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This
page has been updated to include the data that became available in 2006.
Percentranks:
A
model's Reliability Percentrank is a ranking of that model's Reliability Score
relative to all other Reliability Scores for the given model year and age range.
The percentrank was computed using the Percentrank function of Microsoft's Excel
2002 and, as the first part of the compound word percentrank suggests, is
a value between 0.00 and 1.00. If a model's Reliability Percentrank is near
0.00, it has a very low Reliability Score, and if a Percentrank is near 1.00, it
has a high Reliability Score. For a more detailed explanation of Reliability
Percentranks and Reliability Scores, click
here to be taken to the Methodology page.
The Reliability Percentranks and Percentrank Averages for 1988 to
1998 are
based on the performance of approximately 6 to 8 year old vehicles; those for
1999, on the performance of approximately 5 to 7 year old vehicles; those
for 2000, on the performance of approximately 4 to 6 year old vehicles;
those for 2001, on the performance of approximately 3 to 5 year old
vehicles; those for 2002, on the performance of approximately 2 to 4 year
old vehicles; those for 2003, on the performance of approximately 2 to 3 year
old vehicles.
Benchmarks:
Site manager's conjecture is that if a person cares little about
what he or she drives, he or she still likely would not want to drive anything
worse, or easily noticeably worse, than a typical Big Three vehicle. This is why
Big Three Reliability Percentrank Averages are used to benchmark the bottom. At the other end, site
manager's conjecture is that if a person has an eye for quality, he or she likely
would not want to own a vehicle that is much, if any, less than a typical
Reliable Two (Toyota-Honda) vehicle. This is why Reliable Two Reliability Percentrank
Averages are used to
benchmark the top.
Extrapolations: The extrapolations of Mercedes-Benz Reliability
Percentrank averages, Mercedes-Benz E-Class Reliability Percentranks, and
Mercedes-Benz S-Class Reliability Percentranks are provided to give the visitor an idea as to the relative reliability of
the Mercedes-Benz line and the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and Mercedes-Benz S-Class models for model years
2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012. The extrapolations are linear regressions of
degree one and are based on vehicular ages that range from 2-3 years to 6-8 years, as noted
above. If the visitor plans to purchase a new Mercedes-Benz vehicle and own it
for less than 3 years, the projections may have less applicability.
Advisories:
1.
This
site gives a Reliability Percentrank of .6 or below a Reliability Grade of F,
per the high standards, and a Reliability Percentrank of .76 or below a
Reliability Grade of F, per the exacting standards.
To view the table giving the Reliability Grades - High Standards for the
Mercedes-Benz line, click here.
2.
Nothing
on this web page should be viewed as suggesting that site manager considers a
model-year with a Reliability Percentrank below .9, or a model with a 5-year
or 10-year Reliability Percentrank average below .9, to be acceptable for
purchase or lease.
3.
Some
models appearing in the Reliability Percentranks table for the
Mercedes-Benz
Line may
not have a separate chart above.
To
view the table giving the Reliability Percentranks for the Mercedes-Benz line,
click here.
4.
Mercedes-Benz is a division of Daimler AG.
|
Charts of 2008 Reliability Predictions |
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(Each chart is linked to a news article providing additional
information.) |




|
Links to Articles on Consumer Reports' 2008 Reliability
Ratings for Model Years 1998 through 2007 |
|
(Each chart is linked to a news article providing additional
information.) |
| Some
Charts and Tables Pertaining to Reliability and Durability |
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(Each chart is linked to a news article providing additional
information.) |










|
Table I: Number and Percentage
of Entries in CR's 2007
Much-Worse-Than-Average List, by Manufacturer |
|
Auto Manufacturer |
Number of Entries |
Percent of Entires |
|
General Motors Corporation |
14 |
36.8% |
|
DaimlerChrysler AG |
7* |
18.4% |
|
Ford Motor Company |
6** |
15.8% |
|
Volkswagen AG |
5 |
13.2% |
|
Nissan Motor
Company |
3 |
7.9% |
|
BMW AG |
2 |
5.3% |
|
Kia Motors
Corporation |
1 |
2.6% |
|
All Others |
0 |
0% |
|
*
Three are from DaimlerChrysler's North American Chrysler group and
four are from the Mercedes-Benz division. |
|
**
Two are from Ford's North American group, two are from the
Jaguar division, one is from the Land Rover division, and one is
from the Volvo division. |
|
Source: "CR Bad Bets," Consumer Reports,
April 2007, p. 81 |
Additional Charts and Tables appear below the list of
news articles.
Some Mercedes-Benz-related news articles:
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November 2007: The Best and Worst 2008 Automobiles by CR's Reliability-Verdict History: Toyota Models Dominate Best and Account for All Perfect Reliability-Verdict Histories of 6 or More Years; GM Models Dominate Worst |
|
April 2007:
By Yet Another Quality Measure, Toyota and Honda Are Best and GM and DaimlerChrysler - Worst: The UCS 2007 Environmental Report |
|
March 2007:
Chevrolet Upholds a Tradition: GM's Chevrolet Line Worst by CR's 2007 Vehicles-to-Avoid List |
|
March 2007:
GM Expands Lead on CR's Used-Cars-to-Avoid List, a Tad |
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March 2007:
GM Maintains Leadership in Much-Worse-Than-Average: A Guide to Making Sales Challenging |
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February 2007:
Does GM Mean Junk of the 7th Level of Abomination? |
|
November 2006:
By CR's Predicted Short-Term Reliability for Model Year 2007, Toyota and Honda Dominate Best and GM, Ford and DaimlerChrysler Dominate Worst, per Detroit News Table |
|
October 2006:
The 2006 Updates: Toyota and Honda Account for 4 of 5 Most Durable Sport-Utility Vehicles; General Motors - 7 of 10 Worst: Will a Typical 1998 Toyota SUV Be More Trouble Free at 21 Years of Age Than a Typical 1998 GM SUV at 3? |
|
September 2006:
Reliability Updates: Best and Worst Cars and Trucks Tables: A Chart Summary |
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August 2006:
Reliability Updates: For Vehicles 4-to-6 Years Old, Toyota Accounts for 8 of 14 Best, GM - 19 of 47 Worst |
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August 2006:
Reliability Updates: For Model Year 2002, Toyota Accounts for 11 of 16 Best, GM - 16 of 53 Worst |
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August 2006:
For 2-to-3-Year-Old Model-Year-2003 Vehicles, Toyota Garners 8 of Top 9 and 9 of Top 14, General Motors Accounts for 18 of Bottom 46 |
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June 2006:
Toyota and Honda Dominate CR's 2006 Higher-Reliability, Higher-Owner-Satisfaction Quick Picks; Big Three Score Zip |
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May 2006:
Toyota and Honda Account for 75% of CR's Top Picks, Alternatives, and Runners-up; Subaru and Nissan Account for Balance; Big Three Score Zip |
|
February 2006:
General Motors and DaimlerChrysler Again Dominate CR's Used-Cars-to-Avoid List |
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February 2006:
Into the Pits and Down and Under Charges the General; General Motors Sets Record Share of CR's Much-Worse-Than-Average |
|
February 2006:
In the U.S. in January 2006, Reliable Two Sales Soar to Set New January Sales Records; GM and Ford Dodge Plunge with Huge, Premature Fleet Sales, but GM's Market Share Still Drops a Notch; Toyota RAV4 Overtakes Honda CR-V with Dramatic Sales Surge |
|
December 2005:
By CR's Predicted Short-Term Reliability for Model Year 2006, Toyota and Honda Dominate Best, GM and Ford Dominate Worst |
|
July 2005:
Toyota and BMW Among World's 20 Most Innovative Companies; Toyota, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Honda Brand Names Among World's 20 Most Valuable |
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May 2005:
A Dodge Safety Investigation and Some Honda, Mercedes, Ford, and Kia Recalls |
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April 2005:
DaimlerChrysler Recalls 1.3 Million Mercedes Worldwide |
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April 2005:
In the U.S. in March 2005, Toyota and Nissan Sales Advance, Ford and GM Sales Drop |
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March 2005:
Additional Measures of Toyota's Dominion in Automotive Quality: Market Capitalizations and Bond Ratings of Toyota vs. General Motors, Ford, DaimlerChrysler, and Volkswagen |
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March 2005:
Toyota and Honda Dominate Consumer Reports 2005 Overall Quick Pick List; Big Three Score Zip |
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March 2005:
Toyota and Honda Dominate Consumer Reports Owner Satisfaction Quick Pick List; Big Three Score Zip |
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March 2005:
Toyota Dominates Consumer Reports Reliability Quick Pick List; Big Three Score Zip |
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March 2005:
In the U.S. in February 2005, Toyota and Nissan Sales Advance, Ford Sales Drop, GM Sales Plummet |
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February 2005:
Bosch Faulty Fuel Pumps Cause Delays and Stoppages at Mercedes and BMW Plants |
The visitor may find the following tables and charts useful as well.
|
Cumulative Number of Auto on Info
Auto Manufacturer Awards for Motor
Vehicle Quality |
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Cumulative Number of First Place Positions in Auto on Info's
Auto
Manufacturer Awards for Motor Vehicle Quality |
|
Auto Manufacturer |
Awards |
Auto Manufacturer |
First Place Positions |
|
Toyota |
42 |
Toyota |
39 |
|
Honda |
34 |
Honda |
5 |
|
Mercedes-Benz |
2 |
Mercedes-Benz |
0 |
|
Nissan |
1 |
Nissan |
0 |
|
BMW |
1 |
BMW |
0 |
|
Volvo |
1 |
Volvo |
0 |
|
General Motors |
0 |
General Motors |
0 |
|
Ford |
0 |
Ford |
0 |
|
Chrysler |
0 |
Chrysler |
0 |
|
This table is current as of 14
August 2007. |
This table is current as of 14
August 2007. |
|
Shares of Consumer Reports' 2005 Quick Picks, by Auto
Manufacturer and Motor Vehicle Line |
|
Manufacturer |
Share of
2005 Reliability Quick Picks |
Share of
2005 Owner Satisfaction Quick Picks |
Share of
2005 Fuel Economy Quick Picks |
Share of
2005 Overall Quick Picks |
|
|
Vehicle Line |
|
Toyota |
.63 |
.47 |
.46 |
.33 |
|
|
Lexus |
.11 |
.16 |
0.00 |
.14 |
|
|
Toyota |
.53 |
.32 |
.46 |
.19 |
|
Honda |
.21 |
.26 |
.38 |
.33 |
|
|
Acura |
.11 |
.11 |
.08 |
.05 |
|
|
Honda |
.11 |
.16 |
.31 |
.29 |
|
Subaru |
.05 |
.11 |
0.00 |
.14 |
|
Nissan |
0.00 |
.05 |
0.00 |
.14 |
|
|
Infiniti |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
.05 |
|
|
Nissan |
0.00 |
.05 |
0.00 |
.10 |
|
Mazda |
.05 |
.05 |
.15 |
.051 |
|
BMW |
0.00 |
.05 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
|
Mitsubishi |
.05 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
|
Ford, Chrysler,
General Motors, and all others |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
|
1
Mazda's one entry,
the Mazda3 i, may have been pulled from Consumer Reports'
Overall Quick Pick List due to a
"Poor"
side-impact crash test rating by the Insurance Institute for
Highway Safety. The Insurance Institute's rating did cause
Consumer Reports to pull the Mazda3 from its recommended
list. |
|
All shares are rounded to two
significant digits. |
|
CR 2005 Quick Picks are quick pick
models of model year 2005. |
|
Note: A rebadge of a product
engineered by Toyota, but sold by another auto manufacturer, is
omitted from the latter's share. |
|
Source for Consumer Reports' Good
Bets: "Quick Picks," Consumer Reports, April
2005, P. 31 |
|
Shares of Consumer Reports'
2007 Good Bets for Model Years
1997-2006 with Selected 1998-2002 Reliability Percentrank Averages,
by Auto Manufacturer and Motor Vehicle Line |
|
Manufacturer |
Share of CR 2007 Good Bets
with a 1998-2002 Reliability Percentrank Average1 Greater
Than or Equal to .80 |
Share of CR 2007 Good Bets
with a 1998-2002 Reliability Percentrank Average1 Greater
Than or Equal to .85 |
Share of CR 2007 Good Bets
with a 1998-2002 Reliability Percentrank Average1 Greater
Than or Equal to .90 |
Share of CR 2007 Good Bets
with a 1998-2002 Reliability Percentrank Average1 Greater
Than or Equal to .95 |
|
|
Vehicle Line |
|
Toyota |
.54 |
.55 |
.72 |
.83 |
|
|
Lexus |
.16 |
.19 |
.28 |
.50 |
|
|
Toyota |
.38 |
.35 |
.44 |
.33 |
|
Honda |
.27 |
.32 |
.22 |
.17 |
|
|
Acura |
.11 |
.13 |
.06 |
0.00 |
|
|
Honda |
.16 |
.19 |
.17 |
.17 |
|
Subaru |
.03 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
|
Nissan |
.14 |
.10 |
.06 |
0.00 |
|
|
Infiniti |
.08 |
.10 |
.06 |
0.00 |
|
|
Nissan |
.05 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
|
Mazda |
.03 |
.03 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
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Ford, Chrysler,
General Motors, and all others |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
|
1
If the vehicle model is too new for a 1998-2002 Reliability Percentrank average to exist, the early 2003 Reliability Percentrank
is used when such exists. |
|
All shares are rounded to two
significant digits. |
|
CR Good Bets are models that have
several
model years between 1997 and 2006 of better-than-average reliability
and have performed well on Consumer Reports' road tests. An auto
Reliability Percentrank is
a measure of relative overall reliability used by Auto on Info. |
|
Note: Two rebadges of products
engineered by Toyota, but sold by another auto manufacturer, are
omitted from the latter's share. |
|
Source for Consumer Reports' Good
Bets: "CR Good Bet: The Best of Both World's,"
Consumer Reports Cars: Used
Car Buying Guide 2006, p.
25 |
|
Source for Reliability
Percentrank averages:
Table I-MVRP |











|
Table X |
|
S&P, Fitch,
and Moody's Senior Unsecured Long-Term Debt Ratings
as of September 19, 2006 |
|
|
Ratings |
Automobile Manufacturers |
|
S&P, Fitch Denominations |
Moody's Denominations |
|
Investment Grade Ratings |
|
|
AAA |
|
Toyota Motor Corporation |
|
AA+ |
|
|
|
AA |
|
|
|
AA- |
|
|
| |