Consumer Reports recently released its Car Brand Report Cards, and the final results show Lexus claiming the top spot for 2013. The organization looked at driving performance, interior quality, fuel economy and vehicle maintenance or dependability.
The luxury brand may not be as sleek as some other industry counterparts, but it garnered recognition for plush and reliable vehicles, The Washington Post reports. It also has state-of-the-art technology, entertainment systems and superior gas or electric power systems, which set it apart from the pack.
Japanese brands, which account for more than 36 percent of all cars sold in the U.S., filled the top seven spots in the rankings and eight of the top 10, Bloomberg reports. Lexus was followed by Subaru and Mazda, which were tied for second, and then Scion, Toyota, Acura and Honda. The only non-Japanese automakers to land in the top bracket were German manufacturers Audi and Mercedes-Benz, which ended up in eighth and 10th place, respectively.
U.S. brands did not fare as well. The top finisher was Cadillac, which ended up in 14th place. General Motors had other top 20 performers with GMC and Chevrolet, but Ford, Lincoln and Chrysler brands did not score as high.