The Pope gave Fiat the best press it’s ever had recently when he chose it as his preferred transportation during his visit to the United States. Consumer Reports, however, has just given the compact minivan/crossover some of its worst publicity — “least reliable car.” In a throwback to the 1970s when Fiat got the infamous slogan for the acronym of its name, “Fix It Again, Tony,” the Italian carmaker has been bombarded with problems from new owners. Broken tie rods, slipping transmission, shoddy electrical system and even engine failures have all been reported in the publication’s extensive yearly study. As
The frugality of Pope Francis is not a new topic. But when the pontiff disembarked the plane at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on Sept. 22 he showed the world audience another example of his preferred lifestyle. He chose a black Fiat 500L in which to ride from the airport into Washington, D.C. The Fiat 500L, which has a base price of just under $20,000, was dwarfed by numerous blacked-out SUVs in the Pope’s motorcade. But for his first visit to the United States, Pope Francis was simply continuing his preferred method of travel. During his papacy, Pope Francis has
In the aftermath of two security researchers hacking into the wireless system of a Jeep, Chrysler has announced the recall of 1.4 million vehicles in the United States dating to 2013 models. The vehicles recalled may be affected by a hackable software vulnerability in Chrysler’s Uconnect dashboard computers. The vulnerability was first demonstrated earlier in July when Charlie Miller and Chris Valasek wirelessly hacked and assume control over dashboard functions, steering, transmission and brakes. The recall doesn’t require Chrysler owners to bring their cars, trucks and SUVs to a dealer. Instead, they’ll be sent a USB drive with a software
If you own a Jeep Cherokee, Chrysler 200, Dodge Ram or one of several other Chrysler vehicles made in the last three years and something goes seriously wrong while you’re driving, you could have been hacked — remotely. The problem? Hackers can control the vehicles over the Internet and cut the brakes, shut down the engine, drive the car off the road or short the electric system. The issue can only occur in Chrysler products equipped with Uconnect, a wireless system that connects the vehicles on the Sprint cellphone network. The flaw was discovered by researchers, Charlie Miller and Chris
Car and Driver is among the most well-known automotive publications. Its web site thrives on lists and photo galleries, including the recent naming of the 2015 Mazda CX-5 as the top choice for best compact crossover sport utility vehicle. The web site’s editors don’t elaborate on the criteria used to select their best and worst choices. But the Mazda CX-5 surprisingly gets the top choice over the always-popular Honda CR-V and top-selling Ford Escape. The Mitsubishi Outlander was the lowest-rated compact crossover SUV among 16 vehicles listed. Here’s what Car and Driver said about the 2015 Mazda CX-5: “The apex-loving
Lexus has built its reputation on quality craftsmanship, styling and dependability. For the fourth straight year, the luxury carmaker’s dependability has been recognized by automotive industry research experts, J.D. Power. The California-based global research company ranked Lexus highest in its recently released 26th annual Vehicle Dependability Study. According to the company’s compilation, Lexus had 89 problems per 100 vehicles. It was the lowest among all manufacturers. Buick (110) finished second in the study. Toyota (111) was third. The study evaluates overall dependability of cars and trucks by examining the problems owners experienced during the past 12 months by original owners
How does an automaker come up with a best-selling vehicle? The four-door Lexus RX 350 five-seater is arguably the first midsize luxury crossover SUV and long has been the top-selling Lexus vehicle. The 2015 RX 350 comes in various forms, including the hybrid gas/electric RX 450h, but we’re concerned only with the RX 350 here. Lexus figures main rivals to the RX are the formidable Acura RDX, Audi Q5, BMW X3, Cadillac SRX, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Infiniti QX70, Lincoln MKX and Mercedes-Benz M-Class. A “crossover SUV?” Yes, indeed, because most hardware for the RX 350 comes from the Toyota Camry
Now in its sixth generation, the newly designed 2015 Subaru Outback further blurs the segment distinction between wagon and crossover sport utility vehicle. By any category name, the Subaru Outback is alone in the auto industry. No other car looks similar and there are no direct competitors to the family-oriented, all-wheel drive vehicle and its special consideration to those who travel with their pets. The Audi Allroad and Volvo XC70 also offer all-wheel drive, turbo-charged power and superior interiors to the Outback, but both have substantially higher starting prices. The 2015 top-line Outback 3.6R Limited begins at $32,995, while the
As the first major international automotive industry gathering of the year, the LA Auto Show annually attracts a full spectrum of carmakers and automotive enthusiasts. The 2014 LA Auto Show, which recently ended at the Los Angeles Convention Center, offered the usual collection of entry level cars from Ford, Chevrolet, Mitsubishi and the like. And there were high-end automobiles from Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, Porsche and Bentley. There were several themes in this year’s show, most notably connectivity and a retro approach to bright paint colors. Dozens of cars had global or North American debuts. And what’s an auto show without ambassadors
Most car buyers play it safe when it comes to car colors. White is the most popular exterior color, followed by black, silver and gray. Boring, right? But many manufacturers, seeking to appeal to young buyers, also offer limited edition to full-fledged models with wild color patterns — Plasma Purple to Tangerine Scream and Bronze Fire to Sun Fusion. The new wild and wacky cars colors have been inspired for several reasons, according to several manufacturers’ brand representatives at the2014 Los Angeles Auto Show. “The new colors appeal to younger buyers and those young at heart,” extolled a young man
With nearly 907,000 Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep SUVs recalls announced October 16, a dubious record has been set with more than 52 million vehicles recalled to date this year. The latest recall involves with faulty alternators and heated power mirror wiring that can short and cause fires. The recalls push the total number of recalls so far this year 544, short of the 684 mark set in 2008. The largest of the new recalls covers nearly 470,000 Jeep Grand Cherokees, Chrysler 300s, and Dodge Chargers, Challengers and Durangos from the 2011 through 2014 model years. The alternators can fail, causing
Traveling with the family dog in the car is great. But some carmakers make it easier and safer than other manufacturers to travel with an animal. A blanket in the back of a station wagon can still work with a calm dog. But it’s not really safe if a driver is forced to stop suddenly. And arguably the bigger the dog, the more difficult it is to accommodate the family pet on a vacation or just on a trio the veterinarian or the local park. Fortunately for all parties involved, an increasing number of carmakers understand. It’s a good thing,
Consumer Reports has lots of car lists. A recent addition is the best new cars to buy with prices less than $20,000. The eight-vehicle list is varied . . . from an SUV to several sedans, and there are a few surprises. All cars on the list have manual transmissions. An automatic transmission in any of the vehicles would come with a high price. Here’s the list of eight 2014 cars all available for less than $20,000: Vehicle/MSRP/National Market Avg./Potential % Savings/Potential $ Savings Ford Mustang Coupe V6, $23,335, $19,635, 15.9%, $3,700 Jeep Compass Sport 4×2, $19,690, $16,949, 13.9%, $2,741
New cars or used cars? Buy a new car and you lose as soon as it leaves the showroom floor. Buy a used car and you get someone else’s headache. There are many reason for both types of purchases, of course. And there’s the leasing option, which has been increasing popular for business owners and other buyers for a variety of reasons. The used car market has always been a good choice for savvy buyers. The financial website bankrate.com recently posted its selection of the 10 best used cars currently available. The list features the car model, the best years
A family car once meant a station wagon or a lackluster, underpowered box-like sedan. No more. For 2014, U.S. News & World Report has selected performance cars and family oriented cars that are perfectly capable for single drivers. The magazine (and its corresponding online edition) has selected the best vehicles for families in 19 categories, compact cars to minivans, hatchback to luxury cars. The 2014 Mazda6, the Best Midsize Car for Families, and the 2014 Mazda3, the Best Compact Car for Families, both have performance that car reviewers love. That performance comes in addition to available high-tech safety features, like
The Scion FR-S has for the second straight year top the list of 10 Coolest New Cars Under $25,000, according to editors of Kelley Blue Book. “Many of us aren’t in the position to run out and purchase a Porsche or Lamborghini, which is why we’ve crafted a list of affordable but fun cars, like two-time winner Scion FR-S,” said Jack R. Nerad, executive editorial director and executive market analyst for Kelley Blue Book’s KBB.com. “Truly a driver’s car, the FR-S features a stylish looking exterior and modern updates on the interior.” As in previous years, for 2014 KBB.com editors
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