The "Annual Auto Issue" of Consumer Reports (April 1997) highlights a selection
of this year's new sedans (domestic and import), light trucks (minivans, pickup trucks,
sport-utility vehicles), and sports cars. Also profiled is a potential "car of the future,"
GM's EV-1, a two-seat, battery-powered vehicle whose disadvantages (including a
pricey monthly lease and a four-hour recharge every 70 miles) seem to outweigh its
advantages.
The magazine lists nine categories for the overall "top picks" of 1997. Rated best
family sedan is the Toyota Camry, consistently reliable and "extensively redesigned."
The vote for the best small sedan goes to the Mazda Prot‚g‚, with "an unusually roomy
rear seat" and "the comfort and refinement of a larger, heavier, and more expensive
car."
Pickup trucks, sport-utility vehicles (SUVs), and minivans will account for "nearly
half the new-vehicle market in 1997." Picked as the best sport-utility vehicle is the
Toyota 4Runner, offering "the best combination of overall performance and cargo
space." Toyota also comes out on top in the best small sport-utility vehicle category
with its RAV4, distinguished by its "carlike ride and handling, good fuel economy,
excellent cargo access, and full-time all-wheel drive." Ford's F-150 pickup gets the nod
for best pickup truck, impressive because of its "combination of almost carlike ride and
handling and workhorse cargo capacity." The Ford Ranger and Mazda B-Series are
rated best in the compact pickup category. Chrysler's short-bodied versions of the
Dodge Caravan and Plymouth Voyager get top billing in the best minivan category. Both
drive with "the refined road manners of a good sedan."
Considering both new and used vehicles, the overall best, regardless of price
distinction, goes to the Mercedes-Benz E320, noted for its "responsive handling" and
"quiet and composed ride." The best entry-level car is the 1989 Honda Civic,
commended for its reliability, "safe handling, a relatively comfortable ride, and good fuel
economy." Toyota again tops the list in the most fuel-efficient car category. In testing,
the 1995 Tercel averaged about 39 miles per gallon in city and highway driving.
For car buyers in the market for a used car, pages 68-85 of this issue of the
Consumer Reports are devoted to an extensive rating system for used cars, including
prices, reliability, and frequency-of-repair factors. A random selection from the best
1989-1995 models includes the Infiniti G20, the Honda Accord, the Toyota Camry, the
Nissan Maxima, and the Geo Prizm. Making the list for some of the worst used cars of
1989-1995 are the Chevrolet S-10 Blazer, the Jeep Wrangler, the Ford Bronco, the
Dodge Grand Caravan, and the Mercury Topaz.
