2011 Car Expected Reliability: Consumer Reports’ Top 10 Small Cars

Annual Consumer Reports predicts the short-term reliability of motor vehicle models for the new model year. This predicted reliability is based on the infrequency of serious issues in the previous three model years, as reported in a survey of its subscribers.

When data is missing or insufficient for one or more model years, the predicted short-term reliability is based on less than the last three model years. In some cases, it is based on just one year, mainly when a model is new or recently redesigned.

Based on the reliability predictions for the 2011 model year, CR’s top ten small cars are listed below. The list omits all models whose reliability prediction is based on only one year.

Consumer Reports’ Top 10 Small Cars

• The Toyota Yaris, a 2 or 4 door sedan or hatchback
• The Honda Fit, a 4-door hatchback
• Toyota Motor Corporation’s Scion xD, a 4-door hatchback
• The Honda Civic coupe
• The Honda Civic sedan
• Toyota’s Scion xB, a square wagon
• The Subaru Impreza without a turbo, a sedan or a station wagon
• The Mazda3 sedan
• The Toyota Corolla, a sedan
• The Hyundai Elantra car

The next 5 from CRs are also remarkably reliable. Are:

• The Toyota Matrix, a wagon
• The Mazda3 hatchback
• The Nissan Sentra
• The Suzuki SX4, a sedan, a hatchback or a 4-door wagon
• The Ford Focus sedan.

Of the Top 10, Toyota Motor Corporation has 4, Honda Motor Company with 3 and Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. (Subaru), Mazda Motor Corporation and Hyundai Motor Company each have one.

Below are the 2010 Automotive Reliability GPAs, based on last year’s survey of the best priors. In most cases, GPAs are based on more than the most recent three model years and may be a preferable guide for those consumers planning a property for the medium to long term.

• Toyota Yaris / Echo – A perfect 4.00 on a 9-year data history
• Honda Fit: 4.00 over 3 years
• Scion xD: 4.00 over 2 years
• Honda Civic Coupe: N / A
• Honda Civic sedan: 3.75 in 10 years
• Scion xB: 3.78 over 5 years
• Subaru without turbo car: 3.02 over 9 years
• Mazda3 sedan: 3.33 in 6 years
• Toyota Corolla: 3.81 in 10 years
• Hyundai elantra sedan and wagon: 2.38 in 10 years
• Toyota Matrix: 3.40 for 7 years
• Mazda3 hatchback: N / A
• Nissan Sentra: 2.00 for 9 years
• Suzuki SX4: 3.00 for 2 years
• Ford Focus sedan: 2.38 in 10 years.

The 2010 Consumer Reports survey provides data on 1.3 million vehicles. Since you are looking for serious problems, many consumers who plan to buy a new and used vehicle consider it very highly. Reliability ratings for used cars based on your 2010 survey will be released in late 2010 and early to mid-2011, if past publication history remains current.

Current short-term reliability CR predictions for model year 2011 are based on model years 2008, 2009, and 2010.