Consumer Reports Car Rankings

The Consumer Reports annual auto issue rates vehicles in a number of categories, including safety, satisfaction and reliability. The safest cars were chosen based on testing and other assessments. The "most satisfying" vehicles were drawn from survey responses returned by 226,000 Consumer Reports subscribers, and reliability was based on 675,000 responses.

Safety

Safest family sedans: Mazda6 s (V6), Volkswagen Passat GLX (V6), Mazda6 i (4-cylinder).

Pictured: 2003 Mazda6

Safest small sedans: Honda Civic EX, Volkswagen Golf TDI, Volkswagen Jetta GLS TDI

Pictured: 2003 Volkswagen Golf

Safest upscale and large sedans: Lexus IS300, Mercedes-Benz C320, Audi A4 3.0 Quattro

Pictured: Mercedes-Benz C320 Sport Sedan as featured at the Los Angeles Auto Show, Jan. 3, 2003

Safest minivans: Honda Odyssey EX, Ford Freestar SEL/Mercury Monterey, Nissan Quest 3.5 SL

Pictured: The 2004 Nissan Quest, as featured at the North American International Auto Show, Jan. 5, 2003.

Safest small SUV: Subaru Forester 2.5 X, Saturn VUE (V6), Honda Element EX

Pictured: 2003 Subaru Forester 2.5 X

Safest midsize SUV: Lexus RX330, Chrysler Pacifica, Nissan Murano 3.5 SE

Pictured: The 2004 Chrysler Pacifica

Satisfaction

"Most satisfying" small cars: Toyota Prius, Mini Cooper, Honda Civic Hybrid

Pictured: 2003 Toyota Prius sedan

"Most satisfying" midsize/large cars: Honda Accord, Toyota Avalon

Pictured: 2004 Honda Accord LX sedan

"Most satisfying" upscale/luxury cars: Lexus LS430, BMW 3 Series

Pictured: 2003 BMW 330i sedan

"Most satisfying" coupes/convertibles: Infiniti G35 coupe, Lexus SC430

Pictured: 2003 Infiniti G35 coupe

"Most satisfying" sports/sporty cars: Chevrolet Corvette, Honda S2000, BMW Z4, Nissan 350Z, Mazda MX-5 Miata, Subaru Impreza WRX, BMW M3, Porsche Boxster

Pictured: 2003 Chevrolet Corvette Z06

"Most satisfying" minivans: Toyota Sienna, Honda Odyssey

Pictured: 2004 Toyota Sienna LE

"Most satisfying" car-based SUVs: Lexus RX330, Honda Element, Nissan Murano, Honda Pilot, Volvo XC90, Toyota Highlander, Acura MDX, Infiniti FX, Subaru Forester

Pictured: 2004 Lexus RX 330

"Most satisfying" conventional SUVs: Toyota 4Runner (V8), Lexus GX470, Hummer H2

Pictured: 2003 Hummer H2

"Most satisfying" pickups: Toyota Tundra, Chevrolet Avalanche

Pictured: 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche Z71

Reliability

For the first time in 25 years, cars and trucks from General Motors, Ford and the Chrysler Group topped those made in Europe in reliability. Subscribers reported problems in 14 areas, such as engine or electrical trouble, for vehicles up to eight years old. Among the tops were Chrysler's Jeep Liberty, Ford's Focus and General Motors' Buick Regal.