One of the esteemed authorities of reviews, Consumer Reports, has recently released their best car list of 2014. The company uses excellence in three categories– test performance, reliability and safety to choose the cars that we all should be looking at. Consumer Reports separated cars into a variety of categories, from small SUV, midsize sedan, compact car and midsize SUV to green car, pickup truck, luxury car, sports sedan and minivan. The best of these had the highest ratings from Consumer Reports National Research Center which garnered reports from subscribers as well as government and insurance industries to get their results. The winners of each car are the following:
Small SUV
Subaru Forester’s roomy rear seats, 35 mpg on the highway and its affordable price make this mini-SUV the top of the line.
Midsized sedan
Honda Accord wins for probably the 1,000th time with a mpg as good as their subcompact car. The Accord’s ride is always above average, but there is a noted reliability issue with the HondaLink infotainment system on the EX-L versions.
Compact car
Subaru returns agains with its Impreza, coming in a sedan and hatchback version with a roomy interior and great fuel economy.
Midsized SUV
Hyundai steps into the top ranks with its seven-passenger Santa Fe that offers a smooth exterior and luxurious ride.
Green car
Larry David would approve–Toyota Prius hold the crown on the best green car again.
Pickup truck
The Ram 1500 edges out over the Chevrolet Silverado due to the Chevy’s reliability issues. Its powerful 5.7-liter V8 and quiet cabin make the Ram 1500 the pickup truck to beat.
Luxury car
The Audi A6 garners the words “impeccable” and “sumptuous” even from Consumer Reports as the diesel-powered V6 Audi with 28 mpg wins the best luxury car of 2014 title.
Sports sedan
The BMW 328i takes the cake with a turbo-charged four-cylinder engine with 28mpg. This year, BMW also releases a diesel version called the 328d which is greatly received.
Minivan
The Honda Odyssey can carry eight people, has “decent” fuel economy and a V6 engine. At its great price, it also has features such as a backup standard as standard.
If you’re looking to purchase a new car or make an upgrade, this list will surely help you narrow things down a little. If you want to go big and green, go for the Consumer Reports best overall car, the luxury electric Tesla Model S. It runs in the $90,000 price range, but the streets as well as Consumer Reports will definitely approve.
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