Asian Autos Dominate Consumer Reports List

By: Anthony Fontanelle


There are hundreds of new vehicles in the automotive realm, to test what cars excel, Consumer Reports evaluated 10 cars, trucks, sport utilities and vans considering these traits: safety, durability, and mileage.

Those three traits might defy to a certain degree the magazine’s own testing. For instance, in the family car category, Honda Accord upstaged Nissan Altima because the latter has no electric stability control (ESC) as standard feature. The ratings made by the consumer magazine offer priceless guidance to auto shoppers. Through the ratings, shoppers can weigh which car is worthy of their dime.

This year, some notable changes were made. Korean cars topped two of the categories on the "best" list. Also, Chevy Silverado 1500 Crew Cab pickup from General Motors made it to the list for first time since 2005. Additionally, Lexus LS 460L, from the sub-brand of Toyota, was named best luxury sedan.

The annual April issue of the auto magazine includes profiles on more than 260 vehicles. The wide-range list starts from the $10,235 Chevrolet Aveo to the $187,000 Mercedes-Benz SL. Top models include Chevy Silverado pickup, Hyundai Elantra SE sedan, and Hyundai Santa Fe midsize sport utility.

Notable Japanese makes made it as cars winners. Honda Accord and Infiniti G35 were tagged upscale sedans. Lexus LS 460L and Mazda MX-5 Miata, meanwhile, were dubbed “fun to drive” cars. Toyota proves its enduring credo with RAV4 small sport utility, Sienna minivan, and Prius "green" car, which made it to the magazine’s list.

"All of the vehicles are standouts for performance, versatility, reliability and safety," said David Champion, senior director of automotive testing.

It was also revealed by The Post and Courier that the least expensive car to drive, factoring in costs such as fuel, insurance and repairs over the first five years of ownership, was Toyota Yaris at $23,250. Lincoln Town Car at $54,250, meanwhile, was the most economical luxury car.

According to the survey conducted, the most satisfying car was Toyota Prius. But Saturn Sky convertible led in styling and the Audi A8 and Lexus LS460 in comfort, the report said. Based on the 0-60 mph time, the speediest car was the Dodge Viper SRT10 at 4.2 seconds. The Porsche Boxster 2.7, on the other hand, had the shortest braking distance at 112 feet from 60-0 mph.

The release also gave a list of top vehicles under $25,000. The most affordable was Honda Fit with $15,385 MSRP, followed by Mazda3i Sport at $17,205, Scion xB at $17,609, Scion tC at $17,620, and Hyundai Elantra SE at $17,945. Watchers in the industry say the maker of Hyundai parts and other Asian automakers are trailing the footprints of Toyota in the global auto realm.

For more information about your parts needs likewww.carpartswholesale.com/cpw/hyundai-car-parts.html" title="Hyundai parts">Hyundai parts visit your trusted online source. Anthony Fontanelle is a 35-year-old automotive buff who grew up in the Windy City. He does freelance work for an automotive magazine when he is not busy customizing cars in his shop.