This Is the Best Car Battery According to Consumer Reports
With a large number of new smart features, a good car battery is more important than ever. All of these new features require juice and you’ll need a powerful battery than can deliver it. Every year, Consumer Reports tests car batteries. It found one to be the very best for 2019.
Testing 150 car batteries
This year, Consumer Reports tested 150 car batteries to figure out which one is the best overall. The tests focused on reliability and quality, among other things, in real-world conditions. For example, the car batteries were charged at the voltage cars regularly supply, rather than the voltage the manufacturer supplies.
The batteries were also repeatedly used in different climates to reflect the many environments cars operate in. To test the car batteries in cold climates, for example, Consumer Reports charged the car batteries at 0 degrees. This rating is called the cold charging amp, or CCA, rating. Then there’s the reserved capacity rating, which shows how long the car battery can last if the car’s charging system fails.
Consumer Reports then broke down the data into three categories, life, reserved capacity, and CCA. These classes, along with the car battery’s price point and warranty, are how Consumer Reports judges the tested batteries. Here’s the winner of those tests.
Odyssey Performance Series 65-760
The 65-760 was the best car battery according to Consumer Reports. (Another Odyssey Performance Series model, the 35-PC1400T, was also highly praised, as it was the third-best car battery tested.) So, why exactly is the 65-760 battery the best?
In terms of its life and CCA scores, Consumer Reports gave the 65-760 the highest marks. The battery also received the second-highest reserved capacity score. On top of that, Consumer Reports found that the 65-760 had no apparent flaws. This 50-lb battery has a carry handle for ease of use, and it comes with a 36-month warranty.
Price-wise, it’s not a cheap battery, but given its power and reliability, it’s worth the price. Consumer Reports says the 65-760 costs about $260. Its price is the second-highest on the Consumer Reports list. Most of the other highly-rated car batteries were about $60 or $70 cheaper than the 65-760.
Why it’s the best car battery
As the manufacturer explains, the 65-760 equips drivers with a reliable, powerful battery. Odyssey Battery deliberately stripped down the 65-760’s reserved capacity and CCA because many drivers don’t need a lot of those. Regardless, according to Odyssey Battery, the 65-760 still provides over two hours of reserved capacity. So, if your car can’t charge its battery, then the 65-760 can provide two hours of power.
Odyssey Battery’s 35-PC1400T, which was also highly rated by Consumer Reports, has a much better CCA rating than the 65-760. However, since most people don’t need too much of that, the 65-760’s cheaper price allowed it to ultimately win out.
Furthermore, as Consumer Reports mentioned, the 65-760 is an extremely tough, reliable car battery that can handle any environment. This makes the 65-760 a great battery not only for drivers in rough climates but also for people who don’t want to replace their car battery often.
