Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Consumer Reports' top picks of 2012
A redesigned, significantly improved Camry Hybrid has helped Toyota capture five of the 10 spots on this year’s Top Picks list. Toyota’s ability to maintain its competitive lead among hybrids and SUVs is a big factor in its strong presence on this year’s list. But another factor is today’s weaker minivan field. The current Sienna scored lower in our tests than its predecessor, but the front-wheel-drive version is the only minivan that didn’t have below-average reliability in our latest survey. So it’s the only minivan we recommend.
Our Top Picks are the best all-around models in their categories, chosen from the more than 260 vehicles we’ve recently tested. For car shoppers, they are a great place to start. To see the best & worst 2012 cars and best new-car car values, see Consumer Reports’ annual auto issue.
How we decide
Top Picks must meet our criteria in three areas:
Road test
Each must rank at or near the top of its category in overall test score.
Reliability
Each must have earned an average or better predicted-reliability Rating, based on the problems Consumer Reports subscribers reported on 1.3 million vehicles in our latest Annual Auto Survey.
Safety
Top Picks must perform well if included in crash- or rollover tests conducted by the government or the insurance industry.
Each model’s report card shows its overall road-test and predicted-reliability Ratings, as well as its overall fuel economy in our tests. If multiple Ratings are displayed, they apply to different versions of a model. Prices reflect the sticker prices when we bought our test cars. You can find more details on all of the Top Picks in our vehicle ratings.
Family sedan:
With its 2012 redesign, the Camry Hybrid jumped to the top of the family-sedan category. One eye-opener for a car of this size is its impressive 38 mpg overall fuel economy, the best in class and even better than some smaller hybrids that lack the Camry’s performance. Other high points include a comfortable ride; a roomy, quiet cabin; fairly quick acceleration; and for 2012, a nicer interior and somewhat crisper handling (although the Camry is still no sports sedan).
Our Top Picks are the best all-around models in their categories, chosen from the more than 260 vehicles we’ve recently tested. For car shoppers, they are a great place to start. To see the best & worst 2012 cars and best new-car car values, see Consumer Reports’ annual auto issue.
How we decide
Top Picks must meet our criteria in three areas:
Road test
Each must rank at or near the top of its category in overall test score.
Reliability
Each must have earned an average or better predicted-reliability Rating, based on the problems Consumer Reports subscribers reported on 1.3 million vehicles in our latest Annual Auto Survey.
Safety
Top Picks must perform well if included in crash- or rollover tests conducted by the government or the insurance industry.
Each model’s report card shows its overall road-test and predicted-reliability Ratings, as well as its overall fuel economy in our tests. If multiple Ratings are displayed, they apply to different versions of a model. Prices reflect the sticker prices when we bought our test cars. You can find more details on all of the Top Picks in our vehicle ratings.
Family sedan:
With its 2012 redesign, the Camry Hybrid jumped to the top of the family-sedan category. One eye-opener for a car of this size is its impressive 38 mpg overall fuel economy, the best in class and even better than some smaller hybrids that lack the Camry’s performance. Other high points include a comfortable ride; a roomy, quiet cabin; fairly quick acceleration; and for 2012, a nicer interior and somewhat crisper handling (although the Camry is still no sports sedan).
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