The best and worst car brands, according to Consumer Reports

If you're in the market for a car — new or used — you want to make sure you buy from a reputable brand, especially if you want to save money down the line on needless repairs.

Consumer Reports ranked the 32 major car brands from best to worst, testing them on reliability, owner satisfaction, safety, and road-test scores. It suggests buyers seek out consistent performance, but warns consumers that just because a brand gets high rating, that doesn't mean every model is a winner.

"Keep in mind that even high-scoring brands can have low-scoring models. Be sure to check the ratings of the specific models you’re interested in," the publication cautioned, saying this is particularly true for larger brands.

Before you make your next purchase, continue reading to see which brands scored the highest and lowest.