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Consumer Reports recently published the bar graphs and rankings of the predicted short-term reliability of sport-utility vehicles for model year 2011. The best SUVs by short-term predicted reliability are listed below.

The lists include only those SUVs whose 2011 reliability are predicted using two or three model years of data; excluded are those models whose predicted reliability is based on only one year of data

The Top 5 Small SUVs of 2011

The Honda CR-V  
The V6 Toyota RAV4
The Mitsubishi Highlander
The 4-cylinder Toyota RAV4  
The non-turbo Subaru Forester  

Also of notable predicted short-term reliability is the front-wheel-drive Ford Escape Hybrid.

For those interested in longer term reliability as well, last year’s 2010 Reliability Grade Point Averages of the Top 5 are given below. The GPAs have the standard scale of 0 to 4 and are based on model years 2000 to 2009.

Honda CR-V: 3.63 over a 10-year data history  
V6 Toyota RAV4: 2.95 over 4 years
Mitsubishi Highlander: 2.88 over 5 years
4-cylinder Toyota RAV4: 3.88 over 10 years  
Non-turbo Subaru Forester: 3.13 over 10 years  

The Top 5 Midsize SUVs of 2011

The Toyota FJ Cruiser  
The 4-cylinder Toyota Highlander
The V6 Toyota Highlander
The V6 Hyundai Santa Fe  
The Nissan Pathfinder

Also of noteworthy predicted short-term reliability are:

The Toyota Highlander Hybrid
The Mazda CX-9
The Honda Pilot.

The 2010 Auto Reliability GPAs of these are:

Toyota FJ Cruiser: 4.00 over a 2-year data history  
4-cylinder Toyota Highlander: N/A
V6 Toyota Highlander: 3.94 over 9 years
V6 Hyundai Santa Fe: 2.60 over 9 years  
Nissan Pathfinder: 2.23 over 9 years
Toyota Highlander Hybrid: 3.75 over 4 years
Mazda CX-9: 2.67 over 3 years
Honda Pilot: 3.94 over 7 years

The V6 Toyota 4Runner, which has a 2010 Reliability GPA of a perfect 4.00 over a 10-year data history for last year, did not fare well initially in its 2010 redesign.  

The Best Upscale Compact SUV of 2011

The best upscale compact SUV by CR’s predicted reliability is Honda Motor Company’s Acura RDX. The RDX has a 2010 Reliability GPA of 3.67 over a 3-year data history.

The Best Large SUV of 2011

The best large SUV by CR’s predicted reliability is the Toyota Sequoia. The North-American-built Sequoia has a 2010 GPA of 2.73 over 8 years of data, not spectacular for a Toyota product.

The Best Luxury SUV of 2011

The best luxury SUV by CR’s predicted reliability is Toyota Motor Corporation’s Lexus LX. Honda’s Acura MDX also has a noteworthy predicted reliability. The GPAs of the two are 3.79 and 3.31, respectively, both over 9 years.

CR’s predicted reliability is based on the 3 most recent model years – 2008, 2009, and 2010. When data are lacking, it is based on only one or two of the model years. A redesign is the preceding model year will cause Consumer Reports to use only that model year in predicting reliability, as will a newly introduced model in the preceding model year.

As Consumer Reports’ reliability is a measure of infrequency of reported serious problems, it is highly regarded and frequently used by North American consumers.

CR’s 2010 survey brought in data on 1.3 million vehicles. CR’s reliability tables based on this data will arrive primarily in the first half of 2011, as should the Auto GPAs computed from them.

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Source by James Bleeker