Used cars: best & worst.(Cars 2001)(Value)(Cover Story)(Buyers Guide)(Directory)

Buying a used car isn't as risky as it once was. Dramatic improvements in reliability, design, and construction have made used cars, dollar for dollar, one of the best automotive values.

While troublesome cars exist, the lists on these two pages help make choosing a used car easier. "CR Good Bets" reflects the best of the best from the "Reliable Used Cars" list on page 75. The vehicles on this list have consistently performed well in our tests and have proved to be very reliable over time.

On the other end of the spectrum is the "Reliability Risks" list. Derived from "Used Cars to Avoid," also on page 75, it lists models with multiple years of poor reliability that, in CONSUMER REPORTS' judgment, you should not consider.

We compiled these lists from reader responses to our 2000 Annual Questionnaire, which also gave us the information for the Frequency-of-Repair charts that begin on page 77. Our reliability data is independent of vehicle performance. A car that performed well in our tests might show worse-than-average reliability, hence its appearance on the "Reliability Risks" or "Used Cars to Avoid" lists.

Price ranges noted in the "Reliable Used Cars" list on the facing page are what you'd pay for a typically equipped car with average mileage.

Reliability winners and losers

CR GOOD BETS