Tesla tops Consumer Reports rankings again, but Buick, Subaru gain

For years, the annual rankings of new cars and trucks by Consumer Reports have been a boon to import brands and trouble for American ones. Last year, that trend broke when the magazine named the Tesla Model S the best overall new vehicle, although Detroit was still under-represented in the top of the charts. This year, one Detroit brand has broken through, surging past Honda and BMW in the overall rankings and claiming the prize for best sports sedan: Buick.

Yes, that Buick.

GM's oldest brand ranked seventh out of 28 graded by Consumer Reports' surveys of 1.1 million vehicles owned by its subscribers and the magazine's own testing. Buick's improving reliability made it the top-ranked domestic brand, while Lexus, Mazda and Toyota held the top three spots overall.

"For years the domestic automakers built lower-priced and lower-quality alternatives to the imports,” said Jake Fisher, Consumer Reports director of auto testing. “Those days are gone. Today’s domestic cars can go toe- to-toe with the best.”