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.

The Town and Country Is a Premier Minivan Once Again

With a new redesign this year with over 35 new updates, Chrysler's Premier minivan steps up to competition from Honda and Toyota in a segment that they created over 20 years ago. With tons of family-friendly features, improved comfort and handling, plus upscale touches; the Chrysler Town and Country is worth serious consideration this year.

The ride in the new and improved Town & Country is geared towards comfort and has many new additions to improve the overall quietness of the ride. You can also keep the kids quiet with plenty of tech-savvy equipment including optional rear seat DVD players and Sirius TV. The seats also swivel around so passengers can watch something together or play cards at a removable table. There are side roll-down windows to minimize the minivan claustrophobia of days past. The interior is roomy and versatile to fit all sorts of family traveling and cargo needs. There's also a full set of standard safety equipment and various V6 powertrain options to choose from.

So how does the new Town & Country stack up against some import competitors? Pretty well. Both the Toyota Sienna and Honda Odyssey cost a few thousand more, but they do come with a third row standard, which you get with Chrysler's offering on the two higher trims. The Odyssey has more power to offer and the Sienna has AWD and a CD changer standard.