Consumer Reports’ Best Cars of 2010
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For many people, buying a car is one of the biggest decisions they’ll ever make. It’s important to get the right vehicle for you and your family, and that means picking a model that has reliability, durability, safety and features you like.
There are thousands of vehicles to choose from, ranging from basic cars and sedans to SUVs and pickup trucks. It can be confusing to find the best vehicle for your needs, but Consumer Reports makes it easier with their annual list of top picks.
The top picks come from a variety of sources, including road tests, owner surveys and safety ratings. They include both new and used models.
BMW wins this year’s title for the first time, based on its road-test scores and reliability and satisfaction survey results. Other brands at the top include Subaru, Toyota, and Ford.
Honda is another brand with an impressive reputation for quality and value, and it’s no exception to the rule in this category. Its entire lineup, from the base Sport to the high-performance Type R, offers driving pleasure and refinement without breaking the bank.
Volkswagen’s Jetta might be the German brand’s bestselling sedan, and it’s no wonder; its stylish exterior hides a well-appointed interior with plenty of room for passengers and cargo. Plus, it comes with a great warranty and has a lot of the same features as more expensive rivals.
The Mazda3 is a fun and engaging small sedan, with a variety of engine options to suit different tastes. Its driving dynamics are sharp and its steering is precise, even in the more aggressive STI and Si trims. It’s also available with all-wheel drive, a rarity in this segment.
For a small car, it’s hard to beat the Nissan Versa. The car offers an affordable entry point into a sedan and gets up to 40 mpg on the highway, making it an excellent choice for commuters. The Versa’s front-seat headroom and legroom are surprisingly spacious, too.
It’s a shame Volkswagen dropped the Passat from its lineup, because it still had a good sedan with great reliability and a nice range of features. It’s now competing with Toyota Corolla, Hyundai Elantra and Kia K5 in the mid-sized segment.
While some car buyers are opting for SUVs and crossovers, a number of consumers still want to own a sedan that’s more luxurious than a compact. The BMW i4 is an example of a sports sedan that delivers the power and handling you’d expect in a higher-end vehicle while keeping the price down, making it the best buy for those looking to enjoy a luxury driving experience.
This is one of the best deals you can find in the market today for a pre-owned sedan. It’s got a long history of reliable performance, and it’s also backed by a warranty that promises to cover you for up to five years or 60,000 miles.
The Ferrari F8 Tributo isn’t as pure a sports car as the Ferrari 488, but it’s still an excellent driver’s car with the spirit of the Italian brand. The Audi RS6 Avant is another fine example, with its 591-hp turbocharged V8 offering blistering acceleration and a smooth ride.