Yesterday Consumer Reports released its annual ‘Top Picks’ list of the best cars of 2008 and now we have a list of the worst contenders. Judges compared over 260 vehicles in this year’s evaluation and once again American SUVs dominated the field although there were a number of Toyota models, usually the strong players, at the bottom of the field as well.

The worst cars are as follows:

• Jeep Wrangler Unlimited
The Wrangler Unlimited was characterised by its poor ride and handling as well as its subpar fuel-economy, fit and finish.

• Hummer H3 five-cylinder
Poor performance and fuel-economy as well as a low rating for handling and reliability ensured the Hummer H3 was at the bottom.

• Jeep Liberty Sport
Rated poorly for fuel-economy, NVH levels and fit and finish.

• Chevrolet Aveo5
The Aveo5 only suffered from poor acceleration and handling but compared to its rivals the South Korean hatch was the worst performer.

• Dodge Nitro SLT
One of the worst cars in the field, the Dodge Nitro SLT was rated as having poor ride, handling, braking, NVH levels and fuel-economy.

• Toyota FJ Cruiser
A work horse SUV that requires premium fuel and suffers from poor fit and finish and subpar ride and handling.

• Toyota Yaris
The Yaris is one of the most popular subcompacts in the world but its poor acceleration and vague steering meant it was one of the worst cars in this year’s compare.

• Suzuki Forenza
The Suzuki Forenza was rated poorly because of its inadequate acceleration, fuel economy, ride, and low results in the IIHS sidecrash result.

• Jeep Patriot Limited
Another Jeep model made the list of worst performance, once again for poor acceleration, engine noise, driving position, visibility, front-seat comfort and fit and finish.

• Chevrolet TrailBlazer LT
Poor handling, braking and fuel-economy ensure the Chevrolet TrailBlazer is at the bottom of the list.

• Mercury Grand Marquis
The ageing Grand Marquis rounds out the list of the 11 worst cars of 2008, and was picked because of its rough sounding engine, poor ride and fuel-economy and low IIHS side-crash result.

Overall, the best cars sold in the U.S. are made by Honda. That's the conclusion of a recent analysis conducted by Consumer Reports that looks at the reliability, performance, fuel economy, comfort, interior fit and finish, and ergonomics of 262 vehicles we've recently tested.

Honda, with an overall score of 78, is followed closely by Toyota (75) and Subaru (72). BMW, Mazda, Nissan, and Volkswagen are tied at 71, after rounding."

Reliability findings
Gas-saving models lead in reliability

Scion xD
HIGH The Scion xD has the best predicted-reliability score for new cars. Its owners reported 80 percent fewer problems than the average new car in our survey.
Fuel-efficient vehicles are a very reliable segment of the automotive market overall. And European cars, which have trailed the domestic models for about five years, are showing signs of improvement.

Those are the top findings of our 2008 Car Reliability Survey, based on our subscribers' experiences with 1.4 million vehicles. Respondents reported on any serious problems they had with their vehicles in 17 trouble spots during the previous 12 months, which allows us to provide predicted-reliability Ratings for new cars. We include only models for which we have 100 or more responses.

According to the survey, nine hybrid models for which we have sufficient data earned above-average predicted-reliability Ratings. Most of those hybrids are from Japanese automakers. We also found that conventional gas-sippers such as the Honda Fit, Scion xD, Smart ForTwo, and Toyota Yaris had few problems.

Chrysler Sebring
LOW The Chrysler Sebring Convertible has the worst predicted-reliability score among new cars in our survey. It is 283 percent worse than the average model.
Some European automakers, particularly Mercedes-Benz, had sunk to the bottom of our predicted-reliability Ratings in recent years. But the new results show signs of a comeback.

Six Mercedes-Benz models, including the redesigned C-Class sedan, the sporty SL, and the ML350 SUV, have improved to average reliability. As a result, they are now recommended (see What's Up and What's Down).


Ford leads the domestics

Ford's three brands-Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury-continue to pull away from the rest of the Detroit automakers. Almost all Ford models are now average or better, with the exception of some that are truck-based. Excluding those, Ford's reliability is now on par with good Japanese automakers.

General Motors is a mixed bag. Among the bright spots is the redesigned Chevrolet Malibu; in its first year, the four-cylinder version is better than average and the V6 is average. The Buick Lucerne with a V8 and the Pontiac G6 with a four-cylinder are above average, and the Chevrolet Avalanche has improved to average.

But a quarter of GM models are still well below average in reliability. Some that didn't fare well are fairly new designs that did well in our testing, such as the Cadillac CTS and the Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia, and Saturn Outlook SUV triplets. Chrysler trails the pack. Almost two-thirds of its products rate below average for reliability. The redesigned 2008 Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan minivans earned low scores, as did the Chrysler Sebring V6 and Dodge Avenger sedans and the Jeep Liberty SUV. The Sebring Convertible has the worst score: 283 percent worse than average. The only above-average models are the Dodge Caliber hatchback and Jeep Patriot SUV.


Toyota bounces back

Last year we called out three Toyota models that had slipped to below average: the Camry V6, Tundra V8 4WD, and the Lexus GS AWD. Toyota seems to have rectified some of the problems-all 42 of the Toyota, Lexus, and Scion models in our survey scored average or better. While the three models noted above scored merely average, most models got above-average Ratings. Almost all models from Honda and its Acura luxury division received above-average scores. In addition, Subarus for which we have sufficient data scored average or better in reliability.

Nissan showed striking improvements, with the perennially troublesome Armada SUV, Titan pickup, and Infiniti QX56 SUV finally gaining average reliability. The new Nissan Rogue and Infiniti EX SUVs have started out above average, which is a good sign, and the Altima Hybrid sedan is well above average.

The two closely related South Korean nameplates, Hyundai and Kia, rank right up there with the better Japanese makers. Most of their models scored average or better, with only the Hyundai Entourage and Kia Sedona minivans receiving below-average scores.


Europe rebounds

While Mercedes-Benz has improved in reliability, none of its models scored above average and a third are still below average. Audi continues to improve, with two-thirds of its lineup scoring average or better. Its sister brand, Volkswagen, has several models rating average or better in our survey, but the Passat sedan, Touareg SUV, and Eos convertible have not done well. BMW has also shown progress in recent years, with most versions of the 3 Series and some 5 Series models being average or better. The 6 Series improved to above average.

Volvo has continued the upward march as well. Of the nine Volvos for which we have sufficient data, only the redesigned XC70 wagon rated below average in reliability. Land Rover continued to fare poorly, with all four of its SUVs, including the new LR2, scoring well below average.


A consumer-driven Rating

Our reliability data are based on a subscriber survey and are not derived from Consumer Reports' vehicle testing. From the survey, we derive a reliability history for 10 model years as well as our forecast of how 2009 models will probably hold up. This predicted-reliability Rating is based on a model's overall reliability for the newest three model years, provided the 2009 version hasn't significantly changed. If a model was new or redesigned in that time frame, we might use just one or two years of data. In rare instances, we make a prediction for a redesigned model if the manufacturer's and model's histories are outstanding.

At the opposite end of the annual ranking is Chrysler, which fared even worse than last year. The company's poor performing products and sinking reliability results have kept all Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep badged vehicles off CR's Recommended list.

Nissan and Hyundai also improved their reliability rating.