The Consumer Reports Auto Issue: Best and Worst 2009 Cars
Published on - March 4th, 2009 (by J.D. Roth) 
The Consumer Reports annual auto issue was parked in my mailbox on Monday. As in past years (2007, 2008), I spent the afternoon leafing through it. This year, I think I managed to avoid the new-car itch. I’m not fond of my 2000 Ford Focus, but I’ve resigned myself to the fact that I’m going to drive it until it dies.
Here are the Consumer Reports top-rated vehicles in ten categories (with previous years’ top cars in parentheses):
- Pickup Truck: Chevrolet Avalanche (2008: Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Crew Cab, no pick in 2007)
- Fun-to-drive: Mazda MX-5 Miata (2008 and 2007: Mazda MX-5 Miata)
- Small sedan: Hyundai Elantra SE (2008: Hyundai Elantra SE, 2007: Honda Civic)
- Family sedan: Honda Accord (2008 and 2007: Honda Accord)
- Upscale sedan: Infiniti G37 (2008 and 2007: Infiniti G35)
- Luxury sedan: no pick, but implied Lexus LS 460 (2008: Lexus LS 460L, 2007: Infiniti M35)
- Small SUV: Toyota RAV4 (2008 and 2007: Toyota RAV4)
- Midsized SUV: Toyota Highlander (2008: Hyundai Santa Fe, 2007: Toyota Highlander Hybrid)
- Minivan: Toyota Sienna (2008 and 2007: Toyota Sienna)
- Green car: Toyota Prius (2008 and 2007: Toyota Prius)
This year, Consumer Reports chose a “best overall vehicle”, which was the Lexus LS 460. The LS scored 99 out of a possible 100 points in the magazine’s road test. (By comparison, my beloved Mini Cooper scored 81.)
Also this year, CR shared its list of “most overlooked cars”. These five vehicles are safe and performed well in their testing, but don’t sell well:
- Mazda5
- Kia Rondo
- Mitsubishi Outlander
- Hyundai Azera
- Suzuki SX4
Another new feature in this year’s issue was a measurement of which car provided the most bang for the buck. CR divided each vehicle’s 5-year cost of ownership by its road score to come up with a somewhat arbitrary measure of cost versus quality. They then rated vehicles within their categories. So, for example, the Hyundai Santa Fe was the midsized SUV with the most bang for the buck at $500 “per bang”. The Toyota Prius touring edition was best overall at $325. (The Mini Cooper was in second at $330!)
As expected, the car-buying issue features certain standard reports:
- Tips for how to save hundreds on auto service.
- A look at reliability trends across various makes. (Scion and Acura have the best reliability, while Saturn and Land Rover have the worst.)
- And, of course, there are 12 page of vehicle ratings, 32 pages of vehicle profiles, and 11 pages of vehicle reliability reports.
Readers of this site would probably get the most value from the eight dense pages of used-car articles. My 2000 Ford Focus? It’s still on the list of “used cars to avoid”. No kidding. Tell me about it. There’s also a long feature article answering the question, “Who makes the best cars?” (In general, Chryslers are crap, but Hondas are heroes. Of particular note: Ford quality has been improving in recent years.)
Don’t forget that Get Rich Slowly features car-buying tips from time-to-time. Notable articles include:
- Why I drive a 13-year-old car
- Dave Ramsey says ‘Drive free, retire rich’
- The best way to buy a new car and A real fighting chance
- Two approaches to car-buying
- Fritz buys a new car
- How to sell a used car
I also recommend two older AskMetafilter threads:
- Fix it or junk it? At what point is a car not worth repairing?
- What is a reasonable offer for a new car? Don’t miss this fantastic response from a fellow who just bought a car.
The Consumer Reports car issue is an excellent resource. If you think you might purchase a vehicle soon, I recommend it. But I think it’s a little dangerous to pick up just for the sake of browsing. If you’re like me, you can find yourself moved from merely curious to “itching to buy”…
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Certainly an interesting list. I notice how few (ahem) American manufacturers are on it.
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We get Consumer Reports and my husband has been poring over this issue. It’s actually made him feel really good about the 2007 Prius we just bought.
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Glad to see my 2008 Accord on the list. I’ve come to respect Consumer Reports’ research over the years. Their opinion is very important to me.
@beth the Americans are making long strides towards quality and reliability. They aren’t quite there yet – uphill battle and all – but they are coming along quite well.
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Want to know the best car to buy in 2009? Its a 2006 or 2007 model – and likely made in Japan.
We get more for our money by buying a 2 year old car. I’ll never buy a brand new vehicle again.
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You mentioned the 5-year cost of ownership. Do you know any good sources for estimating ownership cost over a longer term — say, 10 years or even more?
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Glad to see the Mazda5 on a good list. Hoping to get one in a year or two when we have a third child and need more people-hauling space but don’t want the gas consumption of an SUV or minivan.
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@cmadler (#5)
I don’t actually know of any long-term estimates for ownership. The one I rely on for my personal use is the Edmunds True Cost-to-Own Calculator, and it, too, is just a five year estimate.
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Don’t forget your local library. Most University/College/Public Libraries keep at least the current year of Consumer Reports!
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I told my sister about CR’s car issue. I just got it and read everything but positive comments about Jeep’s. However, she has a Jeep that she loves and wants to get another one. I told her she was going to be sorry, but she loves her Jeep. Now, she also has 5 other cars in the driveway so she doesn’t put as many miles on a car as the average person. Her husband is always telling me, buy a Jeep. Well, I would buy a Jeep if I had 5 other cars/trucks/suv’s at my disposal. It makes me so mad. I for one, depend on CR for their reviews. They haven’t let me down yet.
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I always peruse the CR auto features… <>
I have a Love/Hate relationship with my 2002 VW Passat… I LOVE that it’s paid off and the insurance is cheap, but I kinda hate the car itself and all the high cost maintenance & repairs…
I had to replace the transmission shortly after buying it used off craig’s list… Thank god it was (barely) still in warranty!! And to date, i’ve had to do 8 “recall” repairs– again, no cost to me, but kind of a hassle!! And of course CR rated it last year as Bad/worse than average… wish I had done more research before buying it…
I still drool over the Rav4… but it just doesn’t make ANY financial sense to buy a new-used car and go into debt again…
I think i’ll check out the cost of ownership calculators again, just to make myself feel better about owning my passat…
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I sold my 2003 Silverado a couple years ago to speed up the debt snowball, and yes, I’ve been itching for another. However, I am forcing myself to save up the cash, and this time I’ll buy one several years old – like say, maybe a 2003!
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I know I did not get the best deal when I bought my car but I got the deal I wanted. I bank at USAA and they have a service to get prenegotiated prices on vehicles. There are other services that do this as well for a small fee. I live in Iowa where there are no dealers in the network so I used the service to price out a vehicle in Minnesota. All of this is done online with no phone conversations. I test drove the vehicles in Iowa at a local dealer and spent more time talking with the sales manager then the salesmen. Having spent time performing external financial audits on dealerships I came to the understanding that the salesman knows just as much about what the dealer really paid for the car as you do.
So I got the sales manager to give me his card, well I am pretty sure he offered it to me multiple times, so I could contact him via email and not have to talk on the phone. I sent the sales manager my quote from Minnesota and said if he matches the price I would purchase from him. He did and I went in and bought the vehicle with no hassle, well other than the finance manager telling me I don’t understand how good the oil changes for life were after I paid a few hundred for the service.
Even if you don’t have a service to negotiate prices for don’t go into the dealer to negotiate. Do it via email so you have a formally documented price and you can pit the dealers against each other from the comfort of your frontroom while drinking your morning coffee.
Also, it doesn’t matter how good of a deal you got if you hate your car. If you are buying new you should be holding onto the car for a long time so buy what you want.
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Thanks for another great article, J.D. I would also like to know the “Worst ten”, as I was young & foolish once & bought solely on my meager budget & a self-proclaimed expert’s advice & paid the price for many years. I feel your pain on being resigned to a car you don’t love. I have a 10-year old Nissan Sentra that is my gutless, old reliable ride. In the Summer I have to turn off the air conditioning when I enter the on-ramp of the freeway or I can’t get up enough speed to merge with traffic & even then it’s a challenge. In the Fall & Winter I have a 60-pound sand tube draped across the back seat floor so the high wind gusts that frequent my region don’t knock it into another lane or off road. That said, for basic transportation, it gets me from point A to B with great regularity & fuel economy. The insurance is also very affordable. Other family members have higher-end Nissan Altimas & though there is sufficient power in them, they’ve actually encountered more “shop” time (most of it after basic warranty) than mine involving electrical & computer chips (inside heater/temperature control system, cd player, auto-lighting, keyless entry). In the past I’ve owned Ford, Chrysler, 2 Chevys, Toyota, Pontiac & Nissan. The Chrysler was during the Lee Iacoca salvage period & that car actually lasted the longest (12-years). The Chevys were sport compacts & the most fun. The Pontiac was the Lemon, the Toyota was a really boring Corolla with too many interior whistles & rattles for the price I paid, & the Nissan, as plain & limited as it is, I hope will be the longest & most economical of them thus far.
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I have a Honda Civic. I didn’t get a great deal on it and I haven’t treated it that well, but it’s been an incredibly reliable car. It’s stood the test of time and (more importantly) my bad maintenance practices. It’s a 2000 and I think I’m going to have to bring it in for a tune up and numerous repairs, but it’s worth it for this car.
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I can personally testify that the Mazda Miata is the most fun car to drive. It’s zippy, nimble and quick, the convertible top makes good weather readily accessible, and it still draws admiring comments from little kids. I’ve driven it on 5,000 mile trips, taken it camping, and I can fit a week’s worth of groceries in it and still have room for my dog. It’s elegent enough to drive to fancy events and never feels pretentious. I hope I drive it until *I* drop.
I’ve got a 1990 (the first year they made it) and with about 180,000 miles on it, it’s still going strong. The maintenance issues have been few and my guy is a mechanic so they’ve been cheap, too. It’s pretty economical – I get about 30 mpg on the highway, 25 mpg around town. It’s only drawback is that my tall guy isn’t so comfortable in it with the top up, but that only matters when it’s raining. Even when the temperatures are in the 30s – 40s, if the skies are clear I just bundle up and blast the heater.
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Another way to find a used car is to talk to your mechanic if you trust him/her. They usually know someone who is looking to sell a car, or might be willing.
My guys sold me my car. They knew the history and considered it a good deal. It was. The woman was leaving for a new job in London and wanted to get rid of it. I had the money saved and bought it cheap $3,000. It’s about the nicest car I’ve ever driven and certainly not one I would have bought myself.
Oh and the used car I had been driving died in the driveway the next week. (of envy?) Sold that for scrap.
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We found a car we liked on an internet site for a dealership in our area. Our current car was giving us tell-tale signs of electrical problems which our usual and trusted mechanics could not even tell us for sure what the problems were.
We had some things working in our favor: we owned our car, it was a late model used, it had low milage and we knew the market for used cars was pretty strong. We also didn’t NEED a new car, we were just looking at what was out there.
I called the dealership, asked for more info on the car we liked, and told them about the car we had to trade. I then told them the absolute price for us to come to their store and leave with the new car. We test drove it, found it to our liking and went inside to sign the paperwork. They couter offered but we said no and stuck to our original price. They relented and put some paper work in front of us that tacked on the tax, title registration and fees. We said that we were not paying anything over the cost of what we originally said.
They hemmed and hawed, so we said, “Look, we have a check ready to sign right now for what we told you originally before we drove here. Or we could go home and think about it.”
That seemed to be the magic phrase because the deal got done. We’ve had the car for a little over a month now and have had a few pleasant surprises (for example, it came equipped with snow tires, even though they told us it had all seasons. And the tires were the size of our old car’s, not smaller as they told us!) and also a few things that need attention (fan belt, chips in paint, etc). I think we made out pretty well though!
Research and preparation are key!
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I’ve also been hearing that Ford quality has been improving – for 30 years now. They must be really great by now.
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My girlfriend has a Suzuki SX-4; great car she loves it and so do I, cheap, all wheel drive, just enough power, tons of space in a small package.
I was glad to see it made some list even if it was the overlooked list. =)
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I drive a Mitsubishi Outlander which according to the report is on the “Overlooked” list. It’s definately a good car, but it was a DUMB BUY for me.
This was before I was properly managing my finances (I only got serious about 6 months ago, but that is a story for another time and place).
I traded in a 3-year old Mitsubishi Lancer at a dealership. I’ll be paying on my 2004 Outlander for 1.5 – 2 more years.
I can’t wait for that to be done….I hope to get another 4-5 years out of it after it is paid for and I’m going to try Dave Ramsey’s “Drive for Free for the Rest of Your Live” Advice.
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I wish I’d seen this a couple of weeks ago! I was recently in a car accident that totaled my beloved Hyundai which I’d full well intended to drive until the thing fell apart. (The problem when you say things like that is that it immediately happens.) So I bought a new (well, new to me) car. I know I got a good deal and that it’s a great car. Just…reading more things that would have corroborated my general feeling that I was making a good decision would have helped me to feel a lot less stressed about the entire purchase.
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I looked at the site and I can’t access the full reports for free, they want a subscriber fee.
Wow, has it been a year already?
I feel like I was just looking at last year’s Consumer Reports issue fearing I would have to buy another car since my Saab 9-3 was back in the shop with a shattered fuel pump line that drained the entire tank on I-88.
It cost me $1100 to fix it and I wooried that another couple fixes over $1000 and I would be out of cash. It’s sad when you can finance a new car easier than you can pay to fix an old one.
Needless to say, I have changed a lot about my finances in the last year and the car hasn’t broken again yet, so cash is less of an issue and I plan on keeping the wonky saab for a few more years rather than starting payments on a new car again. Plus the 5 door hatchback design is just so useful I hate to give it up. I carry large stuff in it all the time.
I am also always impressed that Buick scores so well on all these tests and doesn’t get the recognition for it. Buicks are very reliable, luxurious and comfortable cars to drive.
I wish Buick made a smaller car that was a better fit for my needs so I could go back to buying them again. (a sport 5 door please) I plan on buying one again if I have kids and need a large car.
On a related note, I saw a Lincoln MKS on the road this morning and thought it was a Lexus. You don’t expect that to happen.
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Ah…good heavens. One of the guys at my office had the book and I thumbed through it as I drooled at all these new cars I could not have
My 03 civic was in a wreck and the repairs were at 72% of cash value…I tried to get it totalled to no avail. I know they say that with the technology today once they fix a car you can’t tell it has been in a wreck but heck I KNOW it was in a wreck and it doesn’t drive the same anymore.
The ongoing debate in my head is to trade it in for a Prius, which is going for 3 times the value of my civic, or wait for the Honda Insight in April which will cost me 2 times more than the cash value of my civic. I know I will be paying a premium for the hybrids and I think their life span may be shorter than regular cars….I read somewhere after 8 yrs they are due for a major overhaul, but I could be wrong. On top of that, I am upside down by close to $1k on my civic.
I want a new car…heck the economy needs stimulating and I’d be playing a role, right? But the note and the insurance on the civic are kicking my butt….I hate making wise decisions sometimes. That ugly feeling of entitlement makes me want to say “I deserve a new car” all else be damned. But I’ll painfully drive the civic to the ground…which may be sooner because of the wreck.
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Ford quality HAS improved, far more than many people realize. For example: since 2007 the Ford Fusion has been more reliable with fewer problems reported than the Toyota Camry according to several metrics including JD Power. Many of Ford’s recent and new models are at the top of their class now, but they are fighting against a negative public perception that has persisted for decades.
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No! Ford Focuses are my favorite! They’re so cute. Oh, well. Not like I’m going to be buying a car anytime soon. I’m driving an ugly 1995-something-or-other that I’ve affectionately nicknamed the Granny Mobile, but I know I won’t be getting a new (to me) car for at least 4 or 5 more years.
This comment you linked to was so helpful, though, for when I eventually do have to buy a car. I need step-by-step instructions for that.
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Once I bought a new car. What a dumb idea that was!
I noticed that no Subaru’s made the top lists. Obviously, we should have a Pacific Northwest edition
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surprised Hyundai Genesis did not make their list as it got car of the year honors. oh well, I’m glad that Lexus is being represented in the top class where normally a BMW or Mercedes would be.
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I like cars too much to buy a car off this list. I don’t doubt that they’re all very good cars, from a safety, reliability, cost and resale perspective. But I want a car that I really *like*. I have to spend an hour and a half in it every day, I want it to be a place that I like to be, not simply a place that’s cost effective.
My 2007 VW GTI doesn’t make the list. Neither do any of the other cars I’d consider buying if I was replacing the GTI. The list is full of a lot of really uninteresting (though technically good) Toyotas.
When you buy a house, you take into account it’s age, it’s cost per square foot, it’s number of bedrooms, it’s proximity to work, etc. These things are all important, but you also take into account it’s charm, it’s landscaping, the way it makes you feel. You can do the same thing with a car, but these sorts of lists can’t quantify that “Wow, this is great!” feeling, so they don’t take it into account.
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my car is only 4 years old and has been paid off for some time (and i still love it!), so i’m nowhere near in the market for another car. my husband’s car is starting to concern us, but he already knows what he wants to replace it with- a slightly different version of my car, same model year. they regularly went for nearly 50k new, now the market has them priced around 18k.
but we’ve got time. we’re in no hurry.
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A-freaking-men to “Chryslers are crap”! My husband drove several, and those things like to break on Tuesdays plus every other Sunday.
Also, they must be painted by demented squirrels, because every one of them flaked off to the primer before the car was 5 years old.
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I drive a 2002 Nissan Sentra. The car is boring to drive but gets great mileage, is cheap to insure and has never failed me.
I just try to remember how much I’m saving when the guy in the BMW passes me on the freeway.
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@AmericanCliche.
Me too with my no-frills, tape recorder only, Subaru Wagon. Just remember, the BMW is probably being leased too. Or as Dave Ramsey would say “Fleeced”.
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Hi JD,
I am thinking about buying a “gently used” car to replace my 1990 Honda Civic (’bout time?) — I am wondering if people pay sales tax on a car when you buy it from a private party. Is it required to report it on taxes somehow, or is avoiding sales tax a legitimate money saver?
Thanks–
friend in NC
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In California at least, you are required to pay sales tax on private party sales. Few people actually seem to, though, at least not the full amount. You can write anything you like on the forms submitted to the DMV as the sale price, regardless of the actual amount of money that changed hands, and sales tax is based on the sale price as reported to the DMV. A lot of cars are reported as being sold for $1000 instead of the actual $5000 they sold for, or being given as gifts, or sold for $1. If the DMV asks why it was so cheap you can say the car is damaged and you need to replace the engine or something, they never actually look at the car.
I’m not advocating this behavior, just saying that it happens quite often.
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I know it goes against every “expert’s” advice, but last year or the one before, I bought a new Hyundai Sonata. My last car was a new Hyundai Elantra about ten years ago. I got the full value out of the first one, and as much as I love to drive the second, I’m sure I’ll get full value there too. Aside from boycotting CR because of their incorrect advocacy of several policies that I believe hurt the consumer, I’ve been disappointed in them because they would rate Hyundai in every way as better than other cars but then suggest buying the Toyota or Honda because of the name. I’m glad to see that trend is changing.
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I am a Honda girl. My first car was a 1986 Honda CRX and I kept it for 14 years (loved that car!) then, when my husband came into the picture, traded it for a ’99 Accord coupe which we still have. After four years walking to work I changed jobs and we needed a second car, so we got a 1995 Accord coupe.
The ’99 is a V6 with some nice features and is a great-looking car. It’s needed some work over the years but it will definitely stay in the family until the engine falls out. The ’95 is also a decent-looking model with acceptable performance and fuel economy.
My feeling is it’s infinitely better to have a paid-for vehicle; we were able to pay cash for the ’95 and hey, the insurance is lower when no finance company has their fingers in it. If/when we travel and need a larger vehicle, or if we want something snazzy for a fun weekend, we’ll rent.
And when the ’95 dies, I want a Fit. Which I will buy used.
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friend, you’re going to have to pay your taxes to register the vehicle.
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As an auto journalist, I test-drove both the Mazda5 and the Suzuki SX4 for week each and can wholeheartedly testify they are very overlooked, great deals.
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I just got a 2007 used Honda Fit sport, manual transmission, and I love it. I’m getting around 31-35 mpg. I do a lot of highway driving, though.
Buying a used stick shift meant that I was able to get a car that had been on the lot for a long time, nearly 45 days, and was about to go to auction. Apparently, you can tell when the price ends in weird numbers, not 9s, but 7s or 5s (I can’t remember now, and am not finding it quickly online), that the car has been on the lot for a certain amount of time.
It did mean I wasn’t able to get a huge selection (there were only two in the area), but they really wanted to get rid of it because no one can drive them anymore, and the people who buy them tend to want the newest, fanciest one. The person who got rid of this one traded it in for the 2009 body style.
Barely used cars mean reliability without paying the full premium of newness.
I do have a car payment, but it’s about $8,000 less than it would have been new. Fine by me.
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I always wonder why Subarus don’t make these lists either. I bought mine in New England where it seems like half the cars on the road are Subarus.
This being my annual tax refund & corporate profit sharing time when I take my car in for a complete assessment and any repairs that need done, I have been thinking about this issue. My take was if it costs me less per year on repairs than it would for a loan it’s a good idea to keep my 8 year old Outback. This year it cost me under $100 and the car is still about 95% original with 138k miles so I’m happy.
When it starts to cost near what a loan would I’ll replace it. I haven’t yet decided if I’ll buy new again or recent used. I’d like a convertible since I’m in SoCal but I love my Subaru. Subaru, please make a convertible so I don’t have to choose!
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THANK YOU JD THANK YOU TRENT
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THANK YOU JD THANK YOU TRENT
Yesterday the Wife and I went out and bought an 11 month old Yaris 8500€ (about a 25% savings over new) and paid for it CASH!!!!
NO BANK NO PAYMENTS NO NOTHING!!!!!
We pick it up Tuesday and it still hasn’t hit me that we bought a car. A new car without payments just seems so surreal!
Again thanks!
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We agree with Consumer Report. We bought the Mazda 5 a while ago and we are very happy with it. It is reasonably priced, fairly cheap to run, and offers the space my family needs.
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Good article, JD. Also, I just read your link to: “What is a reasonable offer for a new car? Don’t miss this fantastic response from a fellow who just bought a car.” What an OUTSTANDING post!!! I hate negotiating with prices, and this will be a great approach for me when the time comes for me to replace my beloved 98 Mercury Tracer (yes, people, it’s a Ford product, and from what I understand, one of the better-made ones…going strong at 178K miles!!!).
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