Consumer Reports is out with its 2008 Top Picks for sedans, SUVs, minivans, and pickups. There are a number of surprises this year.

For the first time in three years, an American vehicle has made the list: the Chevrolet Silverado for Top Pick Pickup. It has a very comfortable ride. It’s very quiet. It has great towing capacity.

To become a Consumer Reports Top Pick, a vehicle must have at least average reliability and it also has to meet Consumer Reports’ new tougher safety standards. If it has been crash-tested, it needs to have done well. And this year, for the first time, top pick vehicles must have stability control.

The fact that the Hyundai Elantra SE comes standard with electronic stability control helped it earn Top Pick in the Small Car category. And another Hyundai, the Santa Fe, is Top Pick in the very competitive Midsized SUV category.

Consumer Reports says Hyundai has made huge strides. Hyundai some years ago produced particularly poor cars. They didn’t test well and their reliability was also below average. Hyundai’s cars test now near or at the top of their categories. The Elantra and the Santa Fe are the first Korean cars ever named a Consumer Reports Top Pick.

As for the popular Family Sedan category, the redesigned Honda Accord is a Consumer Reports Top Pick for the sixth year in a row.

Here are Consumer Reports’ other Top Picks for 2008:

For Upscale Sedan, the Infiniti G35

For Luxury Sedan, the Lexus LS 460L

For Minivan, the Toyota Sienna

For Small SUV, the Toyota RAV4

For Green Car, the Toyota Prius

For Fun to Drive, once again the Mazda MX-5 Miata

You can get more details and see videos on each of this year’s Top Picks free of charge at www.consumerreports.org/toppicks.