
This article was featured in the April 2011 issue of Consumer Reports Magazine.
See the April 2011 Issue
There are many ways to view the Consumer Reports Ratings to find the highest-rated vehicle in a given category or price range. But we get many questions from journalists and our readers regarding the best current American-branded vehicles.
To answer that popular query, we sorted vehicles into 13 key categories. We found that Ford Motor Company has five of the 14 slots. General Motors captures six entries, and Chrysler has two. Reviewing the scores, we find that most of these American models are quite competitive, scoring well in most cases. Unfortunately, some models are not recommended due to below average or unknown reliability. Check our Ratings (available to subscribers) to see which ones are top scoring and reliable.
| Category | Model | Overall test score |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel Efficient Hatchback | Chevrolet Volt |
68
|
| Small car | Ford Focus SEL hatchback |
74
|
| Family sedan | Ford Fusion Hybrid |
84
|
| Upscale sedan | Buick Regal CXL (turbo) |
79
|
| Luxury sedan | Cadillac CTS Premium (3.6L) |
84
|
| Sports car | Chevrolet Corvette Z06 |
92
|
| Muscle car | Ford Mustang GT Premium (V8) |
83
|
| Small SUV | Ford Escape Hybrid / XLT (V6) |
66
|
| Midsized SUV | Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo (V6) |
71
|
| Large SUV | Ford Flex Limited (EcoBoost) |
85
|
| Luxury SUV | Buick Enclave CXL |
77
|
| Pickup truck | Chevrolet Avalanche LT (5.3L) |
80
|
| Minivan | Chrysler Town & Country Touring-L |
74
|