Consumer Reports’ Used-Car Reliability Survey Finds Some Used Cars Have Fewer Problems Than New Models

Late-model used vehicles offer more car for the money

YONKERS, N.Y. Feb. 28, 2011 Consumer Reports’

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Overall, Japanese cars are the most trouble-free, with Honda and Toyota far ahead compared with older vehicles made by other major manufacturers—especially 2006 (five-year old) and earlier models.

David Champion Consumer Reports

Some models have an alarming problem rate even when they’re still fairly new. More than one in four owners of the 2009 four-cylinder Toyota Tacoma pickup reported a problem with the radio in the 12 months covered by the survey. For now, it’s being replaced free under Toyota’s basic warranty, which expires after three years or 36,000 miles.

Consumer Reports’

Consumer Reports

Consumer Reports

The issue also identifies models that have had multiple years of below-average reliability in the Worst of the Worst list.  The Used Cars to Avoid list highlights specific models and the years that they had below-average reliability.

Consumer Reports March 8 www.ConsumerReports.org

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APRIL 2011

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