The 30 Best Automobiles in 2011 by James Bleeker

The 30 most reliable convertibles, coupes, sedans, hatchbacks, wagons, sport-utility vehicles (including car-based crossovers), and pickup trucks are listed in descending order of reliability (most reliable automobiles first). The 10 Best (11 by tie) automobiles, 20 Best (21 by tie) automobiles, and 30 Best (33 by tie) automobiles, with an auto reliability data history of 3 or more model years, are:

Honda Motor Company's Acura RSX, an inline 4-cylinder coupé with a 2011 Auto Reliability GPA of a perfect 4.00 over a 5-year auto reliability data history,
Toyota Motor Corporation's Lexus SC, a V8 sport car with a 2011 Auto Reliability GPA of a 4.00 over a 5-year auto reliability data history,
The Toyota Echo, a small car with a 2011 Auto Reliability GPA of a 4.00 over a 4-year auto reliability data history,
The Toyota Yaris, a small car (and the successor to the Echo with a more refined interior) with a 2011 Reliability GPA of a 4.00 over a 4-year auto reliability data history,
The Honda Fit, a 4-door hatchback with a 2011 Auto Reliability GPA of 4.00 over a 4-year auto reliability data history,
The Toyota Land Cruiser, a large sport-utility vehicle (SUV) with a 2011 Auto Reliability GPA of 4.00 over a 3-year auto reliability data history,
Toyota's Scion xA, a small 4-door hatchback with a 2011 Auto Reliability GPA of 4.00 over a 3-year auto reliability data history,
The V6 Toyota Highlander, a midsize sport-utility vehicle (SUV) with a 2011 Auto Reliability GPA of 3.94 over a 10-year auto reliability data history,
Toyota's rear-wheel-drive Lexus IS250 sedan, a sedan with a 2011 Auto Reliability GPA of 3.92 over a 5-year auto reliability data history,
The Toyota Prius, the 4-door hatchback hybrid with a 2011 Auto Reliability GPA of 3.88 over a 10-year auto reliability data history,
Honda's Acura RDX, a 4-cylinder, turbo-charged, 2.3-liter, 4-door sport-utility vehicle (SUV) with a 2011 Auto Reliability GPA of 3.88 over a 4-year auto reliability data history,

Honda's Acura RL, an all-wheel-drive, V6 luxury sedan with a 2011 Auto Reliability GPA of 3.85 over a 6-year auto reliability data history,
The Honda Ridgeline, a pickup truck with a 2011 Auto Reliability GPA of 3.83 over a 5-year auto reliability data history,
The Toyota FJ Cruiser, a midsize sport-utility vehicle (SUV) with a 2011 Auto Reliability GPA of 3.83 over a 3-year auto reliability data history,
The V6 Toyota 4Runner, a midsize sport-utility vehicle (SUV) with a 2011 Auto Reliability GPA of 3.81 over a 10-year auto reliability data history,
Nissan's rear-wheel-drive M35, a V6, 3.5-liter, 280-horsepower sedan with a 2011 Auto Reliability GPA of 3.78 over a 4-year auto reliability data history,
The Honda Civic Sedan, a small sedan with a 2011 Auto Reliability GPA of 3.75 over a 10-year auto reliability data history,
The V6 Toyota Camry Solara, a sporty car with a 2011 Auto Reliability GPA of 3.75 over an 8-year auto reliability data history,
Toyota's Lexus RX Hybrid, a midsize sport-utility vehicle (SUV) with a 2011 Reliability GPA of 3.75 over a 5-year auto reliability data history,
The Toyota Highlander Hybrid, a midsize sport-utility vehicle (SUV) with a 2011 Reliability GPA of 3.75 over a 5-year auto reliability data history,
The Toyota Camry Hybrid, a family sedan with a 2011 Auto Reliability GPA of 3.75 over a 4-year auto reliability data history,

Toyota's Lexus ES, a luxury sedan with a 2011 Auto Reliability GPA of 3.69 over a 10-year auto reliability data history,
The Toyota Corolla, a small sedan with a 2011 Auto Reliability GPA of 3.69 over a 10-year auto reliability data history,
The Mazda MX-5 Miata, a sport car with a 2011 Auto Reliability GPA of 3.69 over a 10-year auto reliability data history,
The Honda Pilot, a midsize sport-utility vehicle (SUV) with a 2011 Auto Reliability GPA of 3.69 over an 8-year auto reliability data history,
The Honda S2000, a sport car with a 2011 Auto Reliability GPA of 3.64 over a 7-year auto reliability data history,
Toyota's Lexus LS, a luxury sedan with a 2011 Auto Reliability GPA of 3.63 over a 10-year auto reliability data history,
Toyota's Lexus RX, a midsize sport-utility vehicle (SUV)  with a 2011 Auto Reliability GPA of 3.63 over an older 10-year auto reliability data history,
The 4-cylinder Toyota Camry, a family sedan with a 2011 Auto Reliability GPA of 3.63 over a 10-year auto reliability data history,
The 4-cylinder RAV4, a small sport-utility vehicle (SUV) with a 2011 Auto Reliability GPA of 3.63 over a 10-year auto reliability data history,
Honda's Acura TL, an upscale sedan with a 2011 Auto Reliability GPA of 3.63 over a 10-year auto reliability data history,
The 4-cylinder Honda Accord, a family sedan with a 2011 Auto Reliability GPA of 3.63 over a 10-year auto reliability data history,
The Honda CR-V, a small sport-utility vehicle (SUV) with a 2011 Auto Reliability GPA of 3.63 over a 10-year auto reliability data history.

Toyota Motor Corporation and Honda Motor Company continue to dominate the Top 30. Toyota accounts for 20 of 2011's 33 most reliable automobiles and Honda - another 11 of the most reliable automobiles, for a combined total of 31. Nissan Motor Company and Mazda Motor Corporation each have one of the most reliable automobiles. Each manufacturer's percent share of the 2010 most reliable automobiles is depicted in the following bar graph.

All of the 33 most reliable automobiles of 2011 were product offerings by corporations headquartered in Japan.

The method of computation of the GPAs is probably familiar to nearly every college, technical school, and high school student. A Grade Point of 4.00 (that is, an A) is given to a Consumer Reports "Much Better Than Average" rating, a GP of 3.00 (that is, a B) is given to a CR "Better Than Average" rating, a GP of 2.00 (that is, a C) to an "Average" rating, a GP of 1.00 (that is, a D) to a "Worse Than Average" rating, and a GP of 0.00 (that is, an F) to a "Much Worse Than Average" rating. A Grade Point Average (GPA) is an average of the Grade Points and is computed using Microsoft's Average(a:b,[c:d],...) function. The above GPAs are the Average GPAs given in the table "The Updated 2011 Motor Vehicle Reliability Grade Point Averages (GPAs) and Grades with Reliability GPAs for Four 4-Year Age Ranges and an Overall Average Reliability GPA" on the Updated Auto Reliability Grade Point Averages and Grades page.

The sources for Consumer Reports' ratings are the reliability tables in (1) the April 2011 issue of Consumer Reports, (2) Consumer Reports New Car Buying Guide: 2011, and (3) Consumer Reports Used Car Buying Guide: 2011.

Consumer Reports defines reliability as the infrequency of reported serious problems.

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