It's All Forgiven: Toyota Tops Consumer Reports Top Picks Of 2011
Consumer Reports released its top picks car list for 2011. According to Consumer Reports, these are the most reliable cars you can (and should) buy. With some notable exceptions, it’s a foreign affair. Out of 10 cars recommended, eight are foreign, or make that Asian: 6 Japanese cars are top picks, followed by two Korean and two American cars. European cars are conspicuously absent.
Most notable: Consumer Reports completely renounced its former fatwa against Toyota and made Toyota the most recommended brand of 2011: Three of the top picks are Toyotas.
Even Detroit flag waver extraordinaire, the DetN, must concede: “Toyota Motor Corp. led all automakers with three top picks from Consumer Reports, rebounding from last year’s sudden acceleration woes that cost it recommendations. “
Two oddities should not remain unmentioned:
The Chevrolet Avalanche is mis-categorized. It should be listed under “Classic Cars”. The first new generation Avalanche showed up at dealers in 2006, and save a little juggling of engine choices, it pretty much remained the same ever since.
The Hyundai Elantra on the other hand is brand new for the U.S. It is amazing how CR could collect all the reliability data on the Elantra in such a short time.
And the winners are:
CategoryCarBUDGET CARHonda FitSMALL CARHyundai ElantraFAMILY SEDANNissan AltimaSMALL SUVToyota RAV4GREEN CARToyota PriusFAMILY SUVKia SorentoSPORTY CARFord MustangFAMILY HAULERToyota SiennaSPORTS SEDANInfiniti G37PICKUP TRUCKChevrolet Avalanche
Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.
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Picks look about like expected given CR's ability to predict reliability for cars it doesn't know about yet. I will say that the green car segment shouldn't be there. That is just lazy.
Gosh darn where is Fiat?
I'm no fan of CR; and I'll be the first to admit that driving a Toyota is like shifting from Drive into Quaalude; but my experience, that of a dozen others I know, that of repeat buyers and of many non-buff magazines, are the same. Boring to drive, bland to look at, a Toyota is a brick-outhouse on wheels. They last; and lest you think millions of owners are lying...just look at resale values. When I strike it rich, I'll go for some six-figure status name. Right this moment, as I dream of cars to shoot the apexes with...I'll put my money on one that starts every time.
Kind of ironic to see all the vitriol directed against CVTs (I have had little experience with them) when on the Edmunds' forums, people are whining about their 6-speed transmissions shifting too often! Maybe we ought to bring back the mighty Powerglide tranny!