The best and worst used cars
CR Good Bets, below, are the best of the best. They have performed well in our road tests and have been consistently better than average in overall reliability, based on our annual survey.
Reliable used cars, (available to subscribers only), can help you find a specific vehicle that has been above average in reliability.
Reliability risks, below, are vehicles that are especially risky buys. They have exhibited several years of poor overall reliability.
Used cars to avoid, (available to subscribers only) includes all the models that have had below-average reliability.
best of best
Subaru Forester, Honda Civic, Saab 9-5
The lists on these pages are drawn from reliability data on 1995 through 2002 models with above- or below-average reliability. CR Good Bets and Reliability risks include only models on which we have sufficient data for at least three model years. Models that were new in 2001 or 2002 do not appear. Problems with the engine, engine cooling, transmission, and drive system were weighted more heavily than other problems.
CR Good Bets
These are the best of both worlds: models that have performed well in Consumer Reports tests over the years and have had better-than-average overall reliability. Models are listed alphabetically.
Acura Integra
Acura RL
Acura TL
Ford Escort
Geo/Chevrolet Prizm
Honda Accord
Honda Civic
Honda CR-V
Honda Odyssey
Infiniti G20
Infiniti I30
Isuzu Oasis
Lexus ES300
Lexus GS300/GS400, GS430
Lexus LS400, LS430
Lexus RX300
Mazda Millenia
Mazda MX-5 Miata
Mazda Protegé
Mercury Tracer
Nissan Altima
Nissan Maxima
Nissan Pathfinder
Saab 9-5
Subaru Forester
Subaru Impreza
Subaru Legacy/Outback
Toyota 4Runner
Toyota Avalon
Toyota Camry
Toyota Camry Solara
Toyota Celica
Toyota Corolla
Toyota Echo
Toyota RAV4
Toyota Sienna
Toyota Tacoma
Toyota Tundra
Reliability risks
These cars have shown several years of much-worse-than-average overall reliability. AWD stands for all-wheel drive; 4WD, for four-wheel drive. Listed alphabetically.
Cadillac Catera
Cadillac Seville
Chevrolet Astro
Chevrolet Blazer
Chrysler New Yorker, LHS
Chrysler Town & Country (AWD)
Dodge Caravan (4-cyl.)
Dodge Dakota (4WD)
Dodge Durango
Dodge Grand Caravan (AWD)
Dodge Neon
Ford Focus
Ford Windstar
GMC Jimmy
GMC Safari
Jeep Grand Cherokee
Lincoln LS
Mercedes-Benz M-Class
Oldsmobile Alero
Oldsmobile Bravada
Oldsmobile Cutlass
Plymouth Grand Voyager
Plymouth Neon
Plymouth/Chrysler Voyager (4-cyl.)
Pontiac Grand Am
Volkswagen Jetta
Volkswagen New Beetle
Volvo S80