Regardless of where you stand on the validity of Consumer Reports' testing and survey methods, there's millions of people out there who consider the magazine their buying bible. Thus, it's news when the non-profit releases findings from a new subscriber-based survey. This time it's the 2008 Reliability Survey, and while you'll have to buy the latest issue of Consumer Reports to see how your favorite favorite brand or model in particular performed, the overall trends indicate that fuel efficient vehicles, whether they be hybrids or just small gas-powered cars, are very reliable. Also, Ford is reportedly pulling away from its domestic rivals in the reliability arena with the majority of its models, including Lincoln and Mercury vehicles, now scoring above the industry average.

If you're already stretched paper thin under the financial weight of a thirsty, expensive vehicle, getting out of it for something more fuel efficient might seem like an unattainable dream. Fear not, the smarties over at Consumer Reports have rightly pointed out that since depreciation accounts for nearly half of the cost of a car during its first five years of ownership, buying a used miser is the best way to save money and resources.

Consumer Reports is considered by many as a respected publication that (usually) uses science to rule over emotion when picking the most competent vehicle in a given segment. The advertising-free mag doles out "Recommended Buy" nods to vehicles that run CR's gauntlet of safety, efficiency, and durability. CR takes its job seriously, and sometimes it gets a bit testy when other publications create awards with less than credible criteria.

click above for high-res gallery of the 2009 Hyundai Elantra Touring

Any of you who consider hating on Consumer Reports a personal hobby, get ready to indulge yourself. The consumer advocate mag has just released its list of American Top Picks for 2008, and it ain't pretty.

Koreans come on strong, a domestic makes it and Toyota nabs four