Top-selling cars in 2009 yields some surprises

It’s been a tough year so far for automakers. Many manufacturers are posting large declines in sales compared to last year. However, some individual vehicle models are making strides. Reuters recently put together a list of the top-selling vehicles through October 2009 and it holds some surprises.

The Ford F-150 pickup continues to secure the top spot even with a sales decrease of 23 percent in 2009 over the first ten months of 2008. However, not all pickups held their sales rank; the Dodge Ram drops from the 5th spot to 9th and the Toyota Camry bumped the Chevy Silverado down from 2nd to 3rd.

But the big news is the Ford Fusion. The Fusion was freshened for the 2010 model year and has achieved a number of accolades. The Fusion hybrid is the highest scoring domestic family sedan in Consumer Reports testing. Most versions of the Fusion have above average predicted reliability in our survey data. In sales, it has jumped 10 spots to reach the top 10. Further, it is the only model in the top 10 to show a sales increase this year--15 percent over last year.

Here is the list of the top 10 vehicles in sales and the change from 2008. Also, noteworthy is that all the models are recommended by Consumer Reports.

Click on each model in the chart below to see how they performed in our road test, and see their ratings for reliability, safety, and more.

Rank	Make & model	2009	2008	2008 rank	% change
1	Ford F-Series pickup	334,922	436,022	1	-23.2
2	Toyota Camry	285,069	379,270	3	-24.8
3	Chevrolet Silverado pickup	261,142	402,191	2	-35.1
4	Honda Accord	244,579	333,011	6	-26.6
5	Toyota Corolla	240,755	307,071	4	-21.6
6	Honda Civic	223,751	304,297	8	-26.5
7	Nissan Altima	169,435	241,529	9	-29.8
8	Honda CR-V	158,573	171,193	11	-7.4
9	Dodge Ram pickup	155,467	213,684	5	-27.2
10	Ford Fusion	148,045	128,381	20	+15.3

Also read: Flashy muscle cars are recession's hot ticket.

—Liza Barth

2009 Annual Auto Reliability Survey: Best and worst models by car maker

It is easy to assume that certain automakers build only reliable cars and others don’t, however, nearly every manufacturer have their share of winners and losers in our annual reliability survey. Each company and even brand product portfolio runs a spectrum of reliability performance, with its own best and worst examples. For some, the range can span from much better than average to much worse than average, whereas other may be centered around average. The key lesson from scanning the data within an automaker is not to make assumptions.

For example, the best Toyota Motor Company model in our reliability survey is the Lexus SC—its predicted reliability score is the second highest out of over 300 vehicles, but the worst is the Lexus GS (AWD), which scores in the bottom 10 percent, and receives a much worse than average rating, and is not recommended in our testing. While it is true that Lexus models tend to be reliable and test well, this is not the case for all Lexus vehicles.

The greatest disparity comes from Volkswagen. The VW Golf (aka Rabbit) is one of the most reliable small cars you can buy, but the Volkswagen Touareg has the lowest predicted reliability score in our 2009 Annual Auto Survey.

In most cases, the best model for reliability is a recommended model and the worst is not. However, Honda’s top reliable vehicle in our survey, the Honda Insight, is not recommended due to low scores in our testing. The least reliable Honda vehicle is the Acura RL, but it has an average reliability score and is recommended. Honda is one of the more consistent manufacturers and has no model that scored below average in reliability.

The two more reliable General Motors products are from two brands that are leaving the GM umbrella. The Saturn Aura (4-cyl.) is newly recommended this year and the Pontiac Vibe will be phased out in the coming months.

Below are the best and worst models in reliability. Models with an * are based on data of one model year only.

BMW
Best: BMW 328i (RWD)
Worst: BMW 535i (AWD)*

Chrysler
Best: Jeep Patriot
Worst: Chrysler Town & Country/Dodge Grand Caravan

Ford
Best: Ford Fusion/Mercury Milan (4-cyl.)
Worst: Ford F-250 (turbodiesel, 4WD)*

General Motors
Best: Chevrolet Malibu (V6)
Worst: Chevrolet Colorado/GMC Canyon (4WD)

Honda
Best: Honda Insight*
Worst: Acura RL

Hyundai/Kia
Best: Hyundai Tucson
Worst: Kia Sedona

Mazda
Best: Mazda3 sedan
Worst: Mazda CX-7

Mercedes-Benz
Best: Mercedes-Benz GLK*
Worst: Mercedes-Benz GL-Class (turbodiesel)*

Nissan
Best: Infiniti M35 (RWD)
Worst: Nissan Versa sedan*

Subaru
Best: Subaru Impreza Outback Sport
Worst: Subaru Impreza WRX*

Toyota
Best: Lexus SC*
Worst: Lexus GS (AWD)

Volkswagen
Best: Volkswagen Golf (Rabbit)
Worst: Volkswagen Touareg*

Volvo
Best: Volvo S40 (FWD)*
Worst: Volvo XC90 (V8)*

The main take away from this information is don’t judge a book by its cover. Avoid assumptions and do your research before you buy your next vehicle. It takes just a few minutes to browse the model overview pages, or use the interactive new car selector tool, which sorts and filters by the parameters that matter most to you.

Either path will reveal Consumer Reports recommended models that did well in our road tests, score average or better in reliability, and performs at least adequately if included in government or insurance industry safety tests.

For more details on our 2009 Annual Auto Survey including the full list of most and least reliable new cars by vehicle type, see our reliability report. Also, check out our guide to car reliability for more details on new and used car reliability as well as owner satisfaction.

—Liza Barth 

Recalls: Audi, Infiniti, Nissan, and Pontiac vehicles

A few recalls have been announced recently that affect the Audi A3 and Audi TT and Roadster, Infiniti M35 and M45, Nissan Cube, Murano, and Rogue, and Pontiac Vibe. If your vehicle is listed here, the manufacturer will contact you with information about what to do, or you can use one of the numbers we list below to contact the manufacturer yourself.

2006-2010 Audi A3, 2008-2010 Audi TT and TT Roadster

Volkswagen is recalling certain Audi A3, TT and TT Roadsters manufactured between September 29, 2005 and August 26, 2009 due to a problem with the fuel tank cover. The closing force of the spring of the fuel tank ventilation valve isn’t adequate to hold the valve closed under extreme driving conditions. This could cause fuel to leak and a vehicle fire could occur.

Owners will be notified of the problem and dealers will replace the fuel tank ventilation value free of charge. Questions regarding the recall can be answered by calling 1-800-253-2834.

2008-2010 Infiniti M35 and M45, 2009 Nissan Cube and Nissan Murano and 2008 Nissan Rogue

Nissan is recalling some 2008-2010 Infiniti and Nissan vehicles sold or registered in certain states due to a problem with the nut used to secure the sensor-transmitter of the tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS). The nut may corrode and crack after being in contact with heavy concentrations of road salt. If this occurs the nut may come out of the sensor transmitter and the tire-pressure light may illuminate. If the owner ignores the light and the vehicle continues to operate, the tire will quickly lose air pressure and could result in a flat increasing the risk of a crash.

The recall only affects models sold or registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington D.C., West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

The dealer will replace the TPMS nut free of charge. Owners may contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261 and Infiniti at 1-800-662-6200.

2008-2009 Nissan Rogue

Nissan is recalling certain 2008-2009 Nissan Rogue vehicles due to a screw in the steering gear cover that could loosen and fall out. This could result in loss of steering control and an increased risk of a crash.

Dealers will inspect to see if the screw is loose and tighten it if necessary. They will also install a cover plate to prevent he screw from coming out. Owners may contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261 for more information.

2009-2010 Pontiac Vibe

General Motors is recalling certain 2009-2010 Vibe models equipped with the 1.8-liter engine and sold or registered in cold-weather states.

When driving in certain conditions in extremely low temperatures, the intake manifold suction port for the brake vacuum can become locked due to freezing condensation. This could lead to longer stopping distances and a possible crash.

The recall only affects models sold or registered in Alaska, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

Dealers will modify the brake vacuum line free of charge. Owners may contact Pontiac at 1-800-620-7668.

Life after cash for clunkers: September auto sales

The much-publicized cash for clunkers program gave a shot of adrenaline to car sales this summer, inspiring purchases even from consumers who did not participate. With the $3 billion spent in moving people into more fuel-efficient vehicles, the question became, what would become of the market without the federal incentives? The answer: September sales figures show that all manufacturers saw a significant 35 to over 50 percent sales decrease compared to August. But--and here’s the good news--when compared to last September, a few manufacturers actually saw a sales increase, including Hyundai, Kia, and Subaru.

Here are the sales trends among the largest automakers:

Chrysler: Still struggling post bankruptcy, Chrysler saw a 42-percent decrease over last September and down 40 percent for the calendar year so far.

Ford: Helped by a sales surge from the redesigned Taurus, Ford showed only a small decrease of five percent over September 2008, but so far this year they are down 22 percent.

GM: Low inventory levels after the clunker program pushed General Motors to a decrease of 45 percent over last year and 36 percent decrease so far for 2009.

Honda: With a decrease in sales almost across the board (except the Pilot, which showed a small increase), Honda sales were down 23 percent over last year and 24 percent so far this year.

Hyundai: Continues to enjoy growth and increase market share. They reported a 27 percent increase over last September and a 1.4 increase year to date.

Nissan: Sales for September were down 7 percent over last year and 26 percent year to date. A number of vehicles, including the Nissan Maxima, 370Z, Pathfinder, and Frontier, as well as the Infiniti QX56, saw a gain over last year.

Subaru: Attributing its success to the redesigned Outback and Legacy models, Subaru saw an increase of 1 percent over last September and continues to have the highest sales percent increase of any manufacturer--up 10 percent for the calendar year so far.

Toyota: Overall sales were down 16 percent from last year and 27 percent year to date, but the Lexus division saw an increase of 7 percent over September 2008.

Even with help from last month’s cash for clunkers program, manufacturers are still struggling this year. As they enter the fourth quarter, we should see some more promotions and rebates to help drive up sales before the end of the year.

—Liza Barth 

Pricing: 2010 Nissan Altima

The 2010 Nissan Altima receives a new look and enhanced tech features, but the most significant change is standard stability control across on all models.
 
In Consumer Reports’ tests, the Altima outscores the Honda Accord, but was edged out of the 2009 Top Pick family sedan designation due to the lack of standard stability control. This necessary change keeps it competitive with other top sedans.
 
Exterior changes include a restyled hood, grille, front bumper, and new wheel design. In addition, the audio system has been upgraded to include iPod connectivity, Bluetooth, XM radio, and rearview camera.  Also available is a navigation system with touch-screen display.
 
Pricing remains unchanged for the base 2.5 S sedan at $19,900 for the 2.5-liter four-cylinder model with a continuously variable transmission (CVT). The SE trim has been renamed SR and will be priced at $24,520 for the 3.5-liter V6 with CVT. The Altima Coupe starts at $22,440 for the four-cylinder with manual transmission and goes up to $29,600 for the V6 with manual transmission. The Altima Hybrid will be priced at $26,780.

The new Altima hits dealerships on October 5th.

Watch our Altima video review, and research the Altima in the model overview, available to online subscribers.

—Liza Barth

Test complete: Nissan Cube

The Cube is a funky-looking box on wheels with a youthful appeal as noted with Nissan’s marketing tag line of “mobile device.” The car is a fun runabout with a variety of personalization options such as colorful interior lighting, shag dash topper (which has no practical function), interior hooks and pouches, and custom exterior accents. But, don’t judge a book solely by its cover.
 
The Cube is practical with a great deal of space, easy access, and good fuel economy, returning 28 mpg overall. However, handling is lackluster, acceleration slow, braking longish, and exterior noise pronounced. While the interior has some whimsical aspects, the fit and finish is cheap. Antilock brakes, stability control and six air bags come standard.
 
The Cube is similar in theme and price to other small boxy wagons, such as the Kia Soul and Scion xB, but trails them both in our tests. However, with a starting price just below $14,000, impressive space, good fuel economy, and standard safety features, this car has distinct appeal.
 
Learn more about the Cube in our model overview where you will find our full road test, specs, pricing, safety data, and more.

—Liza Barth

Do cars dream of electric beeps? Nissan proposes to break EV silence with ‘Blade Runner’ whir

One of our staff members recently had an experience that pointed out the downside of silent-running hybrids. He almost got hit by a hybrid car backing up in a parking garage that he couldn’t see or hear. Read his account of the tale here.

Full-hybrid cars that drive at low speeds on electric power without starting the gasoline engine (as well as battery electric and fuel-cell vehicles) can pose a hazard to pedestrians who can’t see or hear them, as his experience illustrated.

The issue of silent hybrids has been percolating for years. The National Federation of the Blind asked the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in 2008 to devise a standard requiring that cars be required to make some noise when they are moving. NHTSA is studying the issue.

Last week, Nissan made a proposal to NHTSA for how hybrid and electric cars should sound. The company plans to introduce its first production electric car, the Leaf, next year. Nissan has been studying what kinds of sounds electric cars should make, and it has consulted music composers in an effort to find more pleasant solution than just beeping. “We decided that if we're going to do this, if we have to make sound, then we're going to make it beautiful and futuristic," the company’s sound engineer, Toshiyuki Tabata told Bloomberg News   

In the end, Tabata and his team settled on a high-pitched sound reminiscent of the flying cars in the 1982 sci-fi classic film "Blade Runner." The sound would come on when the car starts and continue until it reaches about 12 mph, when even electric cars make enough tire noise that pedestrians can hear them.

Whatever sound is used, it needs to be a defined and standardized sound that is identifiable as a car in motion. Random sounds and tunes could be misidentified. We are looking to NHTSA and the SAE to step forward in this potential safety issue.

What do you think would be an appropriate way for silent cars to warn blind or unsuspecting pedestrians?

—Eric Evarts

August car sales: Top sellers by category

The strong August car sales numbers helped by the cash for clunkers program provided some summer relief for the auto industry in what has been a rough year so far. While we have posted the list of the top cash for clunkers trade-ins, we decided to look at the month’s top three sales winners in the most popular and fuel-efficient vehicle categories to see which manufacturers came out on top.

Looking at the list, it seems car buyers have made some good choices. All vehicles featured, except the Chevrolet Aveo and the Nissan Versa sedan (not the hatchback), are recommended by Consumer Reports. Further, we were struck that they are all fuel efficient and have better than average owner costs. To highlight this, we included the owner cost scores for each model, which factors depreciation, interest, sales tax, insurance, fuel, and maintenance and repair costs to predict how expensive vehicles may be over the long term.

Make & model	Sales	Owner costs
BUDGET CARS
Nissan Versa	18,580
Honda Fit	13,593
Chevrolet Aveo	12,733
SMALL CARS
Honda Civic	42,294
Toyota Corolla	42,061
Ford Focus	25,547
FAMILY SEDANS
Toyota Camry	54,396
Honda Accord	39,726
Nissan Altima	26,833
SMALL SUVs
Honda CR-V	30,284
Ford Escape	20,933
Toyota RAV4 (4-cyl.)	18,312

The Toyota Camry was the top-selling vehicle overall last month by a huge margin. Most of the top models were from foreign manufacturers with Ford making the list twice and GM once.

On the other side of the spectrum from the fuel-efficient cash for clunker sales, we looked at pickup sales for August and found that the Ford F-Series outsold the Silverado with sales of 45,590 compared to 32,421 for the Silverado--an increase of 12.8 percent over August 2008. The Silverado was down almost 42 percent over last year. A new study by the Consumer Reports National Research Center has found that more consumers would consider buying a Ford more than a GM or Chrysler.

The huge spike in sales caused by cash for clunkers and year-end clearance sales may mean diminished dealer inventories for the best-selling models. If you didn’t take advantage of the clunkers program or didn’t qualify, it may make sense to wait a few months before purchasing a new car for dealerships to restock. Selection will increase, as may the incentives. The end of the year is another good time to buy as manufacturers are looking to achieve year-end quotas.

For more information on buying a new car, see our buying guide. Also, before you buy, check out our new car selector to find Ratings, reliability, fuel economy and more.

—Liza Barth 

Cash for clunkers fuels August sales

The August car sales numbers are in and with the help from the federal cash for clunkers program, car sales saw a jolt for all automakers over last month, although, even with the boost, 2009 sales for year to date is still down for all manufacturers except Subaru.

Here are the highlights:

Chrysler: Struggling with low inventory due to the clunkers program and factory closures, Chrysler saw a five percent increase over July’s sales numbers, but down 15 percent over last August. Year to date, the company is down 39 percent. Big sellers in August include the Chrysler 300 and PT Cruiser, Dodge Grand Caravan, and Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Ford: Ford continues its sales momentum for August with a 21 percent increase over August 2008 and 10 percent over last month. However, year-to-date sales were down 23 percent. Top sellers, mostly fueled by the cash for clunkers program, were the Ford Focus, Fusion, Escape, Edge, and Flex, and Mercury Mariner and Milan.

General Motors: GM sales for August were at their highest for 2009. The figures were still down 20 percent over the same time last year, but up 21 percent over last month. Best sellers include some of their most fuel-efficient vehicles -- Chevrolet Aveo, Cobalt, HHR, and Equinox.

Honda: Propelled by a number of fuel-efficient vehicles, Honda posted its second highest sales month with an increase of 14 percent over the same time last year and 29 percent over last month. However, sales are down almost 25 percent year over year for the first eight months of 2009. The Civic, Fit, and CR-V were the biggest sellers.

Hyundai: Hyundai saw a huge surge from the clunkers program, a 47 percent increase over August 2008 and 33 percent over last month. Year-to-date Hyundai sales are only down less than one percent so far this year.

Nissan: Even with the help from the cash for clunkers program, combined Nissan and Infiniti sales were down almost three percent over August 2008. Year-to-date total sales are down 27 percent, but the numbers grew almost 32 percent from last month. The Nissan Versa was the clear sales winner with a 131 percent increase over last year. The Sentra and Rogue also saw a healthy sales boost.

Subaru: Subaru enjoyed its best sales month ever with a 52-percent increase over last August, 31-percent increase from July 2009, an 11 percent gain year over year. Subaru was the only manufacturer to enjoy an increase in sales so far for the 2009 calendar year. All Subaru vehicles except the Tribeca, which was down 8 percent, enjoyed a double digit increase over the same month last year.

Toyota: August sales were up over 10 percent over last year led by the Camry and Camry Hybrid, as well as Corolla, Prius, and Yaris. Sales were up about 22 percent over last month, but still down 28 percent so far in 2009 over 2008.

We’ll see what the sales numbers reveal next month without the cash for clunkers program, as and car dealerships try to offer rebates and incentives to help keep the car buying momentum going.

—Liza Barth 

Road test: Sporty cars and muscle cars

For our October issue test group, we put sporty cars to the test. Three of them are modern muscle or “pony” cars--the Ford Mustang GT, Chevrolet Camaro, and Dodge Challenger. These vehicles offer rear-wheel drive, plenty of power, and distinctive sporty styling with iconic profiles. Different from the rest of the group is the rear-drive Hyundai Genesis Coupe; our tested model is powered by a V6 engine in contrast to the muscle cars’ V8.

In addition to these vehicles, we also tested the updated Subaru Impreza WRX, which received a bump in power and suspension adjustments for 2009, and the redesigned Nissan 370Z. Needless to say, it was an entertaining few weeks testing these performance machines.

The full road tests from the magazine (available to subscribers) have been posted online, along with videos of some of the models hosted by our automotive experts. These videos highlight the strengths and weaknesses of the vehicles, bringing the road tests to life.

In the November issue, we’ll report on the Chevrolet Equinox, Nissan Cube, Subaru Outback, Toyota Prius, and Volkswagen Routan.

Ratings for all of the sporty cars we have tested can be found with our dynamic New Car Selector tool.

Also, see our recent reports on these vehicles:
From the logbook: Dodge Challenger
First Drive: Dodge Challenger
First Drive: Hyundai Genesis Coupe
First Drive: Nissan 370Z
Video: Muscle car showdown

—Liza Barth