NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Buying a new car isn’t cheap these days. Prices and interest rates are both high, so making the right choice matters.
Consumer Reports tests every car it rates and reviews to determine which ones give you the best value for your money.
Every year, Consumer Reports asks its members about any problems they’ve experienced with their vehicles over the past 12 months.
The survey covers areas from minor issues like trim and infotainment systems to serious and costly ones involving the engine, transmission, or electric motors.
Problems no one wants to deal with on a new car!
This year, Consumer Reports analyzed data from about 380,000 vehicles.
The top brands include Toyota, Subaru, and Lexus — with Honda and BMW rounding out the top five.
“The same automakers continue to dominate our top brand ratings," said Mike Quincy. "And that's because when they're looking at redesigning a model, they're not making huge seismic changes to their models and all the models across the line use shared components.
Consumer Reports’ latest findings show that EVs and plug-in hybrids remain more trouble-prone than traditional gas models, while conventional hybrids—which don’t need to be plugged in—continue to stand out for reliability.
“Hybrids are a more complex bit of machinery compared to regular internal combustion," Quincy added. "But some manufacturers, in particular Toyota and also Hyundai and Kia, have been at it so long and they've worked out the processes to make their hybrid models super reliable.
Along with better fuel economy, Consumer Reports experts find hybrid versions often deliver a smoother driving experience than traditional models.
Consumer Reports also ranks brands that make the best used cars, which includes Lexus , Toyota and Mazda.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at jennifer.kraus@newschannel5.com.
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