Consumer Reports is considered one of the utmost authorities on automotive reliability and safety. There are consumers who won’t even dream of buying a new car without checking into what CR has to say about it. In fact, I will never forget that my parents purchased a 1984 Lincoln Town Car in the late ‘80s and then started having a ton of electrical problems. On a lark, my father checked on the vehicle in Consumer Reports and found out that the problems we were experience were normal and hard to fix. Lesson learned, which is why when CR comes out with their Top Picks people listen. This year’s 2010 Top Pick for Green Car might surprise you.
Yes, the pick this year is the 2010 Toyota Prius. You might be asking yourself why CR would pick the 2010 Toyota Prius given that they have had a massive recall already in 2010, which is a good question. The answer, according to a CR spokesperson on National Public Radio (NPR) last week, is that they view recalls as good for the consumer because it demonstrates a company standing behind their product and taking care of the customer by fixing known problems. The irony of this report was the update that came on NPR right after talking about the contradictory testimony coming from the U.S House’s investigation into the Toyota recalls (more here). However, we tend to agree that the 2010 Toyota Prius is an amazing green machine with its 51-mpg city rating. CR rates it has the most fuel-efficient car in the CR group of tested vehicles with an overall average of 44 mpg.
Bottom line—If you are looking for a green five-door city car, then the 2010 Toyota Prius has an excellent crash-test results, roomy interior and is the most advanced hybrid on the market.
Be sure to check out the other Top Picks from Consumer Reports, including our report earlier on the 2010 Hyundai Elantra.
