Consumer Reports' best-in-class cars

Show Caption Hide Caption Can't top Tesla, but Subaru tries USA TODAY's Jim Healey shares the top car models from 'Consumer Reports' list.

The best car you can buy, period? Tesla Model S, says Consumer Reports.

Or maybe that you can't buy, given that it starts at about $70,000 and can top $105,000 if you want the longest-range battery pack and all-wheel drive.

It's the Tesla Model S' second consecutive year as chart-topper. Before that, CR made no award for best overall.

Fortunately for those with real-world budgets, there are more affordable top picks in the publications list of best vehicles by category. Subaru is the star, with vehicles from its lineup owning CR's No. 1 rating in three of the 11 categories.

The list is included in the widely consulted publication's annual auto issue, which arrives in the mail to subscribers next week, and will be on newsstands March 5. The info is online for subscribers today at consumerreports.org. CR has 7 million total print and online subscribers.

Making the list is based on top scores in Consumer Reports road testing (out of 270 cars evaluated) and top scores for reliability.The publication accepts no advertising and it buys, not borrows, the cars and trucks it tests. Those factors give CR an image of integrity and independence that automakers value highly when they score well. But CR doesn't allow its name to be used in advertising. So makers have to say things such as, "Chosen best in its class by a major consumer publication."

The road testing uses instruments to record objective data. It draws its reliability scores from a database of millions of replies by its readers to annual surveys.The magazine's test drivers evaluated 270 vehicles as part of the Brand Report Card on their performance, reliability and safety. To be a top pick, a vehicle also must perform well in crash testing by the federal government or the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Beyond the list of best cars, the auto issue includes a variety of rankings of new and used cars, and an almost mind-numbing amount of other data, details and evaluations. This year there is even a decision tree to help you decide if you even need to buy a new car.

This year's issue is even more detail-heavy because studies showed "that's what people want, more details," says Jake Fisher, director of auto testing for the magazine.

Here are CR's best vehicles in each category, and how they fit into the most recent five years of the ratings:

•Compact car: Subaru Impreza, fourth consecutive year. Hyundai Elantra won before that.

•Midsize sedan: Subaru Legacy, bumping Honda Accord, which won the previous two years.

•Sports sedan: Buick Regal, booting the BMW 328i that won the past two years.

•Large car: Chevrolet Impala. New category this year.

•Small SUV: Subaru Forester, second consecutive year.

•Midsize SUV: Toyota Highlander, third time in four years. Last year was Hyundai Santa Fe.

•Minivan: Honda Odyssey, third consecutive win.

•Green car: Toyota Prius, fifth consecutive year.

•Luxury car: Audi A6, third consecutive year; none picked before then.

•Pickup truck: None chosen. Last year was Ram 1500. No pick because the 2015 Ford F-150 and GM's midsize trucks are too new to have reliability data. And GM's Silverado/Sierra and the Ram did not score high enough in reliability.

•Best overall: Tesla Model S, second consecutive year. Last year was first time a best overall was named.