Consumer Reports announces the 2015 People’s Pick

As Consumer Reports prepares to release its 2015 Autos Spotlight, which includes our highly anticipated Top Picks and Car Brand Report Cards, we asked our Facebook followers to name the best car on the market today.

The guidelines were simple: Choose a vehicle that is currently available in the United States that you’d want to live with as a daily driver.

The followers' initial open-ended submissions defined the field. We then asked people to “vote” on the five most popular models: Honda CR-V, Subaru Forester, Subaru Outback, Tesla Model S, and Toyota Highlander. From these, the Subaru Outback won, garnering a quarter of the votes.

We’re proud to say that our Facebook followers took this challenge seriously, selecting vehicles that meet the stringent criteria to be Consumer Reports recommended. In other words, these are all good, safe, and reliable models.

There were a number of comments asking where the American cars were. To remind, these models were submitted by readers—not selected Consumer Reports. And among these finalists, the Honda CR-V (Ohio), Subaru Outback (Indiana), Toyota Highlander (Indiana), and Tesla Model S (California) are made in America.

Winner: Subaru Outback (25 percent)

The redesigned Subaru Outback hits a sweet spot, with refined manners, benchmark safety scores, available advanced safety equipment, easy-to-use infotainment system, and ample passenger and cargo space. Factor in standard all-wheel drive and respectable fuel economy, and you have an SUV alternative that the people feel is a true winner. Several commenters wrote that they love theirs, and Robin Siegel explained that “It's practical, goes through most anything, and can haul as much as I've ever wanted while keeping it out of the weather.” The Outback won last year with our inaugural People’s Pick contest, and this repeat performance shows that its standing was no fluke.

Second place: Subaru Forester (24 percent)

In the crowded, and popular, small SUV segment, the Subaru Forester stands tall. Literally. Its positives include large windows, big doors, an excellent driving position, and unusually spacious rear seating. In our tests, the 2.5-liter four-cylinder and continuously variable transmission averaged an impressive 26 mpg overall. Plus, the Forester has an excellent rating for predicted reliability, owner satisfaction, owner costs, and accident avoidance. And it gets top marks from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) across its suite of crash tests. Commenter Celinda Woodworth Figgins captured the essence, writing, “I just bought a Forrester this past fall. I am extremely happy with it!”