Looking to get your teen a set of wheels for the summer or for traveling to school in the fall? There are many vehicles to choose from, but smart money is on those models that prioritize safety, reliability, and ease of use for inexperienced drivers.

The redesigned Subaru Forester is the only small SUV out of 13 tested to earn a top score of Good in the new small overlap crash test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Both the Forester and the 2013 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport, which received an Acceptable score, earn the Institute's Top Safety Pick+ award.

Does Tesla envy have you pining for an affordable electric car? Well, we just happen to have two test cars that we need to sell to make room, and funds, for new cars.

When Mitsubishi introduced its redesigned Outlander small SUV at the Los Angeles Auto Show last November, few paid attention. With the fanfare surrounding the redesigned Toyota RAV4 and Land Rover Range Rover, the small and humble Mitsubishi was relegated to a footnote. That's too bad because some brief hands-on acquaintance tells us it's a sound vehicle.

The Consumer Reports Annual Autos Issue is a great resource for researching the best cars. Flip through the magazine or tour the website, and it is clear there are many great choices. However, just as there are many good cars available, there are also many that fail miserably. These vehicles fall way below our threshold to be recommended. Take a look at our disappointing dozen—the cars Consumer Reports has recently tested with the lowest test scores.

While car brand reputation can be a strong influence on purchase decisions, such perceptions can be misleading. The reality is, every brand offers models that perform across a spectrum, with some are clearly better than others.

The auto industry has a very confusing family tree. The past few years have seen partnerships, sales, separations, bankruptcies, and entire divisions killed off, making it difficult to keep up with who owns which car brands.

The i-MiEV may fulfill its mission to be an efficient and basic urban runabout, but I don't think it's a car in which anyone will be happy spending time.

As the year winds to a close, it is natural to look back and recall the high points. But, it is also useful to remember the lows, including those cars that disappointed. Here, we commemorate the worst models in our ratings.

The Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) recently released their claims data showing which vehicles have the highest and lowest overall insurance losses. The safety research organization found that even though many vehicles now do well in crash tests, the role of vehicle size is important.

Since February we've been accumulating miles, little by little, on the tiny all-electric i-MiEV we bought soon after its launch.

Each year, the Consumer Reports Annual Auto Issue featuring the latest ratings, rankings and expert insights garners significant attention. The focus invariable turns to Top Picks and the automaker report cards. Both special reports given a quick snapshot of how makes and models compare, informing car buyers, as well as auto industry trivia enthusiasts. While everyone loves a winner, what about those brands that just never made the Top Pick cut?

Our Annual Autos Issue presents a dizzying array of facts and figures, all aimed at helping car shoppers choose the right model for their needs and budget. While we rate the automakers and present numerous best and worst lists, we haven’t offered a simple guide to the best and worst models by brand. Until now.

The car market is regaining traction. And in testing about 80 vehicles in the past year, we’ve gotten a good look at what’s new and notable. With erratic pump prices and stricter gas-mileage standards being phased in, fuel economy is a prominent goal. Automakers are pursuing it with more small cars, hybrids, and diesels; more efficient gas engines and transmissions; and a budding wave of electric vehicles (EVs). Here are some highlights:

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.