wow what an interesting list of best and worsts, especially the "worsts" list. I do find it funny that the 07 v8 4x4 tundra was exceptionally called out on the best list.

full article at MSN Autos:

http://editorial.autos.msn.com/article.asp...cumentid=435706

What says ye?

So, stay away from anything U-van related. Crossover Sport Vans and all.

They dumped pretty hard on GM.

yeah only one pontiac made it in the bests but its a vibe so really it sorta dont count

Only three American cars (Vibe doesn't count) were better-than-average... hmm...

Keep in mind, though, that there is usually a large number of American vehicles that score "average" on reliability. So either the American cars are getting better reliability scores or everything is leveling out and the "average" is going up. My guess is "both."

LOL @ the Baja.

YAWN.

They dumped pretty hard on GM.

The U-Van deserved what it got (2005+ Models)

Ignore this article. It is sourced from Consumer Retorts and, thusly, it should be treated as rubbish.

Awww geee. None of my cars are on there. Though I suppose the lawn tractor doesnt qualify. I wonder what the 2 old ones would have been on had they did such a thing back then?

aztek - worst?

this as i go back through my head and remember that in 3 1/2 years and 85k miles i've only done tires and brakes and a couple front wheel bearing under warranty.

i dunno, i've been happy. i think CR is wrong here.

i think CR is wrong here.

They usually are.

I dont take what Consumer Reports says too seriously.

I certainly hope they didn't pay any of their employees very much to put together this list.

I could have done it in less than 5 min.

Put all Honda/Toyota on best, all GM on worst. Roll dice for each Nissan model. Odd number goes on best list, even number goes on worst list. Done.

...

Analyze data? What data? I'm not paid to analyze data.

Edited April 9, 200817 yr by siegen

We own two cars on the list, a Safari van which is on the worst list and a Scion xB which is on the best list.

Safari is 11 years old and way past 100k miles, Scion is an 05 and going to go past 100k in the next few months...

Both have been reliable, decent cars.

We have a guy we just hired with an Astro work van as a daily, 374,000 miles on it on the original drivetrain pretty much trouble free (transmission rebuild at 288k miles).

If an Astro/Safari van can run 400k, maybe the Scion will run 800K because CR is the God of all things automotive and being Toyota the Scion is obviously SUCH a better car....

These articles have no basis in reality.

Chris

To be fair, GM cars (except the poor G6) escaped that Worst list unscathed.

Looking at the rest, when you consolidate the badge engineering:

Astro/Safari-same vehicle

Blazer/Jimmy/Bravada and their 4WD pickup equivalents-same vehicle

All the U-body vans, plus the Aztek/Rendezvous based on them-3 different models, but same platform (panned here quite heavily)

4WD Colorado/Canyon-same vehicle

I see four forgettable trucks and vans (two of which were pretty chintzy looking inside, so you could only imagine how they held up for the average driver, and one which was the same basic design from 1985).

Besides three Lincolns, Ford played the middle of the pack too. And only one of each Chrysler brand made the Worst list, with again 0 cars.

In any event, I expect them to say the Japanese make automotive gold. But the Worst list didn't tell the real story of the Americans, if you're smart enough to notice.

Undoubtedly, the Astro/Safari overstayed their welcome; however, I don't think I've ever encountered a more loyal band of fools that bought them. There were a lot of things not to like about those trucks, but durability was not one of them. I have customers who have owned 2 or 3 over the past 20 years and they swear by them. This is the same engine that Mercury Marine has used for many years as their V-6 maintstay.

If someone wanted to slay those vans because of cupholders or bitch about the heavy bench seats in the back (because they were to f'ing cheap to buy a LT with the split buckets in the back), well that is their problem - not the vans.'

We all know that the U-vans had spotty build quality in the first few years, but later years were better workhorses. If someone were to pay, say $5k more for a Odyssey or Sienna, surely they would not abuse them like the much 'cheaper' U-vans. I have seen a Venture only a month old with barf, chips and pop staining the carpets already! Y'think some prissy Scarsdale mom is going to let young Veronica and Thornton eat or drink in their Sienna?

I've said this before and I will say this again: station wagons (which minivans basically are) get abused by families. That is what they are for. GM minivans probably get abused more, because of the mindset of the import humpers that buy the competition. There were 5Xs more '67 Chevy wagons sold as Cadillac DeVilles, but you'd be lucky to find a '67 wagon on the road these days - that doesn't mean the sheet metal or build was that much worse, just how they were treated when new.

Mu sister has a 1998 Venture that has served her very well. It has nver left her at the side of the road and the few things it has needed were minor. Cant say that about the so called #1 Dodge Grand Caravan she had before it. My only complaint about the Venture is that it rides a little softly.

Ignore this article. It is sourced from Consumer Retorts and, thusly, it should be treated as rubbish.

Uh....yeah....but there are alot of people out there that swear by Consumer Reports.....so you can hardly "ignore" the article......

Uh....yeah....but there are alot of people out there that swear by Consumer Reports.....so you can hardly "ignore" the article......

As an enthusiast... I can. GM can't, though, unfortunately. Stupid CR.

The Astro/Safari is incredibly durable. Last summer I worked as a construction inspector/surveyor and the company I worked for used mostly Safari/Astro vans, also had a Colorado (POS) and a Silverado and Sierra. Anyways, those vehicles get the crap beat out of them and just keep on running. I think one of them had over 300k, a couple over 200k, and this isn't just mileage going down the road, this is mileage on job sites where pipe is being laid, concrete being poured, etc. (ie, no roads, off-road driving that beats the hell out of them). I can't think of one time that any of the vans had to go in to the shop to get fixed. All of them were well past their oil change dates, as well. Some of the dirtiest vehicles I've ever seen, not very well cared for... but they just keep on running.