The best and worst used cars - IN USA (2006)

The response to our 2005 Annual Subscriber Survey was overwhelming. We received responses on more than 1 million vehicles. Because of that, our data paints a more expansive reliability picture than ever before.
This year 62 models made our CR Good Bets list of typically reliable models that have performed well in our road tests, compared with 54 last year.
Our 2005 list of CR Bad Bets, models that are considered especially risky buys and that have exhibited several years of below-average reliability, has 34 models.
CR Good Bets and CR Bad Bets are based on our larger lists of Reliable used cars and Used cars to avoid (available to subscribers). These comprehensive lists give you a rundown of all the models that were found, from our data, to be above or below average in reliability. Owners reported on any serious problems they had had with their cars, minivans, SUVs, and pickup trucks in the previous year.

CR Good Bets
The best of both worlds

These are models that have performed well in Consumer Reports road tests over the years and have proved to have several or more years of better-than-average Used Car Verdict. They are listed alphabetically.
Acura Integra
Acura MDX
Acura RL
Acura RSX
Acura TL
BMW Z3, Z4
Buick Regal
Chevrolet Prizm
Ford Crown Victoria
Ford Escort Mustang (V8)
Honda Accord
Honda Civic
Honda Civic Hybrid
Honda CR-V
Honda Element
Honda Odyssey
Honda Pilot
Honda Prelude
Honda S2000
Infiniti FX35 (V6)
Infiniti G20
Infiniti G35
Infiniti I30, I35Infiniti QX4
Lexus ES300, ES330
Lexus GS300/GS400, GS430
Lexus IS300
Lexus GX470
Lexus LS400, LS430
Lexus RX300, RX330
Lincoln Town Car
Mazda Millenia
Mazda MX-5 Miata
Mazda Protegé
Mercury Grand Marquis
Mitsubishi Galant
Nissan Altima
Nissan Maxima
Nissan Murano
Nissan Pathfinder
Pontiac Vibe
Subaru Forester
Subaru Impreza
Subaru Impreza WRX, STi
Subaru Legacy
Subaru Outback
Toyota 4Runner
Toyota Avalon
Toyota Camry
Toyota Camry Solara
Toyota Celica
Toyota Corolla
Toyota Echo
Toyota Highlander
Toyota Land Cruiser
Toyota Matrix
Toyota Prius
Toyota RAV4
Toyota Sequoia
Toyota Sienna
Toyota Tundra

CR Bad Bets
These models from the Used Cars to Avoid list have shown multiple years of much-worse-than-average Used Car Verdicts. They have regularly shown more problems than most models each production year.

BMW 7 Series
BMW X5 (V8)
Chevrolet Astro
Chevrolet Blazer
Chevrolet Express 1500
Chevrolet S-10 (4WD)
Chevrolet TrailBlazer
Chevrolet Venture
Chrysler Town & Country (AWD)
Dodge Grand Caravan (AWD)
GMC Envoy
GMC Jimmy
GMC Safari
GMC Savana 1500
GMC Sonoma (4WD)
Jaguar S-Type
Jaguar X-Type
Kia Sedona
Land Rover Discovery
Lincoln LS
Lincoln Navigator
Mercedes-Benz CLK
Mercedes-Benz E-Class (V8)
Oldsmobile Alero
Oldsmobile Bravada
Oldsmobile Silhouette
Pontiac Aztek
Pontiac Trans Sport/Montana
Saturn Vue (AWD)
Volkswagen Cabrio
Volkswagen Jetta
Volkswagen New Beetle
Volkswagen Passat Wagon (V6)
Volvo XC90

About these listsThe lists are compiled from overall reliability data covering 1998-2005 models with better-than-average or much-worse-than-average reliability. CR Good Bets and CR Bad Bets include only the models for which we have sufficient data for at least three model years. Models that were brand new in 2004 or 2005 do not appear. Problems with the engine, engine cooling, transmission, and drive system were weighted more heavily than other problems.