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The 10 Most Reliable and Durable Cars of Model Year 1981 This page lists the top ten cars of model year 1981 by reliability-and-durability grade point average (Reliability-Durability GPA or more concisely, R-D GPA). 1981's Top 10 Cars These 10 car classics are listed below in descending order of Reliability-Durability GPA (best first). The equipment of each model is that offered in the U.S.
Note that all ten of the best vehicles of 1981 had a Reliability-Durability Grade of A (in fact, all had a R-D GPA well exceeding 3.50). This contrasts sharply with the Top 10 of 1975, when only the top 6 had a R-D Grade of A. Manufacturers of the Top 10 Toyota Motor Corporation accounted for 8 of the most reliable and durable cars of 1981, an increase from 6 in 1980, 5 in 1979 and 1978 and 4 in 1977, 1976 and 1975. Although the Toyota Corolla placed first in 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, and 1980, it dropped to 8th place in 1981. Daimler-Benz AG and Nissan Motor Company each accounted for one of the best cars of 1981. Japanese-built cars accounted for 9 of 1981's best cars; German-built cars accounted for the remaining 1. The Top 7 were all made by Toyota. Note that in 1981 (as in 1980 and 1979) none of the Detroit 3 had a car among the Top 10. The following chart gives each car maker's percent share of the Top 10 of 1981.
 Additional Vehicles with a Reliability-Durability Grade of A (R-D GPA of 3.50 or Better) There are seven additional 1981 cars that have a Reliability-Durability GPA of 3.50 or better. They are:
The 1981 Honda Prelude is the first Honda to have a R-D GPA equalling or exceeding 3.50. Computations To compute the reliability-durability grade point average of the MY 1981 cars, Consumer Reports' reliability ratings for the age ranges 4-to-5 years and 5-to-6 years are used. CR's ratings are converted to numerical values following the standard academic pattern: a grade point of 4.0 (an A) is accorded a rating of Much Better Than Average, a 3.0 (a B) is accorded a rating of Better Than Average, a 2.0 (a C) is accorded a rating of Average, a 1.0 (a D) is accorded a rating of Below Average, and a 0 (an F) is accorded a rating of Much Below Average. Then, for each age range, the grade point of CR's overall reliability rating is weighted 2/3 and the average of the grade points of the category ratings is weighted 1/3. Finally, the average for the two age ranges is taken. The Toyota Corolla SR5, the Toyota Corolla, the Datsun 510, the M-B Turbodiesel, and the M-B 300D offered only one year of data. Best and Worst Vehicles of Each Model Year The Best Cars of Each Model Year by Reliability-Durability GPA: 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 ... 2004 2005 The Worst Cars of Each Model Year by Reliability-Durability GPA: 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 ... 2004 2005 Additional Resources The Best Car Brands of Each Model Year by Reliability-Durability GPA: 1985 1986 ... 2004 2005 The Worst Car Brands of Each Model Year by Reliability-Durability GPA: 1985 1986 ... 2004 2005 The Best Car Manufacturers of Each Model Year by Reliability-Durability GPA: 1985 1986 ... 2004 2005 The Worst Car Manufacturers of Each Model Year by Reliability-Durability GPA: 1985 1986 ... 2004 2005 Best Car Brands by CR's List of Used Cars to Avoid: 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 Worst Car Brands by CR's List of Used Cars to Avoid: 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 Best Car Makers by CR's List of Used Cars to Avoid: 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 Worst Car Makers by CR's List of Used Cars to Avoid: 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 For additional car quality information, visit www.AutoOnInfo.net and CarsOnInfo.net.In particular, for additional durability information, see:
www.CarQualityInfo.net: The car-quality website for the brighter-than-average North American consumer.
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