissions brought their score down
You can thank Honda for those crap CVTs that they dumbed down the car with, although they have a 10 speed, that transmission like any transmission 8+ gears, it's doing to much soul-searching to find a good gear most likely.. Honda got a little lazy with that interior to where the infotainment screen is stuck on there like the Mazda/Mercedes, don't get me wrong I'm a diehard Toyota/Lexus fan but 2013 to 2014 Camry was trash and I would've preferred a accord For those two years but now it's a different animal
I had the same reaction. I love the new accord. But in terms of reliability I guess the Toyota and especially the Camry have a strong reliability record. Honda’s reliability is only average recently - disappointingly they’re not as good as they used to be. I would still pick the accord over the Camry.
Keye T Honda's have been making the best, reliable CVTs. no problems at all, except for the 2015 CRV vibration issues (which they fixed). the new CVTs are not droney either. the Accord also offers a manual which the Camry doesn't
I don't think most would agree. In fact I own one and from other reviews, it's the best cvt out there. It doesn't carry on like other manufacturers. Interior is nicer than others in segment and it corners wonderfully. No longer a noisy car either.
I don't really buy the "excuse" that Genesis only has two models. Land Rover is almost last, and it's a luxury car with few models.
What,!? No Mazda’s ?!? Obviously you people cannot be taken seriously!
Mazdas have reliability issues with their auto transmissions and turbo engines. Get one with a manual.
I think because the CX9 reliability wasn't that great
They liked the CX-9 driveablity the best - but the reliability prevented them from recommending it.
Have you owned a Mazda? I have a 15 Mazda6 picked up in 14 brand new. 3 years in about 100k kilometres. Things are breaking apart. Love the handling of the Mazda.. but reliability wise not so.
Their infotainment sucks
I think we all want to know is what is in the Glass?
How in the world did a corolla beat out the civic? I've had a 2017 touring model for almost a year and a half and it's been amazing. Gets what Honda promises for efficiency and I've beat older bmw's (330) and couple other unknown 3 series models (v6s) beat Lincoln mkz (265 hp car) and even took a 2 3.5 liter f150 eco boosts..dodge ram with the hemi...ALL WITH A 1.5 LITER TURBO 4 CYL CAR!! and still getting 40 mpg on the highway...now that's a top pick .
Not to say I don't appreciate your work.. I really like C.R overall
Toyota Corolla What???
Toyota makes top quality, reliable vehicles. Second best, see my profile pic, spotted in Prague 10 years ago.
I think CR does not know that the Subaru Forester is not the only small CUV.
I don't find Honda vehicles are anything to look at, CR is biased towards certain brands I believe.
Who will make the first all electric truck? Being as most trucks (not all) are go to work vehicles, electric range should be sufficient. Also, tons of torque.
Joe Wilder Tesla announced it is making one.
a company called "workhorse" And I think it has like 80 miles of range
Great Picks CR...You Guys Know your stuff.
Corolla? How sad.
Thank you for all of your hard work . Please look into Nissan more specifically their CVT transmissions lots of complaints
At this point Nissan should just leave America, no one would even give a s**t And my first car was a 2000 Maxima that I loved, Infiniti can but Nissan is useless here
Listening to this podcast did anyone else see visions of the Sesame Street aliens? All the “yep yep yeps, mmmhmms and uh-huhs”? 😂
250/2500HD?
you choose the sienna over the Odyssey because of reliability, yet you choose a horribly unreliable Audi and BMW over Lexus or Mazda or Acura?
What about building cars that we can fix ourselves? like the 60s
Come on CR, The Sienna would have been Decent 10 Years ago in the Minivan segment but today, it’s just not completely a Good Minivan. Put the Pacifica, put the Odyssey on the list, this are real Minivans. They Shame the Sienna. Also the Sienna was updated for 2018, so why don’t you just put the 2018 Sienna image on the styling. Also the Sienna is the most expensive Minivan on the market and yet it does not come with Cooled seats AT ALL. Pacifica and Odyssey have cooled seats. Sienna is just Behind the times.
I bet bmw paid for the x3 spot.
what beer are you guys drinking?
Audi is killing it wow
Ugh! Put Gabe out to pasture! Totally not telegenic. Keep hunky Ryan on every show.
Good Show
I need to disagree on Forester. I think that overall value/reliability is the issue here.
Corolla is moving production from Canada (top- quality award plant) to Mexico. Bye-bye reliability.
You won't catch me buying a car with a turbo or CVT transmission.
They didn't mention the Honda Accord. One time .I think they bias towards Toyota.
The prop microphones look ridiculous guys, just go ahead and remove them. Unnecessary pretense
my Sienna is a piece of junk since I purchased it . had to be completely repainted the first year . problems with steering column at 40,000 miles , seats stuck in second row and can't remove , broken seat belts , broken glove compartment , broken arm rest , broken visor , rusting bolts on tailgate , rear windows don't seal properly , lots of cheap plastic materials and cheap carpet .
Engine. transmission A/
I love this show; I've been watching since the first episode (I miss Tom!). I really appreciate all the great work you guys do and all the work that it takes to put this show out once a week now. But, does Jake really need a tall glass of yellow liquid while filming this? That glass is so visually distracting. A coffee mug is a simple solution. This likely sounds petty, but visuals are important.
Jake mentioned a while back that it’s green tea in that glass. Why he needs to display it in the huge clear glass is another issue...
Honda...top lawn mower.
I ordered a 2018 Volvo XC60 inscription and can’t wait to pick it up in Sweden soon!!
I like them being in a garage, I bet the lady isn't the only one with dish pan hands.
For the life of me I still can't tell if English is Gabe's first language or not...
A Subaru Forester, and a Toyota Corolla??? Yuk! If you want all-electric, Bolt is a good choice. Get it now, and not in Tesla time. Toyota Camry ain't bad at all.
The Corolla is the least fuel efficient in its class. The 2018 Camry gets much better.
Lot of these cars have turbo and direct injection. Two unproven technology that have issues. Oil dilution on crv and civic 1.5 liter, just as an example....
Hmmm....beer on the table, maybe?
Why is there always a beer on the table? Isn't alcohol and driving a bad mix??
Sure it is, hahahaha
Wait a minute. The Camry and Accord are completely new designs with new chassis and drive train so how can they already qualify as top rated vehicles?
I think sometimes CR will base the predicted reliability on a previous car's ratings. But I think you're right, they used to not recommend a car in its first year.
You could use a non-transparent cup...
Exactly!
So much focus on reliability, fuel economy etc. So little focus on handling. These aren't fridges or washers!
And safety, they put so much emphasis on automatic braking and the like... I've been driving for 22 years incident free because I'm a very engaged driver, and I don't need a bunch of nanny equipment like a distracted teenager on her cell might. I want to know how the steering wheel feels if its numb or communicative at the limit, I want to know if its neutral or has heavy understeer, I want to basically know if the vehicle is FUN in its primary functionality and not just that it gets from point A to point B. Besides, there are so many of us now thanks to new telecommunication technology that work from home offices. I only drive 3K miles a year, so I could really care less about fuel economy and care a lot more about throttle response and oomph.
What a horrible grouping of best picks, and people to evaluate them.
Are they sharing that beer?
I think CR hates Honda.
The only reason Toyota is so many of these is because of their standard safety crap. Not because they are the "best" car.
If you like ads for Toyota/Lexus then you watch Consumer Reports!
GBraidi78 You must have missed the 6 Episodes straight. where they bashed the IS250 💁🏽♂️ they don't even mention that ES 350, as if that car doesn't exist anymore They didn't bring up the LS at all in the past few episodes, Toyota may be but they sure ain't showing lexus no love They pretty much called the RX 350 L pointless which I honestly agree LOL and I'm a diehard Toyota/Lexus fan and I think the RX 350L is a waste
Hay guys ! 👋🏻
I understand Audi’s are good .. but for how long before they and their other German counterparts become an endless money 💰pit !???? And ... Are you guys being really honest when commenting on all those vehicles with simple direct injection systems ....?????
I DON’T THINK 🤔 SO .....!!!
Tom Mutchler was fired for saying positive things about, and recommending, the Domestic brands.
Shopping Asian cars, probably not focused on superficials, that's good cuz half of them look like hell. (trivial) Some excellent Asian choices....over the decades they raised the entire global automotive expectations for value and reliability, their admittance to the US arguably saved Detroit from itself around 1980-ish too. They don't make'm like they used to, every decade is better than the prior. A lil' history lesson kids! :D ((The competition makes my BMWs better. HA!))
Is that a beer?
My top pick: Kia stinger. Redefining the brand and segment
I bet you these people are Subaru lovers
This list is flawed.
Too much BS
2013 Hyundai Sonata had 273hp, 33mpg and a 0-60 of approx 6.0 sec. Not that impressed with the Camry specs.
Dialysisforever the Hyundai will start falling apart at 100-120K while the Camry can triple that mileage and run strong. All that power will burn out the Hyundai. They make weak transmissions
women! stop interrupting the men.
Wow, if I want a luxury car and the first brand come to my mind is genesis, Lmao!
I sat through about 3 min and nodded off.
CR is bogus
Her vocal fry is horrible. Half of what she says sounds like two pieces of sandpaper rubbing against each other.
Blah blah bla
All your picks are for old people. Basically your readership so not surprising. To not pick the CRV really shows your boring Toyota bias.
I don't think so. They mention the CRV - they don't prefer it. Reading online their website, they give reasons as to why they prefer the Forrester over the CRV. You may not agree, but that is what they evaluated. Old people? Good luck proving that one.
Blake Swan CRV reliability may not have been as well, And don't get me wrong I'm diehard Toyota/Lex fan but I think the CRV is a bit better than the RAV4 personally So I'm assuming it was either that or the transmission that threw it off because Honda has been pretty weird with the CVT and 9 speed's
you first pointed out CR's picks are heavy influenced by their readers. then you said CR is bias towards Toyota... even thought they picked the Forester for that category... that make sense...
Probably more than 90% of buyers are not looking for a fun to drive car, just look at the top sales, not a single sporty car there. Its not just old people, its everyone who buys a car for its purpose: to get to you destination safely and comfortably, which is exactly what Toyota and some of the other manafacturers on this list do well.
Blake Swan CR thinks a Subaru station wagon is an "SUV". They have a big Subaru, Toyota, and Mazda bias.
Toyota Corolla? REALLY CR? The car is one of the oldest and ugliest in the segment, it has horrible performance too. No wonder a lot of people dont take you serious anymore, you need younger blood in your staff.
Exactly! the new Civic is really so much better in every single way.
Well, it has been a huge seller for decades. It must offer what people are looking for in that segment.
Goes to show they’re not getting paid by Hyundai & HOnda who seem to be spending a shit load of money on the auto channels lately.
Raphaël Roy 6 speed manual?? What year corolla are you referring to
KOKO PUFFS reliable and STANDARD automatic braking and cruise control... thats why, lol
Subaru Forester is a horrible car ... very spongy feel on the road, boderline dangerous. sloppy suspension and horrible road feel, Issues with Sirius saying they are a family company so if you stop the car on a Sirius explicit channel then restart the car it defaults to channel 2, who are they to tell me what I have to listen to when I start up my car. They told me it was in case I had children in my car... well I'm fully capable of making a channel decision without them overriding my radio. Got rid of it after 10 months.
Mr2reef Your the minority.
Agreed. Forester burns oil, has a cheap interior, is very noisy, and has atrocious seats. Not sure why people like Subarus at all. They're horrible cars
I see a ton on the road
Alex Adamek and they blow head gaskets
The head gasket issue is well in the past. Furthermore, here's a tip (also for owners of turbo cars): before you start driving and then before you turn the car off, let the engine run for at least 30 seconds. One Subaru tech told me that was a way to prolong the head gasket's life. But as I said, the latest models don't seem to suffer from it. Also, not all the earlier models did either, though the ones that were better (the turbos and the 6-cylinder) sold in lesser quantities.
...and by 2020 all of these cars will be inconsequential. Ev's will becoming on strong!
By 2040 maybe. But not in 2 years.
Warning! Tesla fanboi...
Haha have fun with that bolt or prius. I'll stick with old reliable gas for as long as I can 20, 30, 40 more years at least.
Yeah but probably not that soon, because people are affraid of the reliability of risk, Because it will likely be expensive and this isn't something you can take anywhere to get repaired, not to mention that EV's are a bit more expensive and the range anxiety is still an issue
2020 my ass. lol. These electric car fanboys are such dreamers. The Prius has been in the market for 20 years and Toyota barely sells any in comparison to their stalwart models.
Your tests are not reflecting the average car buying public. Very bias results.
Simmer Pete CR views cars as appliances. That's why they get so excited about a Toyota Corolla.
Yep I am with you, I like having a project car and what not but when it comes to my daily I come and check CR for possible daily.
If you are looking for a place to compare sports cars go to motor trend.
One of their picks has consistently been one of the the best-selling sedans in the world since the 1970s, so I think they're pretty well right in line with what the car-buying public wants.
Simmer Pete, just a question, what is "the average car buying public?"
lol, the average car buyer views cars as appliances as well, and they generally want one that works most of the time--hence why Toyota and Honda are top brands and are actually semi-aspirational at the lower end of the market. Other makes at that end sell largely based on being more affordable than Toyota/Honda, not because people generally want one. Enthusiasts are not the "average."