What are the best-reviewed new cars?

5/25/2012

There are hundreds of automotive critics and reviewers out there, and all have differing opinions on what makes a great vehicle. When researching new and used cars, many drivers might be interested in getting a general consensus on certain models.

The website TotalCarScore.com collects reviews from around the world and averages the scores into a rating for each vehicle. The goal is to highlight the cars critics generally agree on as either good or bad. The website recently revealed some of the top scorers in each segment, as well as overall models that have received plenty of praise.

Overall, the three highest-scoring models were the Lexus LS, Hyundai Sonata and Infiniti M. These cars had total scores close to 90 percent, meaning they've received almost universal praise from the automotive press.

Other models that did well in their individual segment included the Ford F-Series, Volkswagen Golf, Honda Fit, Cadillac CTS, Audi R8 and many more. Ford was the big winner, with the top scorer in five out of twenty categories.

While reviews can tell a lot about a vehicle's initial quality, there's no telling what models will be prone to mechanical issues. Drivers can minimize their risk of breakdowns and other problems by keeping up with their scheduled maintenance.