Last week we were treated with Consumer Reports list of the worst 11 cars of the year plus its annual Top Picks list. Today the influential magazine has released its Top Picks of American autos and as expected GM has once again dominated the field although there were a few surprises as well as some glaring absences.

To be rated as a Top Pick, a car has to have performed well in a test-drive, be relatively trouble-free to own, and be safe as well. More specific criteria include average or better reliability, stability control fitted as standard and decent crash test results. Since adequate data on reliability for many of the cars tested couldn’t be gathered, some categories have no car worthy of being listed and are thus left blank.

The results are as follows:

- Small sedan - None

- Family sedan - Ford Taurus

- Upscale sedan - Buick Lucerne CXS

- Luxury sedan - Cadillac STS

- Small SUV - None

- Midsized SUV - GMC Acadia SLT2, Saturn Outlook XR, Ford Taurus X

- Minivan - Chrysler Town and Country

- Pickup truck - Chevrolet Silverado

- Fun to drive – None

- Green car – None