Scion shines again, Ford plummets sharply again in Consumer Reports' survey

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Toyota Motor Corp.’s Scion, Toyota and Lexus remain in the top three positions, while Ford continued its abrupt plunge for the second straight year in Consumer Reports’ survey of auto reliability. On the list of 28 brands, Scion remained first, followed by Toyota and Lexus; Ford fell to 27th position in 2012 after dropping from 10th to 20th in 2011. The top-seven brands on the list are Japanese. “Ford‘s bumpy road can be seen in the numbers,” Jake Fisher, Consumer Reports’ new director of automotive testing, said. “Sixty percent of Ford-branded models and half of Lincolns were below average in

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Mitt Romney auto industry television campaign ripped by New York Times

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Andrew Rosenthal, who has covered presidential elections for 25 years and is the current editorial page editor of The New York Times, is not pleased how Gov. Mitt Romney is discussing the auto industry. Rosenthal writes the blog Taking Note for the newspaper and he’s upset with a new television advertisement he believes is inaccurate. He writes in part: “It’s odd for Mr. Romney to complain that Mr. Obama ‘took’ the automakers into bankruptcy, since he advocated a managed bankruptcy for those companies four years ago. It’s also odd for Mr. Romney to claim that he’ll fight for every American

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Ford, Mazda, Dodge, Toyota named Green Car of the Year finalists

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The Dodge Dart Aero, Ford C-Max and Fusion, Mazda CX-5 and Toyota Prius C are finalists for the Green Car of the Year, the yearly honor selected by editors and guest judges of the Green Car Journal and announced at the L.A. Auto Show. The finalists list runs the gamut of fuel-efficient powertrains — hybrids and plug-ins to high-mileage gas burners. The two Fords, for example, make the list in part because they come in both hybrids and plug-in hybrid flavors. Past Green Car of the Year winners include the Honda Civic Natural Gas (2012), Chevrolet Volt (2011), Audi A3

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Lexus GS 350, 2013: Plush new sedan ready to challenge German luxury leaders BMW, Audi

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Like its siblings throughout the Lexus line-up, the GS 350 has been redesigned for 2013. The fourth generation of the upscale midsize sedan is slightly wider and taller than previous editions and it’s also touted with improved steering, more power and increase fuel efficiency. The length and wheelbase remain the same as older models and the GS 350 still features a 3.5-liter V6. But its new exterior design has resulted in 25 percent more trunk capacity, and with all of its improvements Lexus is hoping to provide more competition for the dominating German brands. The Weekly Driver Test Drive Driving

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Volvo S60 T6, 2013: Sporty all-wheel drive T6 offers sedan at its best

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The five-cylinder 250-horsepower 2013 Volvo T5 sedan I tested was very good. But I soon found the hotter S60 T6 AWD R-Design sedan almost felt like a different car. In fact, the S60 T6 AWD R-Design model is arguably the best high-performance Volvo ever. Both the Volvo T5 and T6 models have slick, virtually identical styling. But the S60 T6 AWD R-Design has a more potent six-cylinder engine. It also has a sport chassis, larger brakes and standard all-wheel drive, besides sportier interior and exterior features. A turbocharged 3-liter 300-horsepower six-cylinder is available for the 2013 S60, which has a

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Maserati issues recall for tire pressure system woes

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Even revered luxury cars like Maserati sometimes have problems. The Italian manufacturer is recalling Quattroporte sedans and Granturismo, Granturismo convertible, and Granturismo MC sports cars because of faulty tire pressure monitoring systems. The recall includes 485 cars from the 2012 model year of the exclusive manufacturer whose vehicles have sticker prices starting at about $120,000.In a document filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Maserati said the possible malfunction is the result of a software error and could keep the system from warning the driver when a tire’s pressure is dangerously low. Maserati dealers will replace the TPMS tire

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Amphibious car afloat again on land and sea after nearly 50-year hiatus

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It’s been nearly 50 years since the amphibious car had its niche heyday. But the Quadski, a one-person all-terrain vehicle that doubles as a personal water craft, will debut in the United States in November with a price of about $40,000. New Zealand businessman Alan Gibbs, the 73-year-old founder of Gibbs Sports Amphibians, said he hopes the Quadski will be the entree toward full-size amphibious cars to the masses. Powered by a BMW motorcycle engine that turns the wheels and drives its waterjet propulsion, the Quadski is capable of 45 mph on land and water. It takes five seconds to

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Chevrolet Corvette, 2014: Out with the old, in with the new in January 2013

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The seventh generation Chevrolet Corvette will be introduced Jan. 13 in Detroit, a few days prior to the North America International Auto Show, and will feature little from previous editions of the iconic sports car that debuted in 1953. The new Corvette will have only two parts from the sixth-generation Corvette — a cabin air filter and the rear latch for the removable roof panel. The current generation Corvette, or C6, was introduced as a 2005 model. As as tease to the 2014 Corvette, the automaker revealed the vehicle’s new crossed flags logo. The new logo was selected from more

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Crash Test Dummy mangled in NHTSA faulty air bag video

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Counterfeit air bags are being sold to repair shops for discounted prices resulting in more than 20 manufacturers’ vehicles being at risk, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The report released by the NHTSA details vehicles which have had an air bag replaced within the past three years by a repair shop not part of a new car dealership may be at risk. The risk is severe enough the NHTSA has a video showing what happens to a crash test dummy when it’s involved the crash of vehicle equipped with a faulty air bag. The 30-second spot

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Fiat 500, 2013: Plenty of 'Pop' in entry level soft top

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I drove the Fiat 500 hatchback when it debuted and was generally impressed. The hot rod Abarth version arrived later and was even more fun. But I didn’t get a 500C “Pop” Cabrio model with its quasi-convertible sliding power soft top until late summer. While small, the front-drive, two-door 500 is practical enough, although the rear seat area is hard to reach despite long doors. Moreover, the backseat is only suitable for children, pets or cargo that doesn’t fit in the trunk. Rear seatbacks can be flipped forward to increase cargo space, although they don’t sit perfectly flat when folded.

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Tata Nano, world's cheapest car, debuting in the United States in 2015?

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The Tata Nano changed the automotive industry three years ago when the minimalist machine debuted in India as the world’s cheapest car with a price of about $2,500. Now, the manufacturer’s CEO believes the Nano could be sold in the United States within three years and would be the cheapest cars sold in the country. “The U.S. is a very enticing market,” said Ratan Tata, CEO of India’s Tata Group in an recent interview with Automotive News. “We hope that the sub-$10,000 car has appeal.”The current Nano is a four-seater with a 32 horsepower and 624-cc, 2-cylinder engine mounted in

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Hyundai Elantra Coupe, 2013: Strong new contender in crowded segment

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As North American Car of the Year in 2012, the Hyundai Elantra one year later remains largely the same vehicle. It’s value priced and while not outstanding in any single category, its very good status is so many categories vaults it to the top of the sedan segment. The Elantra Coupe joined its much older relative (the Elantra is now in its fifth generation) for 2013. It’s largely the same as the Elantra sedan with two exceptions. It has two doors and it has some minor exterior trim tweaks. The Weekly Driver Test Drive The Elantra Coupe is comfortable, which

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Honda Pilot cited twice in top-10 cheapest 2012 trucks, SUVs to insure

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The Honda Pilot is the least expensive 2012 model truck or sport utility vehicle to insure, according to a MotorTrend article based on information compiled by CoverHound, the car insurance rate monitoring website. The 2012 Honda Pilot (Touring) cost on average $108.33 per month. The reasons: The Pilot received “good” safety ratings across the board from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), which also named it a Top Safety Pick. Additionally, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) awarded it at least four stars out of five for all of its major metrics — front, side, rollover and overall

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If sex sells, 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe commercial works

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The Netherlands, as does much of Europe, has a different outlook on sexuality and sensuality. In this instance, it’s a steaming, campy 45-second television commercial for Hyundai. TheWeeklyDriver.com can’t help it. We like it. But overt sensuality in a commercial called UpSkirt? We’ve got stunning models, long legs, a dripping ice cream cone, beads of sweat and a sultry voice moaning sultry lyrics. It doesn’t quite fit the car. But who cares? The commercial is fun. And if that helps Hyundai promote its cars, why not? And guess what? The commercial isn’t broadcast in the United States. James RaiaA sports,

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Honda CR-V, 2012: New design, more power, more features, same top SUV

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It’s hard to imagine the Honda CR-V is 18 years old. But with its sibling, the Element, discontinued, the CR-V is now the Japanese manufacturer’s entry-level Sport Utility Vehicle. There’s plenty of competition in the SUV segment, so for 2012, the CR-V was redesigned. The exterior has deeper sculpting, a bolder front fascia and a more overall aerodynamic look. More standard features, increased horsepower and one mpg improved mileage estimates also debuted with 2012 edition. Key Takeaways Redesigned for 2012 with more power: The fourth-generation CR-V gained deeper body sculpting, a bolder front fascia, and five additional horsepower (185 total)

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Counterfeit airbags concern prompts NHTSA consumer alert

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Vehicles which have had an air bag replaced within the past three years by a repair shop not part of a new car dealership may be at risk, according to a new report issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The consumer safety agency become aware of the problem after the sale of counterfeit air bags that look nearly identical to certified, original equipment parts—including bearing the insignia and branding of major automakers. Testing by the NHTSA showed consistent malfunctioning ranging from non-deployment of the air bag to the expulsion of metal shrapnel during

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