Consumer Reports provides top vehicle picks for 2020

Is it time for a new car? Consumer Reports just released its exclusive top car choices to help people find a safe, reliable ride.

Consumer Reports testers evaluated performance, safety, fuel economy, reliability and ease of child seat installation on roughly 50 brand new vehicles.

The Subaru Forester is the magazine’s top pick in the small SUV category. Testers point to its rare combination of practical packaging, impressive fuel economy and great driving experience. It also has excellent owner satisfaction.

The Kia Telluride is a standout in the midsize SUV market. Its road test score is among the highest ever given by Consumer Reports. That, combined with the comfort and capability at an aggressive price, made it a top pick.

Among pickups, the Honda Ridgeline is Consumer Reports' top compact model. It combines a comfortable car-like ride with the usefulness of a truck and offers lots of advanced safety features as standard.

The Toyota Prius set a record by making Consumer Reports' top pick list for the 17th time. While some hybrid competitors challenge its 52 mpg, the magazine says the Prius remains the standard bearer for automotive efficiency and scored extremely well for reliability.

Looking for something a little more high-end?

The Lexus RX SUV, the Tesla Model 3 electric car and the Toyota Supra sports car are also top picks.

To be named a top pick, each car must have forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection as standard equipment.