Used cars

The most reliable models and those to avoid

The average new car loses 47 percent of its value in the first three years of ownership. That's why savvy consumers know the smart money is on used cars, which have already taken that hit. But finding a good, reliable used car can be a challenge.

The Best of the Best list (available to subscribers) guides you to 2000 to 2009 models that scored well in our tests when new and have been consistently reliable over time. Each has achieved multiple years of above-average used-car verdicts (available to subscribers), indicating that owners have had relatively few problems.

Models built by Honda and Toyota dominate the list. Several Toyota models that would normally have been included were left off this year's list, however, because at the time this issue went to press they were recalled for a sticking accelerator pedal but dealers were only beginning to get the necessary parts to fix them. Some models listed here, including the Toyota Highlander, Prius, and Tacoma and the Lexus ES and IS, have been recalled for "floor-mat entrapment," which can also cause unintended acceleration. That can be easily remedied by removing the floor mat; a hardware fix is also available at dealerships (see Toyota recommendations suspended). When buying any used car, always check that any recall work has been performed.

The Worst of the Worst list (available to subscribers) shows models that have had multiple years of below-average reliability, so you can steer clear of them. Reliability data are derived from our Annual Auto Survey, which generated responses from subscribers on about 1.4 million vehicles.