The top car makers

The April 2011 issue of Consumer Reports ranks the big car makers based on overall quality. Here's the ranking, from best to worst:

1. Honda (Japan)
   
2. Subaru (Japan)
3. Toyota (Japan)
4. Volvo (Sweden)
   
5. Ford (USA)
   
6. Hyundai (South Korea)
   
7. Mazda (Japan)
8. Nissan (Japan)
9. Volkswagen (Germany)
   
10. Mercedes-Benz (Germany)
11. BMW (Germany)
12. General Motors (USA)
13. Chrysler (USA)

Some interesting observations from the list. First, East Asian (Japanese and Korean) automakers continue to do best as they have for decades. Second, if you want to buy American, buy a Ford. Third, with the exception of Ford and Volvo, American and European cars kinda suck—even the pricey ones.