3 On Your Side: The Most Reliable Vehicles
By Jim Donovan
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Consumer Reports is out with its annual list of the most reliable vehicles and Asian car manufacturers took four out of the top five spots. 3 On Your Side consumer reporter Jim Donovan looks at the rankings and has tells us about a popular feature that's being blamed as a big problem in new vehicles.
More than 1 million Americans were surveyed, Consumer Reports finds; Lexus, Toyota, Mazda, Honda, and Audi topped the list of most trusted auto manufacturers.
Buick, the only U.S. brand to make the top 10, ranked 6th.
"Unfortunately, American manufactures are still much of a mixed bag. They tend to be in the bottom half," said Jon Linkov with Consumer Reports.
Consumer Reports surveyed drivers in 17 categories.
One out of five drivers said their cars' electronics systems were the biggest problem with their vehicles, features like radios, GPS and touch-screen navigation.
"Unlike your computer or phone where you can reboot it and start you work again, you're driving a 3 or 5 thousand pound vehicle while this thing may freeze up, it may be very slow, and it takes a lot of your attention away while driving," said Linkov.
Drivers ranked Mercedes-Benz, Dodge, Ram, Jeep, and Fiat at the bottom of the list, as the least reliable manufacturers.
"If you're looking for the most reliable car out there according to our survey, it's the Scion xB. It's kind of a stripped down, bare bones car. Much more utilitarian, than super comfortable."
Consumer Reports recommends drivers steer clear of buying first year models of any brand since it could take several generations beforemanufacturers work out all of the kinks. A Toyota brand has led the rankings for eight years in a row. It's brands include Lexus and Scion.
For more information, visit: http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2014/10/reality-check-on-new-car-reliability/index.htm
