Consumer Reports Finds Vehicles from Detroit's Big Three Are Now More Reliable than those from European Manufacturers

CR reliability survey marks best performance by domestic manufacturers in
decades; Vehicles from Asian makers continue to hold overall lead in reliability

YONKERS, NY - Consumer Reports' annual auto reliability survey shows that
new vehicles from Detroit's Big Three automakers are now slightly more
reliable, on average, than those from European makers. The survey also shows
that vehicles from Ford, General Motors and Chrysler tend to hold up better
than European makes as time passes.
This is the first time in decades that domestically-built vehicles have done
so well in Consumer Reports' highly regarded auto-reliability survey.
Consumer Reports survey is the largest of its kind to gauge automotive
reliability. CR surveyed subscribers to its magazine and web site,
ConsumerReports.org, in 2003 to obtain reliability data on some 675,000
privately owned or leased cars, trucks, minivans, and sport-utility
vehicles.
Overall, the most reliable vehicles continue to be built by Asian automakers
in Japan and Korea.
Survey findings are published in CR's Annual April Auto Issue, which is on
sale from March 9 through June 9. The Auto Issue is available wherever
magazines are sold and may also be ordered online at ConsumerReports.org.
In the auto-reliability survey, subscribers were asked to report serious
problems in any of 14 different trouble areas, ranging from the engine and
transmission to body hardware and electrical systems for vehicles up to
eight years old. Using that data, Consumer Reports predicts reliability for
new models and gives detailed problem rates for older models. For Consumer
Reports to recommend a vehicle, it has to perform well in CR's tests, have
at least average reliability based on CR's subscriber surveys, and have done
well in independent crash testing.
CR's statistical analysis for each manufacturer is based upon the number of
problems per 100 vehicles. The survey shows that among cars less than a year
old, the average problem rate for European cars was 20 per 100 vehicles. For
domestic cars and trucks, the problem rate was less-at 18 problems per 100.
The average problem rate for all 2003 vehicles covered in the survey
(including domestic, European, and Asian brands) was 17 problems per 100
vehicles. In CR's 2002 subscriber survey, U.S. and European automakers were
tied at about 21 problems per 100.The problem rate for the newest models
among all Japanese and Korean vehicles held steady in the survey at 12
problems per 100. Vehicles from Acura, Honda, Infiniti, Lexus, Mazda, and
Toyota have been the most reliable makes over the past five model years,
based on the average problem rates.

How Manufacturers' New Cars Stack Up
Here's a look at how manufacturers stacked up in CR's reliability survey:
*	Chrysler has made great strides during the past several years. Some
new Chrysler models have been reliable since their introduction; in the
past, some new Chrysler models tended to be problematic. The Jeep Liberty
was the most reliable 2003 Chrysler vehicle. The Chrysler PT Cruiser also
had above-average reliability. The Dodge Ram and Dodge Neon improved to
average overall. 
*	Ford continues to suffer from teething pains-problems with new or
redesigned models during their first few years. For example, the
new-for-2003 Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator fared poorly in this
survey. But Ford was able to improve the reliability of some of the models
that have been in production for several years, such as the Ford Focus,
Lincoln LS, Ford Escape, Ford Explorer, and Mazda Tribute, the Escape's
twin. CR is now able to recommend all of those models.
*	In the three-year weighted average we use to predict reliability,
General Motors' Buick Regal was the most reliable family sedan in the
survey, out-performing perennial winners such as the Toyota Camry and Nissan
Maxima. The best GM car for the 2003 model year in terms of its reliability
is the Chevrolet Monte Carlo. Several of GM's full-sized trucks and SUVs,
including the Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado, Suburban, and Tahoe, and the
GMC Sierra, Yukon, and Yukon XL, continue to maintain average predicted
reliability.
*	Honda, Nissan, Mazda, and Toyota were among the makes well
represented in the top ranks of reliability. The Toyota Camry (redesigned
for 2002) and Nissan Altima, which had sunk to average in CR's 2002 survey,
have improved to above average. Some Japanese nameplates had a mixed
showing. Nissan and Subaru have generally good reliability, but the Nissan
Sentra dropped to below-average. The new-for-2003 Subaru Baja also had
below-average reliability.
*	Relatively few European cars did well. The handful showing average
or better reliability are the BMW 3-Series, the Saab 9-3 and 9-5, and all
Volvos except the XC90. But all Mercedes-Benz models were below average, as
were all Audis, Jaguars, Land Rovers, and the BMW 7 Series, X5, and Mini
Cooper. Volkswagen continued losing ground, with the Golf, Jetta, New
Beetle, and four-cylinder Passat all worse than average.
The Prospect for Older Cars
CR found that, as vehicles age, Asian vehicles generally have fewer problems
than U.S. or European models. The average 2001 model had about 54 problems
per 100 vehicles, or about three times the problem rate of a 2003. But U.S.
models tended to have fewer problems than Europeans for most years covered
in the survey.
For 2001 models, domestic vehicles had an average of 60 problems while the
Europeans had 67 problems per 100 vehicles. For most of the other model
years covered, domestic manufacturers had about 10 percent fewer problems
than the Europeans. The exceptions were the two oldest model years covered,
1996 and 1997, in which the domestic and European manufacturers had similar
problem rates. For the 2002 model year, the domestic manufacturers had 25
percent fewer problems than the Europeans.