Which vehicles hold up? Feedback on almost half a million cars gives us hard data on reliability. (Reliability).

Reliability is one of the most difficult aspects of a vehicle to evaluate, yet it's one of the most important. Our annual survey of almost 3.5 million subscribers provides the most comprehensive reliability information available. The 2002 survey yielded responses on nearly 480,000 vehicles spanning eight model years--1995 to 2002. Owners told us about problems they had during the preceding 12 months in 14 areas, ranging from the electrical system to the engine, transmission, and more. On the following pages, you'll find information that can be invaluable if you're in the market for a car or if you simply want to see how your current car is likely to fare.

FEWER PROBLEMS ALL AROUND

Overall, the news is good. The newest cars in the survey, the 2002s, had fewer problems than the newest cars in the 2001 survey: 18 problems per 100 vehicles, down from 21. Similarly, cars that were two to eight years old had fewer problems than we've seen in previous surveys.

As in the past, Japanese brands led the industry. Korea's Hyundai was also among the best 2002 brands--a striking turnaround from its poor showing 10 years ago. We have enough data to report on 2000 to 2002 Hyundais.

In this report, we focus our analysis on two model years: 2000 and 1998. These three- and five-year-old cars are more likely to have problems than new vehicles--and you'll have to foot the bill if the warranty has expired. Knowing how such models are holding up is vital if you're deciding whether to keep an older car or if you're thinking of buying a used one.

WHAT'S UP WITH 3-YEAR-OLDS

On average, model-year 2000 cars had three times as many problems as the 2002 cars: 55 problems per 100 vehicles. By the time the average car approached three years old, problems that were apparent when the cars were new--such as those in the electrical system and power equipment, or squeaks and rattles--were two or three times more common. Systems that were fine at the outset, such as brakes and cooling, started having some problems.