10 Most Unreliable Cars of 2009

Unexpected repairs are a nightmare for any new car buyer. After investing thousands in a new vehicle the last thing you should be burdened with are repair bills. Fortunately we can tell you which cars to avoid. Consumer Reports recently released their 2009 Annual Car Reliability Survey, using this and five-year repair-cost data Forbes.com has complied a list of the 10 most unreliable cars to buy.

1. Volkswagen Touareg
    Consumer Reports Rating: 66
    Five-year Cost of Repairs: $907
2. Mercedes-Benz GL450
    Consumer Reports Rating: 77
    Five-year Cost of Repairs: $1,509
3. Lincoln MKS
    Consumer Reports Rating: 73
    Five-Year Cost of Repairs: $869
4. Jaguar XF
    Consumer Reports Rating: 72
    Five-Year Cost of Repairs: $1,301
5. GMC Canyon
    Consumer Reports Rating: 41
    Five-Year Cost of Repairs: $718
6. Ford F-250
    Consumer Reports Rating: 37
    Five-year Cost of Repairs: $969
7. Dodge Caravan
    Consumer Reports Rating: 60
    Five-year Cost of Repairs: $807
8. Chrysler Town & Country
    Consumer Reports Rating: 64
    Five-year Cost of Repairs: $807
9. Chrysler Sebring Convertible
    Consumer Reports Rating: 45
    Five-year Cost of Repairs: $770
10. Chevrolet Colorado
    Consumer Reports Rating: 41
    Five-year Cost of Repairs: $798

The car with the best Consumer Reports reliability rating was the Honda Insight, followed by numerous Toyota, Honda, and Nissan models.

Japanese Demand for the Prius Continues

For the sixth months straight the Toyota Prius has been the #1 selling car in Japan. Like the U.S. Cash for Clunkers program, Japan has been offering tax breaks and government subsidies for the purchase of environmentally friendly vehicles. This increase in demand has boosted Toyota’s profits after three consecutive losing quarters.

With numerous green vehicles on the market, what is it that makes the Toyota Prius so enticing to Japanese car buyers?

• Efficiency - The Toyota Prius gets up to 51 mpg. Gas prices in Japan may be at a 4 year low, but they still average over $4.00 USD a gallon.

• Pricing - Fighting to compete with the Honda Insight, Toyota has lowered Prius prices in Japan to around $19,000. Slightly less than the still affordable U.S. starting price of $22,400.

• Reliability - Long known for dependability, Toyota scored the highest in vehicle satisfaction for reliability in recent AutoPacific and IntelliChoice studies.

• Safety - The IIHS awarded the 2009 Prius top scores of “Good” on all tests.

As hybrid interest in the U.S. continues to heat up, it will be interesting to see if American car buyers follow suit. Do you have a favorite hybrid? If so why?

L.A. Auto Show - Green Car of the Year Finalists

Yesterday, the L.A. Auto Show announced the finalists for Green Car of the Year. This year’s picks are excellent examples of the the wide range of prices, styles, and technologies car manufactures are offering.

Audi A3 TDI 
Clean and stylish, the A3 TDI sports a clean burning diesel engine that gets up to 30 mpg and energy saving extras.

Honda Insight
Not only is the Honda Insight efficient, but it’s ECON Assist system will teach you how to drive more efficiently.

Mercury Milan Hybrid
America’s most fuel-efficient mid-size sedan with EPA estimated mpg 41 city/36 hwy, the Milan Hybrid runs on electric mode up to 47 miles per hour.

Toyota Prius
The 3rd generation Prius offers some of the best fuel efficiency on the market, up to 51 mpg.

Volkswagen Golf TDI
Not only is the Volkswagen Golf TDI affordable, but it’s estimated annual fuel cost is just $1,140!

The award will be announced December 3rd, 2009.

The Honda S2000 Convertible: Competition Gains After Years of Neglect

Despite skepticism when the Honda S2000 first debuted in 2000, the two-seat convertible was a strong-performing hit welcomed by the critics. And although the Honda S2000 had a second generation released in 2004; without a platform upgrade in four years, competitors in the convertible category are now offering more power at a lower price.

The S2000 still is an attractive convertible that has a spry engine with favorable handling. It also has strong safety scores considering it's a convertible. But Honda, who hardly ever lets a design fall behind, has somewhat neglected this sporty car. The cabin could use some more bells and whistles and an updated look. And performance, which was years ahead when this affordable and attractive model debuted, has fallen a bit behind in terms of raw power and a touch of refinement.

Competitors that cost thousands less and have more hp are the Ford Mustang GT and the Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder GT.

The Honda Element: A Crossover That Prioritizes Utility

The Element has been on the market for about 5 years. Last year it received its most recent update and re-design. While there are some design peculiarities that may not be everyone's cup of tea, like the exterior styling or the rear doors, the Honda Element is a practical buy for those looking for reliability and utility.

Honda does a lot right with their CUV offering. Attributes of the element include being a top safety pick, plus offering an enjoyable, easy-to-maneuver ride that Honda specializes in. There is also hard plastic back flooring that may not win any aesthetic awards, but makes cleaning wet and dry messes easier. Seating configuration is versatile and high resale value will reward buyers in the future. Fuel efficiency is agreeable too. The things that may disappoint some, is the styling and the rear doors only open together. Basically, you have to open the front rear doors to access the back. And despite its rugged looks, the Element's off-road capabilities are minimal.

The Subaru Forester costs a bit less, but the trade-off is getting a lot less interior room. The Kia Sportage has less resale perks, but more hp and will save buyers a couple of thousand dollars.

The Honda CR-V versus the Toyota RAV4

Both the Honda CR-V and the Toyota RAV4 are Compact SUVs that were Crossover vehicles before that was even a vehicle category. Both of these CUVs debuted around the late '90s and their most recent redesign occurred within the last 2 years. And although they have similar exterior looks, BuyingAdvice believes it's worth prioritizing what you want out of a CUV before deciding between the Honda CR-V or the Toyota RAV4.

In a lot of ways, you really can't go wrong with either the CR-V or RAV4. Both are popular models that provide a relatively fuel-efficient, safe and comfortable ride. The CR-V wins in terms of base pricing by a few hundred dollars. It also has a better quality interior, seat comfort and slightly better safety scores. But the CR-V has less reliability consistency when compared to the RAV4. Also, the RAV4 has tight, responsive handling and a V6 option that has a nice output without increasing gasoline consumption compared to its own 4-cylinder option. The RAV4 is also slightly bigger then the CR-V in the inside.

Other competitors that offer slightly better prices and often match in the CR-V and the RAV4 as far as power and features are the Saturn VUE and the Kia Sportage.

The Honda Odyssey the Minivan to Beat

Honda's minivan has been on the market since 1995. Since its redesign in 2005, it has been a favorite among critics and buyers. And while the BuyingAdvice Team doesn't think the word style is the most fitting adjective for any minivan, the Honda Odyssey stays on top of this segment with its high quality interior, safety features and polished ride.

The Odyssey was the first minivan to feature the much-imitated stowable third-row seats that fold flat for extra cargo space without requiring heavy seat removal. With top ratings in all crash test, the IIHS has named the Odyssey one of their "Top Safety Picks" for 2008. This year, the Variable Cylinder Management system has been updated to give the Odyssey a boost in its best-in-class fuel-efficiency. Unfortunately, the Odyssey has been plagued by reliability issues. Also, Honda is aware that their mini-van provides a enjoyable and popular ride and therefore it is priced higher than most competitors.

Other competitors that cost less and match up very closely to the Honda's features are the Hyundai Entourage and the Nissan Quest.

One of the Best Recent Releases: the Remarkable Honda Fit

Last year a subcompact hatchback from Honda made its US debut and quickly became a hard-to-find item, due to its instant popularity. The Honda Fit has been sold for years in Europe as the Honda Jazz. But US buyers and the BuyingAdvice Team look at the Honda Fit as a thoroughly new model with impressive versatility, spaciousness and fuel-efficiency.

So what's so great about this subcompact? Somehow Honda has delivered a highly configurable car that really can "fit" lots of cargo and passenger needs. It even comes with a "Magic Seat" in the back that folds up easily for increased hauling potential. It's spacious inside and has enviable fuel economy estimated at 33 / 38 mpg. The interior is intuitive and well-designed, and all the main modern safety features are standard. Plus, the ride is fun, quick and responsive.

The Fit has a slightly steeper price than the competition that's not likely to move down anytime soon, in light of its current demand. Also, the Fit is scheduled to be re-designed in 2009 as the European model is well into its second generation. So to some, the Fit is a mature design. In the US, it's still pretty darn attractive and innovative.

Competitors that will save you about a $1,000 without you having to give up features are the Kia Rio5 and the Nissan Versa. If price savings are not a primary concern, another strong competitor is the Scion xD.

The Honda Civic Hybrid - Less Space-age Fuel Efficiency

The Honda Civic is a long-standing top model, offering solid safety, comfort and a great ride; and since its update in 2006 it has top-notch styling as well. What's even better is that since 2003, the Civic has a Hybrid model available. While it doesn't beat out the Toyota Prius as our favorite Hybrid, the BuyingAdvice Team does admire the Honda Civic Hybrid for increasing its already admirable fuel-economy and for offering Hybrid buyers a more conventionally-styled green option.

It's understandable that the Prius's Jetson-like interior is not for everyone. The Civic Hybrid offers 40 / 45 mpg and is styled with the same options as the EX trim which includes a six-speaker audio system, cruise control, full-power accessories and loads of safety features. The interior is refined and roomy and not all that different from other Civic models. The highly-regarded, well-integrated ride is not altered by the gasoline/electric powertrain. In fact, the only thing that may feel different is stopping at the gas station a lot less frequently. Also, safety scores are near perfect.

The reason the Toyota Prius remains number one on our Hybrid list, is that it gets 8 more miles per gallon compared to the Civic Hybrid and costs about $1,000 less. Another option is the Nissan Altima Hybrid, but it costs a few thousand dollars more and gets about 10 less mpg.

Top-rated Values for 2007

A recent article identified a short list of vehicles that offer the most value this year. By evaluating multiple sources and results such as value ratings, customer service satisfaction, reliability history, depreciation rates and consumer perception of brands, Forbes has arrived at a list of the "Most Value-Packed Cars".

Because a lot of higher-end models with customized services made the list, the BuyingAdvice Team suspects that customer ratings on the sales experience may have been given too much weight when determining some of this year's best values. But, the list has a lot of useful information for the value-inclined. Here are some of the highlights:

Mini Cooper	Pros: Strong reliability, personalized sales approach, 6 yrs of value awards
Acura TSX	Pros: Near-Luxury sedan for about $29K, reliability, high resale value
Lincoln MKX	Pros: Brand new model, top safety pick, versatile crossover, exceptional sales process
Lexus IS	Pros: A sports sedan with nice features and price, outstanding reliability
Saturn Aura	Pros: No haggle experience, attractive ride, strong ongoing service
BMW 3-Series Coupe	Pros: Low depreciation rate, practical qualities plus a notable ride, low price for BMW
Honda Civic	Pros: Reliable, safe and fuel efficient, high resale value
Audi A3	Pros: Lowest priced Audi, versatile hatchback, efficient fuel use for the power

It's worth noting that BMW, Lexus and Honda had the most number of models that made the highest value list. To read the full article and rankings, go to Forbes.