Consumer Reports Car Buying Guide Apr 2026

This is arguably CR’s most influential metric. It is based on annual surveys of hundreds of thousands of CR members who report real-world problems they encountered in the previous 12 months across 20 potential trouble spots, ranging from engine and transmission to in-car electronics.

Every year, CR’s engineers put roughly 50 new vehicles through more than 50 rigorous tests at their 327-acre facility in Connecticut. These include acceleration, braking, emergency handling, fuel economy, and specialized tests like a "rock hill" to evaluate off-road capability. consumer reports car buying guide

CR distills its vast amount of data into a single for each vehicle. This score is built upon four critical metrics: This is arguably CR’s most influential metric

This depth allows CR to catch issues that shorter press reviews might miss. For instance, they evaluate "fit and finish" by measuring panel gaps and tactile quality, and they use a "pipe box" to measure the actual usable cargo volume rather than relying on manufacturer-claimed cubic footage. Reliability: The "Used Car Verdict" For instance, they evaluate "fit and finish" by

The guide is equally essential for used car buyers. CR maintains reliability histories for several hundred makes and models, often going back 10 to 20 years. Consumer Reports' Car Reliability FAQ