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Consumer Reports Names Top 10 Car Recommendations of the Year

Consumer Reports, a nonprofit media organization recognized for its efforts in providing unbiased customer reviews by refusing to advertise and buying every product it tests, has published its list of top 10 picks of the year in the automotive category.
A section of Consumer Reports' test track 11 photos
Photo: Consumer Reports
2017 Toyota Yaris iA2017 Chevrolet Cruze2017 Toyota Prius (EU spec pictured)Mazda MX-5 (US spec)Kia Optima2016 Chevrolet Impala Midnight Edition2017 Subaru Forester2017 Toyota Highlander SE2017 Audi Q72017 Honda Ridgeline
Instead of just drive tests and extensive reviews, as most car magazines and websites do, the people at Consumer Reports focus on additional factors to determine their top-ten picks of the year before recommending their selection of the best cars for that year.

Before we go through their list, we must explain their “Top Pick” system. First of all, a vehicle must gen an “exemplary” Overall Score in its category.

That score is achieved after evaluating predicted reliability, owner satisfaction, safety, and road-test performance. Consumer Reports notes that an automobile that bests the competition be those measures is “truly extraordinary.”

While safety is evaluated by government and insurance industry-mandated tests, Consumer Reports conducts a round of crash-avoidance tests to supplement the rating with its opinion.

The owner satisfaction score is obtained through surveys made among its subscribers, who have supplied data on more than 300,000 vehicles from MY2014 and later. Only those who said that they would buy the same car all over again achieved the best score in the class.

Meanwhile, predicted reliability is something that is linked to a manufacturer’s track record, along with previous generations of that model, if available.

That means that some models might not get this recommendation soon if the entire lineup does not obtain improved reliability over the next few years.

Evidently, while Consumer Reports’ scientific method is enough for even the most demanding car customers, we must note that their choice might not be for you, and this is normal.

In other words, if you happen to hate the model they selected, and feel that your life would be happier with something else, in spite of recommendations from them, go with your heart, because you are not going to love their recommended car if you dream of something else that you can afford.

Toyota has topped this year’s recommendations with three out of ten picks, and the Japanese brand is followed closely by Chevrolet, which has two picks. All other brands have one selection, which is still a better result than none.

The Toyota Yaris iA is the smallest and most affordable model selected by Consumer Reports. The second recommendation is the Chevrolet Cruze.

The compact hybrid choice is predictable as daylight in the morning, and it comes in the form of a Toyota Prius. Consumer Reports’ sports car of choice is the Mazda MX-5 Miata for 2017.

Kia’s Optima obtained CR’s recommendation for 2017 in the mid-sized sedan category. Chevrolet’s Impala scored the leading place in the large sedan class.

Subaru’s Forester was chosen as CR’s best “small SUV,” and Toyota’s Highlander was the recommended Mid-sized SUV on this organization’s list.

Audi was the only premium brand to make the cut, and their Q7 is the best luxury SUV, but volume marques could not have entered this class because of its restrictions. Honda’s all-new Ridgeline was designated as the best compact pickup in Consumer Reports’ recommendations for 2017.

The automobiles recommended by the American publication are considered by many as "the safe bet," and most of their customers are going to be happy with their choice.
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About the author: Sebastian Toma
Sebastian Toma profile photo

Sebastian's love for cars began at a young age. Little did he know that a career would emerge from this passion (and that it would not, sadly, involve being a professional racecar driver). In over fourteen years, he got behind the wheel of several hundred vehicles and in the offices of the most important car publications in his homeland.
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