The grades are in on this year's Consumer Reports' Automakers report card, with Honda topping the competition in terms of reliability and overall test scores.

Consumer Reports, the U.S.'s largest independent consumer testing organization, gave Honda a score of 78 out of 100 in this year's Annual Auto Issue. This score reflects the average score of Consumer Reports predicted-reliability and road tests.

Toyota came in just behind Honda with a score of 75. Subaru earned a score of 72. Mazda, BMW, Volkswagen, and Nissan all tied with an average score of 71.

While Honda may have made the grade on its well-rounded, efficient vehicles, some of its models do not lead their class. Honda's CR-V was outdone by Toyota's Rav4, according to Consumer Reports. The Honda Civic scored lower than the Nissan Altima, as did the Honda Odyssey minivan when compared to the Toyota Sienna.

While Detroit auto manufacturers managed to earn most of the lowest scores, there have been significant improvements made in Ford and GM vehicles recently. Consumer Reports reported a 10 percent jump in recommendations, mainly due to increased reliability.

General Motors' (GM) overall grade improved by four points since last year, despite a drop in recommendations. New GM models such as the Chevrolet Silverado and the Cadillac CTS test well but many older GM models are "subpar," according to Consumer Reports.

Approximately 25 percent of the Consumer Reports' recommended vehicles are American-made, while about 50 percent are Japanese.

Cars with good performance, supreme interior design, high safety standards, comfort, and reliability will garner their manufacturers the dedication of their consumers. As vehicle standards rise, the consumers benefit as well.

Consumer Reports currently has over 7 million subscribers to both its print and online publications and remains one of the leading sources in vehicle reviews. More information on Consumer Reports, as well as automotive articles, can be found at its homepage.