NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Consumer Reports released its 2004 list of best cars on Monday. The magazine recommended cars in 10 categories. In reliability, one criterion for selection, American vehicles outperformed European makes for the first time.

Consumer Reports is out with its most popular issue, its top car picks. As Fred Katayama reports, American automakers are starting to pull ahead. Play video (Real or Windows Media)

The cars, and their ratings in three key areas, are listed in the table below.

To assess reliability, Consumer Reports surveyed subscribers to the magazine and its Web site, ConsumerReports.org. In all, data was collected on about 675,000 privately owned vehicles.

Looking at reliability among vehicles less than a year old, cars from the "Big Three" U.S. carmakers -- General Motors, Ford and the Chrysler division of DaimlerChrysler -- outperformed European cars overall for the first time in the 25 years the publication has tracked results by nationality. Vehicles by Asian manufacturers still fared much better in the reliability survey than domestic vehicles, however.

According to Consumer Reports' survey results, the average rate of problems for new U.S. make vehicles was 18 problems per 100 vehicles. The rate for European makes was 20 per 100 vehicles and for Asian makes it was 12 per 100 vehicles. The overall average was 17 problems for 100 vehicles. In last year's survey U.S. and European makes were tied at 21 problems per 100 vehicles.

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A survey released by J.D. Power and Associates in July of last year showed that domestic vehicles were outpacing European makes in long-term reliability.

In choosing the top cars, the magazine relies on its own test-track performance analyses, reader surveys on reliability and crash-test results from government and insurance industry studies.

Consumer Reports anonymously purchases vehicles for testing and keeps them for several months, driving them for 6,000 to 8,000 miles on the magazine's test tracks and on public roads to gauge various aspects of performance.

Among Consumer Reports picks, two cars -- the Volkswagen Passat and Honda Accord -- tied for the top spot in the category of Best Family Sedan for the second year in a row. The Toyota Prius, a gas/electric hybrid redesigned for 2004, replaced last year's Green Car pick, the Honda Civic Hybrid.

The Ford Focus made the list in two categories: small sedan and "fun to drive." The Focus had previously been left off the list because of reliability problems.

Correction The table in an earlier version of this story displayed an incorrect price range for Honda Accord. The correct range is shown below.

"In our latest rating the Focus reliability has improved enough for us to recommend it," said Rik Paul, Consumer Reports automotive editor.

This year, the magazine did not include a pick-up truck category because its engineers are still testing several new trucks including the Nissan Titan and the redesigned Ford F-150, said David Champion, senior director of Consumer Reports' auto test department.

Category/ Vehicle Test score Reliability Crash Protection App. price SMALL SEDAN Ford Focus Very good Good Very good $17,000 FAMILY SEDAN (tie) VW Passat Excellent Good Excellent $30,000 FAMILY SEDAN (tie) Honda Accord Very good Very good Excellent $21,000 to $23,000 UPSCALE SEDAN Acura TL Excellent Very good N/A $33,300 LUXURY SEDAN Lexus LS430 Excellent Excellent N/A $70,500 FUN TO DRIVE Ford SVT Focus Excellent Good Very good $19,000 SMALL SUV Subaru Forester Excellent Very good Excellent $21,000 MIDSIZED SUV Lexus RX330 Excellent Excellent Excellent $30,000 THREE-ROW SUV Honda Pilot Excellent Very good Excellent $31,000 MINIVAN Toyota Sienna Excellent Excellent Excellent $27,500 GREEN CAR Toyota Prius Very good Excellent N/A $21,500 Source: Consumer Reports

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