CNNMoney.com
posted its best cars 2007 from consumer reports. We
at luk4all.com brings you the excerpt of it.
To be a 'Top Pick',
a vehicle must score at or near the top of its
category in Consumer Reports' testing, must have at
least average reliability and must perform well in
government and Insurance Institute crash tests.
By Peter Valdes-Dapena, CNNMoney.com staff writer
Car
categories were broken into a few classes,
subcompact, small sedan, mid price sedan, luxury
sedan, small SUV, midsized SUV, minivan, green car
and fun to drive.
The
winner of the following categories are:
Subcompact
(Budget Car)
Honda Fit
Consumer Reports calls the Fit the "best overall in
a new class of fuel-efficient cars." Fuel
economy, as measured in Consumer Reports' controlled
tests, was 32 mpg with an automatic transmission and
34 mpg with a manual. "Not only is it fun to drive,
but its compact dimensions pack an impressive amount
of interior room and versatility," the magazine
said. The Fit got top scores in "Reliability,"
"Crash protection" and "Satisfaction." Its road test
score was good, but not the best. This has become a
crowded market segment with a number of good
entries, said David Champion, head of auto testing
for Consumer Reports.
Luk4all – The car above looks exactly like Honda
Jazz. Guess it’s the same car. Here we would have
classified the car as luxury compact J.
Small
Sedan
Honda Civic
Consumer Reports praises the Civic for its
"relatively roomy interior, comfortable ride, smooth
power train and good handling." It also helps that
the Civic has good reliability, crash test results
and fuel economy. In Consumer Reports' tests, it got
31 mpg with a manual transmission and 28 with an
automatic. The hybrid version got 37 mpg.
Luk4all – Small Sedan?? Here, again it would be
luxury big big sedan
J.
31MPG (miles per-gallon) = 50KML (km per liter), and
28MPG = 45KML
Mid
Price Sedan
Infiniti G35
Cost:
$35,000 to $39,000
The G35 is available in rear-wheel-drive or
all-wheel-drive. The G35 "really blows the BMW
3-series away at its own game," said David Champion,
head of auto testing for Consumer Reports.
"It's extremely fast - 306 horsepower, zero-to-60 in
5.4 seconds - really agile handling, great steering,
reasonable amount of room inside and really easy to
live with on a day-to-day basis."
Its reliability has also been excellent, Champion
said, although the record for parent company Nissan
has been spotty.
Luxury
Sedan
Infinity M35
Cost:
$42,000 to $45,000
The M35 earned the highest score of any sedan in
Consumer Reports' testing, according to the
magazine.
"Well equipped and comfortable, it's just as capable
on a twisty two-lane road as it is cruising down the
highway."
Like the smaller G35 - also a Top Pick - it's
available with either rear- or all-wheel-drive. The
V8-power M45 costs about $55,000. In the same class,
the BMW 530i and Audi A6 are also worth considering,
the magazine said.
Small
SUV
Toyota Rav4
The Rav4 was redesigned for 2006, adding more room
and an optional third row of seats. An optional V6
engine gives smooth performance and good power while
provided just 1 mpg lower fuel economy in Consumer
Reports' testing.
The Rav4 also got top marks for reliability and
crash protection. The newly redesigned Honda
CR-V is another good choice, the magazine said.
Mid
Sized SUV
Toyota Highlander Hybrid
Although the Highlander Hybrid is a Top Pick, even
Consumer Reports wouldn't advise you to buy it now.
That's because the redesigned 2008 version will be
available very soon.
The 2007 Highlander offers a comfortable, quiet ride
and excellent quality, according to Consumer
Reports. The new version will have a movable second
row, to allow for more space in the third row,
according to Toyota.
The Hybrid offers all the benefits of the non-hybrid
Highlander with better acceleration but only
slightly better fuel economy (22 mpg) in Consumer
Reports' testing. The redesigned will be the same,
in terms of the drivetrain, as the current version.
Minivan
Toyota
Sienna
When Consumer Reports first started releasing "Top
Picks" in 1997, the minivan chosen was the Dodge
Caravan/Plymouth Voyager.
The Toyota Sienna and Honda Odyssey have traded the
top spot ever since. With the addition of a more
powerful engine, the Sienna takes it back after two
years of going to the Odyssey.
"It's a little bit quieter, a little bit more
refined, little bit more comfortable than the
Odyssey," said David Champion, head of Consumer
Reports' auto testing.
Champion also said that, for his personal use, he
would go for the Honda.
"I'm a bit more of a driver," he said. "I prefer the
Odyssey. It's got a bit more of a sports car
performance in a minivan."
Green
car
Toyota Prius
The Prius got 44 mpg overall in Consumer Reports'
testing, the best the magazine has ever measured for
a 5-passenger vehicle.
The interior is also roomy enough, for both
occupants and luggage, to make the Prius a viable
alternative to an ordinary family sedan.
A
rearview camera is available and, the magazine says,
"highly recommended."
Fun
to drive
Mazda MX-5 Miata
The Miata offers balanced handling, pinpoint-precise
steering and a crisp six-speed manual transmission.
Its cloth top can be raised and lowered with one
hand without leaving the seat. A new power-folding
hard-top is available for 2007.
Reliability is fair, but that's good enough to earn
a recommendation.
The Miata competes against the Pontiac Solstice and
the closely-related Saturn Sky. So far, the Solstice
has been outselling the Miata.
"I think [the Solstice] is going to do very well for
the first couple of years," said David Champion,
head of Consumer Reports' auto testing, "but I
think, over the long term, this is the better sports
car."
There you have it. US’s best car 2007 from consumer
report. Kudos to Honda for scoring it big in USA’s
smaller size cars and to Nissan’s Infinity also
Toyota. What is your Malaysia’s Best Car 2007?
