Sommaire pour April 2024 de Consumer Reports

NEW-CAR SHOPPERSin 2024 have more than 260 models to choose from. To help you find the right one for you, Consumer Reports selects 10 Top Picks each year, based on road-test performance, predicted reliability, owner satisfaction, and safety. (All Top Picks come standard with automatic emergency braking that works both at low speeds with pedestrian detection and at highway speeds.) This year’s pantheon of automotive excellence includes four hybrids, three plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), and one electric vehicle, confirming that models with fully or partially electrified powertrains can best their gas-only rivals. Subaru and Toyota made strong showings again this year, with two and four models, respectively. These two brands consistently offer smartly engineered models with simple controls, comfortable cabins, and the infotainment and advanced safety features that matter most.…

If you are considering plugging into the electric vehicle revolution but worry about the potential hassles and uncertainties of charging on the road, a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV, for short) could be the right car for you. PHEVs bridge the gap between a regular hybrid and an EV. Unlike a regular hybrid, which recharges its battery using only its gas engine and brakes, a PHEV can also be plugged in to add electric-only range, usually between 20 and 40 miles. It can charge overnight from a standard household outlet, so you don’t need to purchase and install a special charger. Once the electric range is depleted, the gas engine provides power for longer trips. If you, like a majority of Americans, tend to drive less than 40 miles a…

THE 260 SUVs, trucks, cars, and minivans on the following pages each have a review from Consumer Reports’ auto experts, along with a predicted reliability rating from our exclusive member surveys. Each of the models we’ve tested include CR’s overall fuel economy or driving range for electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, and an Overall Score, which is a composite of the road-test score, predicted reliability, and owner satisfaction from CR’s auto surveys, as well as the results of any crash tests conducted by the federal government and insurance industry, and the availability of crash-prevention systems. HOW TO READ THE REVIEWS Recommended Vehicles, identified by a check mark , are those that achieved a high Overall Score in their category. If the vehicle was tested by the National Highway Traffic…

WITH MORE ELECTRIC VEHICLES, hybrids, and plug-in hybrids for sale, CR has added three new categories—Electric Motor, EV Battery, and EV Charging—to our vehicle reliability history charts, to better identify where problems may occur. We gather data from CR members, who reported on problems they had with their vehicles that they considered serious—due to cost, time the car is out of service, and more—during the 12 months prior to the survey. With data on over 330,000 vehicles, we can help you find a problem-free vehicle or give you a heads-up about issues your car may soon experience. HOW TO READ OUR RELIABILITY CHARTS New Model Prediction This is our projection of how reliable a 2024 or early 2025 model is likely to be. It is determined using the average of…

BEST NEW CARS UNDER $35,000 Many well-equipped new cars and SUVs priced at less than $35,000 get high marks in both our tests and member surveys. Here are some of the smartest choices, in order of Overall Score within each vehicle category. These are all CR Recommended and have important safety features, such as automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection. SPORTS CARS Subaru BRZ Subaru WRX Toyota GR86 Mazda MX-5 Miata Honda Civic Si COMPACT HYBRIDS Toyota Prius Kia Niro Hyundai Elantra Hybrid Toyota Corolla Hybrid SMALL CARS Mazda3 Subaru Impreza Toyota Corolla Hyundai Elantra Kia Soul Toyota Corolla Hatchback MIDSIZED CARS Toyota Camry Hybrid Honda Accord Hybrid Toyota Camry Kia K5 Honda Accord Subaru Legacy Nissan Altima Hyundai Sonata Hyundai Sonata Hybrid SMALL SUVs Subaru Forester Subaru Crosstrek Honda…

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE (ICE) vehicles are conventional cars with gas- or diesel-powered engines. Gas-only vehicles have higher overall emissions than comparable hybrids, PHEVs, and EVs. HYBRIDS pair a relatively small gasoline engine with an electric motor to provide greater fuel efficiency than most conventional cars. They can’t be plugged in. Hybrids are often more powerful than their gas-only equivalents. PLUG-IN HYBRIDS (PHEVs) generally have a larger battery than regular hybrids. Unlike regular hybrids, they can travel solely on electric power at regular driving speeds, usually for 20 to 40 miles. Many PHEVs can charge overnight using a 120-volt outlet. ELECTRIC VEHICLES (EVs) don’t have conventional engines. They’re powered by an electric motor that gets its energy from a large battery. They can usually travel over 200 miles between charges. Charging…

It has been 50 years since the introduction of the airbag, and on this anniversary there is a remarkable story of safety to tell. The stats are astounding: Frontal airbags have saved over 50,000 lives in the U.S. alone, according to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. They reduce driver deaths by 29 percent in front-end crashes, and fatalities of front-seat passengers 13 and older by 32 percent. And airbags, along with other safety devices, such as seat belts, have brought down the total death toll in U.S. car crashes by more than 30 percent since a peak of 54,589 in 1972, even though the population has grown by well over 100 million since then. It’s true that since airbags became mandatory in passenger vehicles, they’ve also hit…

HOW WE RANK THE CAR BRANDS: The Overall Score for individual models is based on four key factors: CR’s road test, reliability, owner satisfaction, and safety. For the road-test score, we put vehicles through more than 50 tests. Predicted reliability ratings are based on problems reported by members from 20 possible trouble areas in CR’s Annual Auto Surveys. Owner satisfaction predictions are based on whether CR members said in our surveys that they’d buy the same vehicle again if given the chance. Safety includes an assessment of any available crash-test results and extra points assigned to vehicles that come standard with key crash-prevention systems. OUR ANNUAL RANKINGS of 34 automakers can steer you in the right direction when making a new-car purchase. These rankings are based on the average Overall…

NEED NEW WHEELS but you’re on a budget? Buying used is still the best way to get the biggest bang for your buck. It’s simple math: According to Kelley Blue Book, on average a new car’s price has depreciated by 29 percent after two years. After three years, that price has dropped by 42 percent. That means you can find a reasonably priced model that’s reliable and new enough to have some of the latest safety features. What follows are the vehicles that have proved to be reliable choices, according to data from CR’s auto surveys. We’ve also included a list of the most problematic used cars, based on that same data. THE BEST USED CARS THESE 2014-2023 models have above-average reliability for the years listed and come with electronic…

YOU HAVE TO COVER A LOT OF GROUND in an automobile to really know how it performs. That’s why our experts log thousands of miles on public roads and highways in every vehicle we test, and push each of them to their limits at our 327-acre Auto Test Center in Connecticut. We purchase every tested vehicle anonymously to prevent an automaker from giving us a “special” version. We also have a tire-testing program for cars, SUVs, and pickup trucks to help you choose the best replacement tires. The team at our Auto Test Center recently added a battery of new tests to more thoroughly assess electric vehicles. These include evaluations of their highway driving range, charging speed, and other EV-specific factors. EV RANGE TESTING The Environmental Protection Agency provides only a…

LATE 2024 A nostalgic tribute to the classic Microbus, the ID.Buzz electric van is a decidedly 21st century vehicle. It measures 8 to 9 inches shorter than traditional minivans, but the interior space benefits from not having an engine up front and can accommodate up to seven people. The ID.Buzz uses either a single motor with 282 hp to drive the rear wheels or a dual-motor, 330-hp configuration with all-wheel drive; both rely on a 91-kilowatt-hour battery. The cabin has a minimalist aesthetic, and options include a heated windshield, a panoramic sunroof with varying opacity, a 14-speaker stereo, and a range of vibrant body colors. SPRING 2024 Redesigned for the 2025 model year, the Countryman is going to grow in length, height, and power. The biggest Mini ever starts with the…

If you haven’t been car shopping in a few years, prepare yourself for some sticker shock. Manufacturers are pumping out the most popular, higher-priced SUVs and trucks, and have pulled back on production of lower-priced models. And those less expensive vehicles on dealer lots can be loaded with options you don’t necessarily want that bump up their prices. “Manufacturers may advertise the base trim,” says Gabe Shenhar, associate director of CR’s Auto Test Center, “but dealerships tend to stock pricier versions packed with popular features.” This, along with limited supply and high demand, can drive the final cost well above the base price. The average transaction price—the amount you’ll actually pay for a new car after negotiating with the dealer—is now more than $48,000, a 23 percent increase since 2019,…

NOBODY SCRUTINIZES new cars like CR’s auto experts. We start by buying more than 50 new or redesigned models each year—and we do it anonymously. Then we evaluate them at our track and on nearby roads and highways. To calculate the Overall Score, we factor in the vehicle’s road-test score, which includes driving performance, fuel economy, and comfort, along with its reliability and owner satisfaction ratings from our surveys of CR members. Models that come standard with key active safety features are awarded extra points. This year we have ratings for 250 vehicles, organized by vehicle category and ranked by Overall Score, to provide you with a quick reference guide for shopping. HOW TO READ THE RATINGS Recommended Vehicles, indicated with a check mark ( ), are the models with…