Forester named to forbes.com 'Ten Toughest Cars on the Road' List

pleiad7 · 07-24-2008, 10:11 AM

Ten Toughest Cars On The Road - Forbes.com

Quote:

Ten Toughest Cars On The Road
Jacqueline Mitchell 03.24.08, 1:00 PM ET

Consumers are finding vehicles able to withstand the daily demands of life in some unlikely places.

The Honda showroom is one. There, buyers looking for reliable, safe vehicles with low repair costs and reports of problems will find the Odyssey. It ranked first on our list of most durable vehicles. The Honda Pilot, CRV, Civic and Accord also made the list.

That's no surprise, say industry experts. The Japanese automaker typically stands above the competition in quality and reliability surveys.

In Depth: 10 Toughest Cars On The Road
"Honda builds an outstanding product," says Dave Wurster, president of Vincentric, an automotive research company. "They are highly reliable, and they last a long time. Their vehicles work well long into the future.”

Other durable rides include small SUVs like the Subaru Forester and Volvo's XC90 and the more luxurious Audi A4 and Acura RDX.

Behind The Numbers
In compiling our list, we looked at several key measures. To gauge safety, we used both the most recent National Highway Transportation and Safety Administration and Insurance Institute of Highway Safety front and side crash-test ratings. Vehicles had to have received at least a four-star rating out five from the NHTSA. Only a top rating of "good" in front, side and rear crash testing was acceptable from the institute.

We used Consumer Reports' 2007 Overall Road Test Scores, which is based on 50 different tests and evaluations, to determine overall vehicle performance. Vehicles had to reach a minimum of 70 out of 100 to be considered, which falls in the second-highest range of "very good."

Strategic Vision's 2007 New Vehicle Experience Study was also consulted. In it, the automotive research company measures how many owners complain of "things gone wrong" after the first 90 days of ownership. The "Problem Impact Measure" takes into consideration the level of concern each problem caused the owner, the extent to which it was resolved and the owner's level of satisfaction with the resolution. Only vehicles that exceeded or met the average for their segment were considered.

Problems measured here are not always life-threatening. One example: a knob falling off is of lesser concern to a car owner than, say, failing brakes.

Finally, we looked at Vincentric's estimated five-year repair costs, which takes into account warranties that typically cover most repairs in the first three years of ownership.

Driving Demand
Consumers have been merciless in their demand for durable cars that don't fall apart in the first five years of ownership. General Motors (nyse: GM - news - people ), Ford Motor (nyse: F - news - people ) and Chrysler have lost sales over the past 20 years because of poor quality and reliability problems. After years of complaints about shoddy workmanship, Korean automakers Kia and Hyundai have focused on proving that their vehicles are made to last. They were among the first in the industry to offer 100,000-mile/10-year warranties to back up their claims.

neoshi · 07-24-2008, 10:24 AM

The A4????

pleiad7 · 07-24-2008, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by neoshi

The A4????

Yeah, when I saw that I was like

too...

neoshi · 07-24-2008, 10:25 AM

They even showed an A3 in the picture hahahaha

But the Odyssey is one tough sucker. My dad's is running just like day 1 still after 80k.

kamil212 · 07-24-2008, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Other durable rides include small SUVs like the Subaru Forester and Volvo's XC90 and the more luxurious Audi A4 and Acura RDX.

Not only do they show the A3 in the pic they also classify it as an SUV

pleiad7 · 07-24-2008, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kamil212

they also classify it as an SUV

So does Subaru... and the NHTSA.

kamil212 · 07-24-2008, 11:05 AM

I meant they classified the A4 as an SUV (at least that's how the article is written)

EDIT: the article is horribly written, since it sounds like they're listing small SUVs but the XC90 and the RDX aren't small.

pleiad7 · 07-24-2008, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kamil212

I meant they classified the A4 as an SUV (at least that's how the article is written)

Ha... I didn't even catch that!

Surftaco · 07-24-2008, 11:30 AM

My parents are still rolling 2 deep in there 2000 Odyssey

Forester 2.5 XTi · 07-24-2008, 09:17 PM

Subaru!

Astrotraveler · 07-24-2008, 10:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kamil212

I meant they classified the A4 as an SUV (at least that's how the article is written)

EDIT: the article is horribly written, since it sounds like they're listing small SUVs but the XC90 and the RDX aren't small.

Actually, the RDX is fairly small. About the size of the CRV. In fact, I think they share a platform. The MDX, however, is a beast.

Regards,

Jim

kamil212 · 07-24-2008, 11:25 PM

true, I confused the RDX and MDX,
But the XC90 is surely a beast.

guzzla · 07-25-2008, 02:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kamil212

But the XC90 is surely a beast.

My youngest brother has an XC90 2.5 turbo 5 cylinder - has 4 young kids and needed the seats and it has by far the most useful interior of anything available.

I always kidded him about it - you know, the Volvo drivers thing - but I must say after I did a 4000km trip in it so he could run up the kms to avoid paying excess tax - I rather grew to like it. It was quiet, comfortable, surprisingly agile and a very relaxing tourer.

He played with my XT as a comuter for the week and scared himself sh--less with the crappy Geolandars. He lives in a wet mountainous area. He was a bit reluctant to hand it back at the end of the week and when I got back in it I felt like I was being fired down the road on my bum in a go-kart.

sirwilliam · 07-25-2008, 05:07 AM

I can attest to the forester being one tough car.

greentrees · 07-25-2008, 06:16 AM

HA the Forry is 9 and the Oddy is 1! I sent that to my wife to further prove my genius in picking out vehicles.

07-24-2008, 10:24 AM	#2 (permalink)
neoshi silly wabbit Contributing Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: 949 THE OC/The Real 415 Posts: 2,315 Gallery: 0 iTrader: 4 / 100%	The A4???? __________________ Ninja Turtle Orange Juice

07-24-2008, 10:25 AM	#4 (permalink)
neoshi silly wabbit Contributing Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: 949 THE OC/The Real 415 Posts: 2,315 Gallery: 0 iTrader: 4 / 100%	They even showed an A3 in the picture hahahaha But the Odyssey is one tough sucker. My dad's is running just like day 1 still after 80k. __________________ Ninja Turtle Orange Juice

07-24-2008, 11:30 AM	#9 (permalink)
Surftaco Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Fort Walton Beach, FL Posts: 307 Gallery: 0 iTrader: 0 / 0%	My parents are still rolling 2 deep in there 2000 Odyssey __________________ 2007 XT 4EAT

07-24-2008, 09:17 PM	#10 (permalink)
Forester 2.5 XTi 23-30 meters! Contributing Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Colorado Springs '06 FXTi VF39 Protune!!! Posts: 6,123 Gallery: 0 iTrader: 1 / 100%	Subaru! __________________ USMC - One Shot, One Kill. You can run, but you'll die tired.

07-25-2008, 05:07 AM	#14 (permalink)
sirwilliam BLUE WASABI (#2 Info Provider) Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: The Wild Serengeti Suburbs of NoVa Posts: 8,100 Gallery: 0 iTrader: 15 / 100%	I can attest to the forester being one tough car. __________________ BLUE WASABI

07-24-2008, 11:05 AM	#7 (permalink)
kamil212 Hey Rockclimber Contributing Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: NW Chicago Posts: 1,538 Gallery: 2 iTrader: 4 / 100%	I meant they classified the A4 as an SUV (at least that's how the article is written) EDIT: the article is horribly written, since it sounds like they're listing small SUVs but the XC90 and the RDX aren't small.

07-24-2008, 11:25 PM	#12 (permalink)
kamil212 Hey Rockclimber Contributing Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: NW Chicago Posts: 1,538 Gallery: 2 iTrader: 4 / 100%	true, I confused the RDX and MDX, But the XC90 is surely a beast.

07-25-2008, 06:16 AM	#15 (permalink)
greentrees Contributing Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Augusta GA, USA, EARTH Posts: 1,908 Gallery: 0 iTrader: 13 / 100%	HA the Forry is 9 and the Oddy is 1! I sent that to my wife to further prove my genius in picking out vehicles.

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