You would assume that if an automaker poured millions of dollars into a major redesign of one of its models that the new version would be better than the old one. But more and more, that’s not the case. In fact, a lot of the slip-sliding we’re seeing here at Consumer Reports has been coming from some traditionally high-performing brands, including Honda, Toyota, and Volkswagen. (See our automaker report cards.)

Riding a wave of impressive redesigned models in the last few years, Subaru for the first time has earned the top score in Consumer Reports automaker report cards for 2012. Meanwhile, Honda, which had been the perennial winner for the past four years, slipped two points to fourth place among 13 major automakers, behind Mazda and Toyota.

As the competition grows stronger with each passing year, it has been increasingly difficult for a single automaker to dominate Consumer Reports’ annual Top Picks list. This year, Toyota is the first brand to earn half of the top 10 spots in nearly a decade.

Not all cars are created equal, and we have the data to prove it. Consumer Reports puts each vehicle through more than 50 individualized tests and evaluations to come out with a road test score that determines each vehicle’s Rating. This number represents how well a vehicle performs in a variety of areas including braking, acceleration, fuel economy, comfort, and cargo space among others. Overall test scores are presented on a 100-point scale and we list the best- and worst- scoring models below.

Good brakes are critical for controlling a car and avoiding accidents. In our tests, we measure dry and wet braking to assess how each vehicle compares to its competition, and we find there can be significant variation from the best to the worst performers.

Facing the double whammy of a stressed economy and high gasoline prices, drivers are feeling pain at the pump and in their wallets. When it comes time to buy a replacement car, it is no surprise drivers are placing a priority on fuel efficiency. Fortunately, there is an increasing number of choices that are pushing the boundaries for good fuel economy. The list below highlights the best and worst vehicles in overall fuel economy based on Consumer Reports testing.

We all want a car to be safe, reliable, and perform well, but since we all spend too much time behind the wheel (and making payments!), it might as well be fun to drive, too. Our automotive engineers have combined their test data and notes to come up with the cars they have found to be the most fun to drive.

Last week, we looked at whether cars rated at 40 mpg EPA highway could actually deliver on that estimate in the real world. It turns out that most can based on our tests, but the Hyundai Elantra fell a bit short. Are there other cars that are also challenged to live up to their window sticker?

If you are an automaker launching a new, fuel-efficient car, claiming 40 mpg (EPA highway fuel economy) is like the new black. Basically everyone’s doing it. But, will consumers actually achieve that magic number in the real world? To find out, we compared the highway fuel economy in Consumer Reports’ tests to the EPA numbers for cars claiming over 40 mpg on the highway.

With the recent release of our annual car reliability data, there was widespread coverage of the findings that showed Ford stumbled with some new cars, Chrysler made dramatic improvements, and the Japanese automakers dominated the top 10 brands, joined notably by Volvo. However, not all media outlets seemed to understand or explain our methodologies. So, let's clarify a few key points around the reliability survey and auto testing, busting those myths before they spread further.

Many drivers may have heard of electronic stability control, but few have seen it in action. That's likely especially true for teen drivers. At the Street Survival School held at the Consumer Reports Auto Test Center this spring, teens and their parents learned first hand why we and other auto safety advocates consider stability control the most important safety advance in cars since the seat belt.

Consumer Reports is currently running an extended tread-wear test on 36 all-season and all-terrain truck tire models. Although testing continues, the early results provide some revelations about what makes a good tire value.

Spring has officially arrived and that means it's time to think about spring cleaning for the car, including a good washing and a fresh coat of wax. At Consumer Reports, we started getting ready for warm-weather waxing months ago,...

The year 2011 marks the 75th anniversary of Consumer Reports. Since 1936, we have tested about 155,000 products across all categories from toasters to TVs and in the automotive group from T-Birds to tires. In the early years we...

Question: How do you keep a world-class test track operating at peak efficiency? Answer: You give it a new layer of pavement.We regularly monitor surface friction on the Consumer Reports Auto Test Center track to ensure consistent, comparable performance...