Strong reliability and test drive results match owner satisfaction reviews, creating this list of Best Cars and Worst Cars.
Several of BMW’s flagship models are due to undergo a massive facelift or facelift, but that hasn’t stopped the German automaker from taking the top spot on Consumer Reports’ annual Best Brands list for the first time.
BMW moved up two places to pole position, lifting former champion Subaru to second in the CR standings. The annual competition rates automakers based on the performance, safety and reliability of their vehicles based on feedback from independent tests and Consumer Reports participant surveys.
“BMW makes many reliable, functional and high-performance vehicles, so it’s no surprise to see it at the top of our brand rankings,” said Jake Fisher, Consumer Reports senior director of automotive testing. “However, non-luxury brands like Subaru, Toyota and Mazda have also topped the charts in recent years, ensuring consumers don’t have to sacrifice purchasing power to get quality cars.”
BMW’s sister brand Mini also did well in the survey, climbing five places to third, while the rest of the top ten was dominated by Asian brands, followed by Lexus, Honda, Toyota, Genesis, Mazda, Audi and Kia. Buick was the top national brand at 12th, followed by Dodge at 15th and Lincoln at 16th.
| Posición | Brand | Point |
| 1 | BMW | 81 |
| 2 | Subaru | 79 |
| 3 | Mini | 79 |
| 4 | Lexus | 77 |
| 5 | Honda | 77 |
| 6 | Toyota | 76 |
| 7 | Genesis | 76 |
| 8 | Mazda | 75 |
| 9 | Audi | 74 |
| 10 | Kia | 73 |
| 11 | Acura | 72 |
| 12 | Buick | 71 |
| 13 | Hyundai | 71 |
| 14 | Porsche | 70 |
| 15 | Dodge | 68 |
| 16 | Lincoln | 66 |
| 17 | Tesla | 66 |
| 18 | Infiniti | 65 |
| 19 | Volkswagen | 64 |
| 20 | Volvo | 64 |
| 21 | Nissan | 63 |
| 22 | Ford | 63 |
| 23 | Chevrolet | 62 |
| 24 | Cadillac | 62 |
| 25 | Chrysler | 62 |
| 26 | Mercedes-Benz | 56 |
| 27 | GMC | 55 |
| 28 | Mitsubishi | 54 |
| 29 | Alfa Romeo | 53 |
| 30 | Jaguar | 52 |
| 31 | Jeep | 46 |
| 32 | Land Rover | 45 |
Lincoln’s average may not seem all that impressive until you realize it’s up 10 spots from last year, comfortably ahead of luxury rivals Cadillac (24) and Mercedes (26). CR highlighted the improved reliability of the Lincoln Corsair and Nautilus SUVs in this year’s competition.
Tesla also improved its ranking, moving up six places to 17th in terms of reliability, while British luxury brands Jaguar and Land Rover continue to struggle with the problem. Jaguar was ranked 30th, one place below Alfa Romeo, while Land Rover, at 32nd, saved Jeep from the stigma of making the list for the second year in a row. Consumer Reports also highlighted Toyota’s nine low-emission “CR Green Choice” vehicles, noting that while the Japanese marque may be slow to add electric vehicles to its lineup, its showrooms offer plenty of clean hybrids.
